98. WITH ALL YOUR FONDNESS. PART THREE

WE STAYED IN CHENNAI STEADILY RUNNING CRAZILY FROM THRESHOLD TO THRESHOLD OF HELL A LOT OF OFFICES FOR THE KIDS PASSPORT. NOW IN AUTO, NOW SPRAWLED IN CALL TAXI AND STUFFED IN TOWN BUS. ONE HOT NOON I FELT COLLAPSING IN AN OFFICE LIFT, HEAD SPINNING AND SUDDENLY EVERYTHING BECOMING DARK.

FINALLY OUR GOOD GOD SMILED ON US AND WE HAD THE TATKAL PASSPORT FOR THE KID READY IN A WEEK. IT WAS A HECK A LOT OF GREAT NIGHTMARE, THOUGH.

BACK HOME WE HAD TO DO PACKAGING AND OTHER INDISPENSABLE SHOPPING WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS TO BE RIGHT ON FLIGHT. A DAY BEFORE THE FLIGHT WAS MY GRAND DAUGHTER’S BIRTH DAY AND I LOOKED AFTER THE ARRANGEMENT WITH THE HELP OF MY DAUGHTER AND SON.MY KID DONNED LIKE THE PRINCESS THAT DAY, BUT HIGHLY DISTRESSED.

IT WAS CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT WHEN THE FESTIVITY CAME TO AN END.

I WAS TIRED AS I WAS UNWELL WITH SUGAR AND HYPERTENSION. I RETIRED TO BED LONG BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE. I WAS ABOUT FALLING SLEEP WHILE I FELT THE KID ON MY BED.

“DAD, YOU SLEPT?” SHE DEMANDED. “NAH, C’MON, WHATZ IT?” I ASKED

“SHOULD I LEAVE YOU AND GRAND MOM, DAD?” “ONCE FOR ALL?”” I DON WANNA LEAVE YOU ALL AND BE SOMEWHERE.”SHE HALF SLEPT SAYING THIS IN HER EXHAUSTION.

NEXT DAY IN THE CALL TAXI TO AIRPORT SHE SNATCHED OUT OF HER MOM AND MADE HER WAY TO ME IN FRONT SEAT, SILENTLY SOBBING,SPEAKING NOTHING,EYES WET, SHE DID NOT DARE SEE INTO MY EYES AND GRADUALLY SLEPT SERENELY.

THE FLIGHT TOOK OFF ON TIME; I DID NOT SEE HER OFF.BUT I WALKED DOWN TEN KM WAY BACK TO THE HOTEL, ALL ALONE IN MOUNTING GRIEF.

SOON AFTER MY GRAND DAUGHTER WAS GONE I REALLY BECAME LOVESICK.I USED TO STAY BEHIND ISOLATED. JUST SITTING LIKE AN UNHINGED URCHIN WHERE THIS KID WAS PLAYING WITH ME KICKING, SNATCHING AND DOING ALL LOOTIES.

VERY OFTEN I WOULD RUN TO THE HOSPITAL QUARTERS AND SIT DOWN LIKE A MAD MAN WITHOUT FOOD FOR HOURS BENEATH THE TAMARIND TREE WHERE I USED TO SING TO MAKE HER SLEEP.

THERE WAS A BIG WELL WHERE I USED TO CLIMB AND JUMP SAYING 123 TO FETCH HER LAUGH WHEN SHE WAS ADAMANT AND HER MOM WAS IN HOSPITAL WARD.I USED TO SIT THERE EVEN AFTER SUNDOWN.

NOW AFTER SIXTEEN YEARS!

SHE IS BACK HOME HERE TO MY ECSTASY!!!

SHE IS IN A DENTAL COLLEGE.

SHE LOVES HER GALAXY NOTE.

SHE LOVES HER ONLINE CHATS.

SHE HAS CREATED A NEW MICROCOSM OF HER OWN.

EATS LESS, TALKS TO NONE.

SHE THREW DOWN MY LENOVO PAD BREAKING IT TO PIECES.THE LENOVO GONE, I LOST ALL OUTSIDE COMMUNICATIONS.

LENOVO WAS MY CONNECTING LIFELINE TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD AT THIS AGE OF 75. MOREOVER IT WAS MY MATCHLESS GIFT FROM MY DAUGHTER.

IS THE REASON FOR HER CONFLICT: THE OBSESSION WITH SMART PHONE?