Thursday, December 16, 2004
She was sitting on the sofa in the front room. She didnt recognise me. Her eyesight has become very poor. She is frail and hard of hearing. Who is it, she asked me. I told her. Her hand instinctively went for my french beard. Yes, its you. The radiance in her voice was unmistakable. Though there was a tremor in her voice, the tremor was happy.
She asks me, how do i look? Better, or same, or worse? She looks old. Older than last time. Thinner, more wrinkles. Veins showing like cables under the back of her palm. Same, you look the same. And how does grandpa look? He looks the same too. And your aunt? She looks the same too. Haha, all are same.
And then, remniscing about my childhood. How I we used to play 'engine engine' and how did the tiger roar, what all do u get at natraj... games played over and over so many times that they've become legends in the family.
And then she tells me to sing.
Sing? I dont know how to sing, I protest. Sing any song, just one song she says. Oh i dont know the words of any. We used to sing so many songs, she argues. Sing jaane kahan gaye yeh din, or sing aa jaa sanam... or sing the woodpecker song. You used to sing so well.. in school u always used to take part in singing competitions. But I dont sing.
Sing one song for grandma says grandpa. Instead we get the casio and me and grandma both play several songs, but I dont sing....
She asks me, how do i look? Better, or same, or worse? She looks old. Older than last time. Thinner, more wrinkles. Veins showing like cables under the back of her palm. Same, you look the same. And how does grandpa look? He looks the same too. And your aunt? She looks the same too. Haha, all are same.
And then, remniscing about my childhood. How I we used to play 'engine engine' and how did the tiger roar, what all do u get at natraj... games played over and over so many times that they've become legends in the family.
And then she tells me to sing.
Sing? I dont know how to sing, I protest. Sing any song, just one song she says. Oh i dont know the words of any. We used to sing so many songs, she argues. Sing jaane kahan gaye yeh din, or sing aa jaa sanam... or sing the woodpecker song. You used to sing so well.. in school u always used to take part in singing competitions. But I dont sing.
Sing one song for grandma says grandpa. Instead we get the casio and me and grandma both play several songs, but I dont sing....
