Mussoorie is a hill station with a rich history and many new attractions. Any tourist will find glimpses of the British-ruled Indian heritage and associated old luxury. There is a buzz around the clock tower whenever anyone visits. During the holidays, queues form for tourists. They want to sample local delicacies. Others aim to catch a glimpse of the city’s rich history.
One Saturday afternoon, I was roaming near the Oxford bookstore when I saw a queue. I thought the queue would be for fancy restaurants or famous traditional eateries. I was famished! Without a single thought, I joined the queue at the rear end. I couldn’t see where the front line was headed.
I saw books in everyone’s hands. Everybody was curious about meeting someone special. Author Ruskin Bond wrote the books. The Ruskin Bond! People had books, notes, diaries, and t-shirts to sign up for Mr. Bond. I was unknowingly standing in a queue for a book signing by Author Ruskin Bond without a book! I didn’t know how to react to the situation! The prospect of having delicious Paneer tikka had gone from my mind! I was tense and happy at the same time.
I grew up with Ruskin Bond’s books, which engendered an emotional and intellectual connection. But when I was about to meet him, I was unprepared.
The queue began to move forward, and the excited readers met the author one by one. Either he would pose for a selfie or sign the book. My turn came! I went directly to my favorite author, who had no books to sign. Mr. Bond was expecting a book to sign! He looked up to see a confused person smiling awkwardly!
I told him I had admired his work throughout my childhood. I aspired to become a writer later with genuine appeal. He smiled at me, held my hand affectionately, and said, “Best of Luck.” I didn’t take any autographs or selfies of the person, since they weren’t needed. The interesting part was when he helped me overcome my inner shortcomings. This support made me believe in myself as an author more. I sensed that thought process and wisdom in a fraction of a second.
The queue took me to a fantastic intellectual haven rather than a gourmet heaven, but overall, I loved it!
The Witty Stride 