The Airy Balcony

THE AIRY BALCONY

Without actually introducing Lakshmi, let me start by saying that the other day Lakshmi gave a key to me telling that it was the "key" to the balcony of her Sion flat, which I rented last week!

It is four days since I have moved to the new flat and by now I had finished exploring the all the other rooms and corners of the flat (attic included). The balcony seemed the only part of the house I hadn’t yet explored. So I thought it was about time I enjoyed the balcony too!! After all, it is East-facing and full of life and action right from the morning, with a bustling vegetable market less than 10 meters away!! (The USPs of the flat!!)
Early this morning (very unlike me, you see!), I started on this new project of mine with the key given by Lakshmi in my hand!! The flat was in dis-use for a long time so I thought the lock might just be grumbling with the sudden intrusion of the key breaking its long slumber!! So I persisted, giving the lock some vigorous shakes thinking that would wake it up and it would budge in due course! In my enthusiasm I had forgotten that I had managed to create quite a ruckus in the process which attracted the attention of a bunch of curious onlookers which I was completely unaware of and I continued unabated. The passers-by soon assumed that I was breaking into the house through the balcony!! They were soon joined by the other residents of the society. But I was in for a rude shock, the society folks sided with the onlookers who had first implicated me!! They said they had never seen me ever either! I don't blame them though, I hadn't gone about meeting them up and introducing myself when I moved to the flat last weekend-and the next three days I was busy unpacking and of course exploring, as mentioned earlier! The situation was reaching a point where some of the people in the crowd were on the verge of showering blows on me even though some others had suggested the option of taking me to the Police Station. Given the mood of the crowd, the latter option seemed much safer for me. I just wished no one took the lead of hitting me the first blow, then perhaps everyone will follow suit!!
It took me a good half an hour to convince them that I was the genuine resident of the flat (they were convinced only after I had shown them my PAN card!!). Luckily there were some similarities in the photograph therein and my face. So much for wishing a little fresh air in the balcony!!

Well, I just discovered the reason for the lock behaving the way it did this morning. It was the key of the garage of Lakshmi’s Chembur flat!!
 
P.S. This is work of fiction and any coincidence, with any person dead or alive or any article for that matter, such as ‘key’, lock etc. is purely coincidental...etc.etc.).