For my Love... : Blog # 24

For my Love...

            Manu was sitting on the windowsill of the french window, his favorite place in the home. Outside, he saw a cycle vendor selling cotton chocolates. It always reminds him of his vacations at his ancestral home. He couldn’t wait to meet his Grandmother after exams. He used to pester his mother to take him there. But as he grew older, his visits became less often. He always talked to his Grandma over the phone but then got too busy with his friends to go and meet her. 

            Whenever his mother called him, he made some excuse or the other. It has been over 3 years now since his last visit. For two years, he was tied up with college and a year before that, he was busy with the preparation. ”Manu, I do not want to hear anything. You are going to meet your Grandmother this weekend” said his father without giving him a hearing. When his father was gone, Manu told “Ma, tell dad this is not his college and neither am I his student”. If you want to tell anything, you tell him directly, told his mother. “If I had the courage, will I ask you?” Manu’s mother laughed.

            The road was flanked by lush green paddy fields on either side. He stopped the car near the village pond and dipped his feet. The water was just as cold as it used to be. The lone rock in the middle where Kingfishers wait for their prey was still there. Nothing has changed here.

            Manu honked at the gate. Kaka came and opened the door. With his usual grin, he said “Memsaab will be really happy. You have not come here in a long time”. His grandmother came out to the sit out adjusting her spectacles. “Nannyyyy....” called out Manu. Don’t talk to me. Do you remember when you came here last time? But all it took was a hug for Nanny to forgive. Nanny had a visitor – a middle aged lady. She was leaving as Manu came in. “Who is she Nanny”, asked Manu. “She is the leader of a self help group here. She wanted some advice on certain things.” Ask Kaka to get your luggage. I have made your favourite sweet. Let’s have lunch.

            “Have some more rice. See how thin you have become. Do you remember? You used to ask me to prepare this sweet every day.”  “And we used to lie to mom that I am not having too much of sweet” added Manu laughing along with Nanny.

            Nanny served sweet in the living room and switched on the TV. Manu jumped on to the remote. Tuning in to MTV, he lied down with head resting on Nanny’s lap.”Nanny, why don’t you come and stay with us ?”. “In the city ? Then who will look after the things here?”, she asked.

            Manu woke up to Nanny’s call. He did not realize when he had slipped in to a slumber. “Here, have this tea and let’s go for a walk.” They went to a nearby temple where Manu used to visit when he was a child. The priest smiled at Nanny and said “This must be your Manu. Your nanny comes here only for you.”

            On the way back, they met Nanny’s friend. Manu remembers her face but couldn’t recollect her name. “Manu, when did you come?”. He came today morning, answered Nanny. “I never thought Aiswarya will do like this”. “Is it? what happened?”. It took a while for Manu to understand they were talking about a TV serial and also that he switched to MTV when Nanny was going to watch her daily serial.

            When they were about to enter home, someone called out from the gate. It was Shrikala aunty, nanny’s old colleague. “Why didn’t you come for the pension meeting?”. Manu came today. So I thought will collect the pension next week. “You know Manu, when you were in school, your Nanny used to mark days in calendar for your vacation”. Nanny smiled lovingly at Manu.

            Manu woke up late. Kaaka came with tea. “Please visit your Nanny once in a while. She spends time looking at your old photos.” Manu got dressed and hugged good bye to Nanny. “Come by more often. I always miss you here”. “Sure Nanny, I did not know you were so busy here. Still you always find time for me” said Manu. Nanny smiled and said “ Anything for you my Love”. Manu gave a hearty hug to Nanny and got in to the car.

            He stopped at the pond. He sat on the pavement with his legs touching the water. He took out the cell and kept a reminder for the second Saturday of every month: “For my Love”.

                                               

                                                                                                Arun Babu

           

            

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