The watch showed 11.56 pm. I was in my balcony. The shawl tried hard to keep me warm. The fog kept me mystified. I drew in the wetness and my smoke starched lungs struggled.

I thought about the people who mattered. Only two of them were with me. One sleeping, the other down with fever in Kolkata. Somewhere a DJ shouted out the countdown. I smiled and wished the others Happy New Year.

Anand and Indra had called from Goa. They spoke about nirvana. I felt the fog again and was glad that it was there.