The winter had not yet completely set in, it was merely signaling its arrival. It was the end of Kartik. In the morning, a thin blanket of fog covered everything, and the dew droplets resting on the blades of grass shimmered like pearls.
On such a sweet morning, Sokal Mia woke up. As soon as he left his bed, a light, chilly breeze touched him. Sokal Mia thought to himself, "Ah! What a taste this early winter air has!" He wrapped a shawl around himself and went straight to the palm tree behind the house. There, the worker Showkat Ali had set up a pot the previous night. Sokal Mia saw that sweet sap had collected in drops, nearly filling the pot.
"Hey Sokal Mia! Out this early looking for sap?" Showkat Ali laughed from behind. Sokal Mia chuckled in reply, "Oh Showkat bhai, can the taste of this fresh sap before winter be found anywhere else? Quick, pour me a glass!"
The sap, brought down from the tree, was ice-cold and purely sweet, and as Sokal Mia tasted it, his heart felt refreshed. After drinking the sap, he set off towards the market. At the market corner, stalls of steaming hot bhaapa pitha and chitoi pitha were bustling. Villagers sat by the stoves, warming themselves and sharing stories. Sokal Mia also sat down there. Taking a bite of a hot bhaapa pitha, he said, "This time, just before winter fully arrives, is truly beautiful. There’s neither intense cold nor heat. Only a serene atmosphere all around."
The smoke from the pitha vendor’s stove and the fog created a strangely enchanting environment. Sokal Mia thought to himself, life is indeed beautiful, especially in these early winter mornings.