A Usual Evening at the Bar
There's a small bar away at the corner of building - a place with dim lights, and the comforting smell of toasted bread and chilled beer. I go there almost every evening, like clockwork, right after work. Two glasses of beer, some bread, and a quiet corner by the bar desk - that's my routine.
I don't talk much, mostly observe. People coming in, people going out. Lovers, loners, and the ones just escaping the rain. I like watching people around me and spending some peaceful time with myself.
That evening was no different - or at least, that's what I thought.
Outside, the rain was hammering the streets. I was halfway through my first beer when the bar door open, and a girl stepped in, drenched from the storm, a small dog trailing behind her on a chain leash.
She looked confused and in a hurry. Her hair was wet and drops of water were falling from it. She quickly wiped her face using a tissue from the bar desk and walked straight to the bartender, Ronny.
"I want two bottles of beer to take away," she said and handed him her debit card.
Ronny shook his head. "Sorry, our card machine is not working today. You'll need to pay in cash."
She checked her purse but didn't have enough money. Ronny then told her she could go to the ATM nearby and withdraw some cash. But she didn't want to go outside again because of the rain.
I had been watching the whole thing. Something about her caught my attention. She seemed nice, but also worried. So, I decided to help.
I said, "Hey, I can see you're in a hurry, and since the card machine isn't working, I can pay for your beer if that's okay. You can return it to me tomorrow."
She looked at me with a surprised face. At first, she didn't seem comfortable, like how people react when a stranger talks to them. I could tell she didn't know what to say. But I smiled and repeated, "It's really okay. I don't mind."
After a pause, she gave a small nod and said, "Thank you very much."
She didn't leave right away. Instead, she came and sat next to me. She looked like someone from a middle-class family, well-dressed, and probably lived nearby. The dog in her hand was small and quiet, still a bit wet from the rain.
That's when the real story started
The Third Eye and the First Connection
Oh, I forgot - before she sat beside me, my office bag was on the seat next to mine. As she approached, I gently moved my bag and offered her the seat. Her dog also sat near her, but soon came close to me and touched my leg. I was a bit scared and stood up. She said, "Tonny, sit there."
"Oh, he's Tonny? Hi, Tonny. Take it easy," I said.
Then I turned to her and said, "Hi." But instead of saying "Hi" back, she made a strange gesture. She pointed her finger to her forehead and asked silently, "Do you know this?"
Out of curiosity, I guessed, "You mean the third eye?"
She nodded, "Yes."
"I was joking," I laughed nervously.
She replied, "I'm not joking."
I didn't know much about it, but I said, "I know Lord Shiva has one."
Then, looking serious, she said, "I have a third eye."
I didn't know how to react. Honestly, I was a little scared.
Her Story Unfolds
Just to avoid that strange topic, I asked her name. "Anyway, what's your name?"
She said, "Julia."
"Hi, I'm Axshar," I replied.
By then, we were having our beer and chatting casually. After some time, we decided to go outside for a smoke if the rain had stopped. She took her dog along, and we stepped out. The air was cool and windy, and I chose to sit near a tree.
Suddenly, she started crying and opened up. She told me three things:
She had met with a car accident. The police had taken away her license. Her boyfriend had left her, and she was going through depression.
I was taken aback. So much, so fast. And all to a stranger like me?
I gently asked, "Did the accident just happen?"
She said, "No, it was last week. My lawyer is in touch with the police and court."
"Did you hurt anyone?" I asked.
"No. The car just touched another car, and it got a dent."
She looked very worried and asked, "Can you see through your third eye? Will I get my license back, or will I have to pay a fine? or go to jail?"
I was overwhelmed by her questions. I didn't even know the full story. I just tried to comfort her.
"Don't worry. It'll be okay. And like I said before - I don't have a third eye. I can't see anything like that."
She broke down again and rested her head on my shoulder. I let her. Maybe she just needed someone to be there.
Midnight Moments and Mixed Feelings
Then, another strange thing happened.
She suddenly started stretching her legs, right there in the open. She did a few yoga poses - calmly, as if she were in a morning park, not in the middle of the street at midnight. I felt uncomfortable. What would people think?
But she didn't care. She wasn't bothered by anything or anyone. Then she sat down and started meditating - right there, in the dark, quiet street.
"Why are you doing this now?" I asked.
She didn't answer.
A few minutes later, she was up again, playing with her dog. So many mood changes - laughing, crying, meditating - I couldn't understand it. It was all just too confusing.
Something didn't feel right. This wasn't normal.
A Sudden Distance
A little later, some girls stepped out of the bar to get fresh air. Surprisingly, they knew Julia. They walked up to her and greeted her warmly.
But again, she changed.
The moment they came near, she completely ignored me. No eye contact. No smile. Nothing.
It felt like she didn't want her friends to see her with me. Maybe she was embarrassed. Or maybe she just didn't want to explain. Either way, I got the message.
So I quietly stepped away and walked back into the bar. I sat down alone and continued my drink. I decided I would finish my beer, pay both our bills, and head home.
When I returned, Ronny, the bartender, came over.
He had noticed me leaving with Julia earlier and said softly, "Please stay away from her."
"Why?" I asked. "Do you know her? Is there something I should know?"
He looked serious. "Yes. She's a psych case. Trust me, better you stay away."
The Morning After
The next morning was Saturday. I woke up slowly, feeling calm but tired. For a moment, it all felt like a dream - but it wasn't.
The memories of last night came rushing back. Julia, her third eye talk, the crying, the yoga, and then Ronny's warning.
I sat quietly in bed for a while, thinking. What really happened last night? Who was she, really?
Trying to shake off the thoughts, I opened the curtains and let the sun in. It was a bright morning - so different from the night before.
I made some tea and reminded myself that it was the weekend. I had chores to do - cleaning, groceries, laundry. But Julia's face kept flashing in my mind.
Looking for a Glimpse
Days passed. Then a week.
But I couldn't stop thinking about her. Out of curiosity, or maybe concern, I started walking by the bar every evening. I looked at the nearby benches, buildings, and streets, hoping to spot her again.
But she was never there.
Even when I sat at the bar, my eyes often wandered to the entrance. Each time the door opened, I hoped to see her walk in. But it was always someone else.
The bar had become different for me now. The place was the same, but something had changed inside me.
Encounter
Then one evening, as I was walking back from work, I saw a small dog on the street. It looked just like Tonny.
I looked closer. The red leash, the way he walked - it had to be him.
And then I saw her.
Julia.
With a soft, relieved voice I said, "Hey Julia! Thank God I found you. How are you?"
But her face turned cold. She looked at me like she had never seen me before. No reaction. No memory.
Right then, I knew - either she truly forgot everything? or she didn't want to remember.
But Tonny remembered me. He ran up to me, jumped around, and licked my shoes happily.
I knelt down, played with him for a few seconds, and then stood up.
I gave Julia a polite smile and walked away - quietly, without asking anything else.
Maybe that was all I needed to do.
