"Marine Drive wore such a deserted look, and as I approached the Gateway of India, the silence stunned me. Never before had I seen my dear Bombay look so sombre," Lady Flora was recalling her walk with old friend Dr Viegas to Sir PM. He was curious about how things went off on New Year`s Eve while he was away on a brief trip to Pune. "I don`t believe this, Lady Flora. You mean to tell me that there were no fireworks, no gatherings at Apollo Bunder? That must have been quite something," he gasped in surprise. Both decided to meet for a bit at their usual spot inside Horniman Circle Gardens, to reminisce on all that had gone by; 2020 had been that kind of year.

"You know, Pheroze, the sights that I witnessed as I passed by Fort and Colaba on December 31 reminded me that this city has been remarkably disciplined, despite all the knocks it took on its chin. There has been no respite since March, when the numbing news of the pandemic hit India; remember how Bombay became the epicentre in the blink of an eyelid? Those were such anxious times; we couldn`t even meet for the first few months into the lockdown," Lady Flora recalled, as they shared a few mawa cakes and sipped on steaming chai, courtesy Ms Mehta. The pleasant wintry night made for the perfect setting for this rewind session.