Life in Camden Town – Series 7

I offer my obeisance to you Rev. Gurudev Sri. Sri. Om Swamiji. Wishing you love, good health and peace abundant 🙏🕉 Thank you for always being there 🙏 Narayani Nomostute 🙏🕉

Please note this is part 7 of the series

Part 6 is here

From the beginning part 1 is here

Would like to begin this post today with beautifully written words of  Rev. Thich Nhat Hanh.…

‘Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” I only realised it when I had a strange  moment at my work place this one fine day.

My experience into the destined Workplace..

Camden Town had a weird charm to it. Famous as a happening, adventurous and frenzy spot people love to flock and venture with a free spirit in this fun going place known best for selling fashion for all tastes.  One could witness different cultures, the locals and tourists from all parts of the world. This massive one of a kind market area has outlets and stalls for almost everything be it antiques, Jewellery, clothing, footwear from big to small brands.

The biggest highlights are the pubs, bars, restaurants but it’s most importantly known for one of the best street food markets in London too. Listening to live music as one strolls through this bustling area is a treat to experience for many.

As one of the oldest boroughs of London, it has also been the set for a number of eminent films and famous personalities, singers, writers, artists visiting this place only validates Camden Town’s popularity.

Whilst there, I witnessed this market area full of glamour and glorified sights. From the usual trendy causal looking ones to glamorous clad ones and then some mystifying ones with funkiest makeup on, all clad in chains and pulled by the other person taking a walk through the lanes, Camden surely felt like a flaunting ramp walkway created for different designers.

Being in a speedy lane:

A heightened overexposure in situations can surely  be very overwhelming. It was way too fast a pace for this confident, demure and soft person like me. But I had no choice but to work there. Many times I would think of the innocent spark of grace I had inherited from my dear Parents  and it did hit me hard doing such overbearing jobs. I tried my best each time  to overlook that beautiful and cherished phase of mine but the deep imbedded decency and simplicity that ran in my system I could never understate. I missed them dearly. Probably it was the main reason that held me high in all given situations.

Not that I resented working but had to  make peace with this unwarranted package. It felt I was literally thrown for an acid test without gearing myself,  least of all even given an essence of a prior work training or to be prepared for such an environment.

I knew my innate abilities like a student were at test yet again only this time the origin was different. Putting my best foot forward was the goal, for only that could ensure stability and decent life for my children who were at a tender stage.

Loading, unloading myself…

The work load was extremely taxing , being present the whole day without break and no helper did make things tough for me.  I was aware this was coming because even if we could afford to keep a helper the husband figure would never agree.

Sometimes the cold and stormy weather reaped havoc and at times the displayed outfits at the entrance would be blown away. The neighbouring outlet owners were a kind bunch and they would rush to help me even before I could ask them. The only worst bit was when I had to go use the rest rooms, which were quite at a distance and I really had to request help from others to take care of the place in my absence.

Immense stress of loosing out on customers would build up as the so called husband figure was very particular in taking note of how much money you earned in a day and Lord forbid if you gave an account of less business , that day hell would break loose. He would go mad hurling abuses and put me down saying I was good for nothing. As time went by my system felt strained even the more. There was no joy expect to walk and think work.

Respite and relief of being away…

At home, smiles were missing on many faces, as my sister-in-law law felt she was doing us a big favour which was so evident from their interactions and behaviour. The husband figure was having a gala time with barely any financial contribution in the house even though we were earning well and that triggered much uneasiness in me for we were literally living on my ex sister-in-law spending on food etc. I literally had no say. 

Warmly getting greeted and hugged by both my kids helped me to gear up for the day. Waking up as early as 5 a.m cooking lunch for them and  giving a goodbye kiss to my babies before leaving for work was the only energy tonic for me.

For days and weeks my heart beats would race whilst I had to rush to catch the bus and different tubes. Yes, I was strong enough to carry myself and was all out there to prove to myself,  but there were moments when I wanted to sit down in a quite place and howl like crazy and vent it all out and then get back to work holding onto my stronger self. But sadly could never do it. Though there were moments of some silent tears.

Also I did not want my kids to know how helpless I felt each day for I knew it would only add further pressure on them for they too were coping at their aunt’s place without  much freedom.

The only respite for me was getting out of the house each day, head forth into the busy world and love and interest myself in the kind smiles on the way and at work place . It felt important and light to be part of the community there.

And When Divine uplifts this tiny Spirit…

It was an intense cold day. Since there was no central heating system in the outlet and I had no proper boots on me for that kind of weather ( I was not entitled to spend anything on myself ) and it would only make me feel  worse, as the pain in my legs would increase and make the job tough for me. But I somehow got to cleaning the store and setting up the garments before the customers showed up.

Suddenly I saw a huge built man almost six and half feet in height, tattoos all over his face and arms, looking  almost like a wrestler enter my outlet. He looked really scary. Though I have been a tattoo lover for years and have 12-13 tattoos on me , but  this personality seemed a bit out of the world. One could barely see his features as the face was completely inked with different colors. My creative head wondered how could he have inked his face permanently. Along with him was his beautiful and charming wife. I greeted the couple with a smile.

“Could you help in suggesting a nice outfit for my wife please. I completely leave it up to you to decide’, the gentleman insisted politely.

I selected and took out a nice crochet black top and a long flowing black skirt to go with it for her. The lady tried the dress on and she just loved it. The gentleman was so impressed that he  insisted his wife to not change into the old outfit. It felt good to see the lady with a big smile and admiring her outfit in the mirror.

Whilst I got packing her old outfit and the billing bit, I suddenly saw a whole lot of kids, youngsters  rushing into the outlet screaming towards the tattooed gentleman like a swarm of bees. They started to take his autograph and getting photographed with him.

By this whole scenario I could guess that he was some famous personality. I patiently waited for his fans to leave and then handed the bill and the clothing bag to them.

The gentleman stood calmly at the counter and looked straight into my eyes and said, ‘You know who am I ? ’ he looked rather amused while putting forth this question to me.

Of all I could wildly gather from the maddening fan rush and cheering in the store that he probably was a known figure. But I was totally clueless of who he was and also I was least concerned to know, for all I knew that this little head was here to do its job.

‘No, sorry I don’t know who you are’, I smiled and answered back.

‘ I am the Scary Guy, from States’ all these people adore me as their star. I am on my visit to U.K. and have some shows here, but trust me I shall remember you and this day as very special .

It was rather touching to see him come across as such a gentle compassionate person, simply the opposite of what he portrayed in his demeanour , his outfit and appearance so to say.

I simply nodded expressing my happiness to have met him and his wife too. ‘It was a pleasure meeting you both’.

It did not stop there, he  slowly uttered something to his wife and politely asked me to wait for a minute and called out to one of his assistants and said rather sweetly ‘ You are very special lady, and gifted with a beautiful smile. Do you know that!

I was a bit spellbound …. had no clues what was going on and what’s coming my way…. Strange, isn’t it! how when you are not used to surprises or compliments and suddenly you are beamed with its flow.

‘ I want my wife to play the harp for you’. He went on with a cheerful tone.

His assistant who was waiting outside the outlet carried a big harp in.

Very beautifully the lady, (  the Scary Guy’s wife ) sat down with the harp and started to play it for me.

It was purely celestial! The whole place tinkled with the soothing sound of the harp and tears started to well up in my eyes. To experience that moment was elating  .

Trust me, it felt that Divine had send the couple that day to cheer me up with a message to just trust the process of life and hang in there.

After good 20 minutes or so the lady stopped playing the harp,  there was complete silence. Youngsters and other outlet owners had gathered outside to witness the same . It was indeed one of the most beautiful day for me. 

I thanked the couple enough for such an honourable time. But no, it did not end there..

‘ I would like me and my wife to take a picture with you , for you have been so gracious and kind with us’.

Honestly, I had no clues what was going on that time…

Soon his assistant came in with a camera and clicked our photographs together.

‘Please write down your residential address and once back to America I shall send the photograph of all of us together to you’, and I obliged.

And true to his words, it did come up as a surprise yet again, as the Scary Guy did send across the photographs after a few weeks at my address.

The Scary Guy and his beautiful wife at my outlet ( with me in the centre ). A moment of revival! 

The wonderful couple left behind a special feel of love that I had not encountered in a long long time.  It felt like some good vibrational offering.

So well put in words by Matshona Dhilwayo ….“Grief gives you a hundred reasons to cry; hope gives you a thousand reasons to smile, joy gives you a million reasons to laugh, and love gives you billion reasons to rejoice.”

The time that day was sent as a revival to this tiny being to just have Faith in the deep wisdom of the heart.

True, life does give this  lightness, a precious whiff of connection, and allows us so many such priceless moments to be uninhibitedly ourselves. Too much seriousness does rob one of its own uniqueness and one only  feels alive amidst all the chaos,  in moments that purely serve us the simplest joy.

How often did the weather change for good and what was further in store… To be continued…

Thank you my OS family and graceful readers  for your valuable  time and patience in reading my posts. I am purely penning down my own personal experiences and the way I felt about the same , which I do in all my posts. So please do forgive me if unknowingly I hurt anyone’s sentiments . Wishing you all good health, love and peace.

Jai Sri Hari 🙏

Siddhika Umesh

pics of Camden town: courtesy google.