sunrise on the eastern coast is a special *nt. i stood at dolphin's nose, a spur jutting1 out into the bay of bengal, to behold2 the breaking of the sun's upper limb over the horizon of the sea. as the eastern sky started unfolding like the crimson3 petals4 of a gigantic flower, i was overcome by a wave of romantic feelings and nostalgia5（乡愁，*之情） -- vivid memorie not diminished by the fact that almost ten years had passed.
i was a young bachelor then, and visakhapatnam did not have much to offer. *ry sunday morning, i used to rise before dawn and head for dolphin's nose, to enjoy the dazzling spectacle of the sun majestically6（雄伟地） rising out of the sea. the fresh, salty sea breeze was a panacea7 for all the effects of hangovers caused by saturday night excesses.
after viewing the metamorphosis at sunrise, i would walk downhill along the steep mountain-path, towards the rocky beach, for a brief swim. each time, i noticed a flurry of activity in a distant compound with a single decrepit8 building. i used to ignore it, but curiously9, one day i decided10 to take a closer look. it was a fish *. most customers were housewives from the nearby residential11 complexes. they were at their "sunday-worst" -- sans make-up, slovenly12 dressed, faces unwashed, and unkempt hair -- in stark13 contrast with their carefully made-up appearances at the club the previous *ning.
i had began to walk away, quite dejected, when i saw her for the first time. i stopped, dead in my tracks. she was a real beauty -- tall, fair and freshly bathed, her long lustrous14 hair dancing on her shoulders. she had large, expressive15 brown eye and her sharp features were accentuated16 by the rays of the morning sun. i can't begin to describe the sensation she evoked17 in me; it was the first time in my life that i felt my heart ache with such intense yearning18. i knew this was love. yet, in my heart, i knew that istood no chance -- she had a mangalsutra around her neck. she was married -- maybe happily, too. n*rtheles i drew closer to her and made the pretence19 of buying some fish. smiling guardedly at me, she selected a couple of pomfrets and held them out to me. i ma*d to briefly20 touch her soft hands -- the feeling was electric and a shiver of thrill passed through me. she communicated an unspoken "good-bye" with her teasing, dancing eyes and briskly walked away. too dazed to follow her, i returned to my room and had fried pomfret for breakfast. needless to say, they tasted delicious.
soon, i was following this routine *ry sunday morning with almost religious zeal21. she n*r missed her rendezvous22 with me -- same place, same day, at precisely23 the same time, s*n o'clock. still, not a word was exchanged between us. i was too shy and she probably wanted to keep it this way -- a beautiful ethereal relationship -- a love so delicate that one wrong move might ruin *rything. meanwhile, i had d*loped a taste for fried pomfret -- quite surprisingly, considering that i had n*r eaten fish before.
as the years went by, i left visakhapatnam and travelled around the world, met many beautiful girls at the various exotic places i visited. but i n*r forgot her! a man's first love would always have an enduring place in his heart.
and now, i was back in visakhapatnam, almost ten years later. as i walked down the slope towards the beach, in my mind's eyes i could still vividly24 envision the playfully sublime25 look on her face -- her gentle smile and communicative eyes -- *n if ten years had passed. i could not contain the mounting exc*ent and anticipation26 in me; i was desperately27 yearning to see her again. it was a forlorn hope but i felt flushed with optimism.reaching the beach, i noticed that the sun was well clear of the horizon. i glanced at my watch -- almost s*n o'clock. i hastened my step, almost breaking in to a run, and reached the fish * where i stood at the exact same spot, where we used to have our rendezvous at sunrise.
trembling with anticipation verging28 on anxiety, i looked around with searching eyes. nothing had changed. the scene was exactly the same as i had left it ten years ago. there was only one thing missing -- she wasn't there! i had drawn29 out the short straw! i felt crestfallen30. my mind went blank and i stood motionles overcome with gloom, when suddenly, i felt that familiar electrifying31 touch, the same shiver and the familiar thrill. it jolted32 me back to reality, as quick as lighting33. as she softly put two promfret fish in my hand i was feeling in the s*nth heaven.
looking at her, i was not disappointed. her beauty had enhanced with age. yet, something had changed, indeed. yes! it was her eyes. her large brown eyes did not dance so teasingly any*. there was a trace of sadnes a sense of tender poignancy34 in her liquid brown eye as she *d me her unspoken "good-bye". du*truck by the abruptness35 of the *nt and the enormity of the moment, i stood frozen like a statue, unable to react or say anything. it was only when she was leaving that i noticed that there was no mangalsutra around her slender neck any*.
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