Thursday, April 28, 2022

Turn Off!

 The park was not too crowded today. Just some seniors and a few people walking their dogs. Anita sighed and sluggishly plugged in her earphones. She started playing her usual playlist and began jogging, cursing Nita under her breath. Nita, her roommate had signed her up for a trek the next month. It was mandatory that she run at least 3 to 4 kilometers everyday to build stamina. She detested exercise in any form.

As she jogged, panting and puffing, she shifted her focus to the people around. A south Indian uncle brisk walking in his mundu, a harried woman running behind her son riding his bicycle too fast…and just like that, out of nowhere he cut across her path and started jogging ahead.

Tall, dark, strong built and good shoes. Shoes were important, somehow. Strong calf muscles, she thought to herself. She was sure she couldn’t catch up with him, so she decided to turn around and run the other way hoping bump into him, and get a glimpse of what he looked like upfront. Part out of curiosity, part for SOME entertainment while she endured this torture of running every day.

Rugged face, sharp features, kind eyes and a slight stubble. Impressive!

The next morning, getting up early and getting dressed didn’t seem so tedious  anymore. Did he throw a casual glance at her today? Did she sense the slight curve of a smile playing on his lips the other day? 

Colors looked brighter, people happier….the wonders hormones could do!!

It felt good! She often smiled to herself while at work. Hummed a happy song sometimes. There was a skip in her step. She took extra care getting dressed each morning. A little make up. Not too much, though. She didn’t miss a day of jogging at the park since then.

One Monday morning, she didn’t see him jogging. Her face fell, disappointed. She jogged around the park, but he was nowhere to be seen! Just as she was about to turn back, there he was, sitting on a bench not too far away. Her heart did a double flip! He was with someone, in deep conversation. And as she watched, he slowly unzipped his blue backpack, unwrapped an energy bar he extracted from within, gingerly tucked it into his mouth, and threw the wrapper on the floor.

Anita turned around, and ran the other way. The next day onwards, she jogged at a park a couple of kilometers away from this one.


അവളും അവനും

 ഉച്ച ഭക്ഷണം കഴിഞ്ഞു തിരിച്ചു സീറ്റിൽ വന്നപ്പോഴാണ് അവൾ അവനെ കണ്ടത്. ആഴ്ചയിൽ ഒരു തവണയേ വരാറുള്ളുവെങ്കിലും അവൻ വരുന്നത് അവൾ കാത്തിരിക്കാറുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. ബാങ്കിലെ മറ്റു തിരക്കുകൾക്കിടയിൽ അവൻ വരുന്ന് ദിവസമാണ് എന്ന് അവൾ മറന്നിരുന്നു. അത് കൊണ്ട് തന്നെ അവനെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ അതിന്റെ യാദൃശ്ചികതയിലും കൗതുകത്തിലും ഒരു നിമിഷം അവൾ മുഴുകിയിരുന്നു. അതിന്റെ ഒരു ചെറിയ പുഞ്ചിരി അവളുടെ മുഖത്ത് പടരുകയും ചെയ്തു. ആ ദിവസത്തിനെന്തോ ഒരു ഉന്മേഷം കൂടിയത് പോലെ.

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ജെയിംസ് സ്കൂളിൽ നിന്ന് മക്കളെയും കൂട്ടി വീട്ടിലെത്തി. നാല് മാണി കഴിഞ്ഞതേയുള്ളൂ. നേരത്തെ വീട്ടിലെത്താൻ പറ്റുമ്പോൾ ദിവസത്തിന് ദൈർഘ്യം വളരെ കൂടിയ പോലെയും, കുറെയധികം കാര്യങ്ങൾ സാധിച്ചു തീർക്കാൻ പറ്റുന്നതിന്റെയും ഒരു സംതൃപ്തി ഉണ്ടാവും. സ്കൂളിലെ തന്നെ അക്കൗണ്ടന്റ് ആയതു കൊണ്ട് മിക്കവാറും കുട്ടികളുടെ കൂടെ തന്നെ വീട്ടിലെത്താൻ പറ്റാറുമുണ്ട്. ചിലപ്പോൾ വല്ല വര്ഷാവസാന ഓഡിറ്റോ മറ്റോ വരുമ്പോൾ മാത്രമേ വൈകാറുള്ളൂ. 

അടുക്കളയിൽ കയറി കുട്ടികൾക്ക് പാലും ബിസ്ക്കറ്റും കൊടുത്തു, രണ്ടു ചായയും ഉണ്ടാക്കി, ഒരു മൂളിപ്പാട്ട് പാടി മുറ്റത്തെ ചെറിയ തോട്ടത്തിലേക്കിറങ്ങി.

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അവൻ ക്യൂവിൽ അവസാനമായിരുന്നു. അവളുടെ വിൻഡോയിൽ എത്തിയപ്പോൾ അടുത്തിരുന്ന ശ്രീകുമാർ അവളെയും അവനെയും നോക്കി അറിഞ്ഞൊരു ചിരി ചിരിച്ചത് അവൾ കണ്ടു. അവൻ ഡെപ്പോസിറ് ചെയ്യാനുള്ള പണം കൊടുത്തു, അവൾ രശീതി എഴുതുന്നതിനിടയിൽ, അവൾക്കു ഒരു ചെറിയ ഡയറിമിൽക്ക് നീട്ടി. അവൾ തെല്ലൊരു നാണം കളർന്നുള്ള ചിരിയോടെ അത് വാങ്ങി ബാഗിനുള്ളിൽ ഇട്ടു. ശ്രീകുമാർ പതിവ് പോലെ അത് കണ്ടില്ലെന്നു നടിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു.

അവൻ തിരിഞ്ഞു നടക്കുമ്പോൾ അവൾ കസേലയിലേക്കു ചാരിയിരുന്നു അവൻ പോകുന്നത് ഇത് വരെ കാണാത്തതു പോലെ നോക്കിയിരുന്നു.

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കുട്ടികളുടെ ഹോംവർക് നോക്കുന്നതിനിടയിലാണ് ഗേറ്റ് തുറക്കുന്ന ശബ്ദം കേട്ടത്. ജെയിംസ് ക്ലോക്കിലേക്കൊന്നു നോക്കി. ആറു മണിയാവാറായിരിക്കുന്നു. ശ്രീജ വസ്ത്രം മാറ്റി കുട്ടികളോട് വർത്തമാനം ഒക്കെ പറഞ്ഞു വരുമ്പോഴേക്കും ജെയിംസ് ചായ ചൂടാക്കി. രണ്ടു ചെറിയ ഊത്തപ്പവും ഉണ്ടാക്കി. അടുക്കള തിട്ടിൽ  ചാരി നിന്ന് ആലോചനയിൽ മുഴുകി ഊത്തപ്പം തിന്നുന്ന ശ്രീജയെ നോക്കി നിന്നു. പതിനഞ്ചു വര്ഷം! എത്ര പെട്ടെന്നാണ് പോയത്! തന്നെ നോക്കി ചിരിച്ചു നിൽക്കുന്ന ജെയിംസിന് നേരെ ശ്രീജ പുരികമൊന്നുയർത്തി. ഒന്നുമില്ലെന്ന മട്ടിൽ ജെയിംസ് തലയാട്ടി. ഇരുവരും അടുക്കളപ്പണിയിലും കുട്ടികളുടെ കാര്യങ്ങളിലേക്കും തിരിഞ്ഞു.

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പത്തു മണിയോടെ ടീവി ഓഫ് ആക്കി. കുട്ടികൾ നേരത്തെ ഉറങ്ങിയിരുന്നു. കിടക്കയിൽ ഇരുന്നു പുസ്തകം വായിക്കുന്ന ജെയിംസിനോട് കുറച്ചൊരു കുസൃതിയോടെ അവൾ ചോദിച്ചു - "ചോക്ലേറ്റ്  തന്നാൽ മാത്രം മതിയോ? പങ്കു വേണ്ടേ?". പുസ്തകം മടക്കി വച്ച് അവൻ ഒരു പുഞ്ചിരിയോടെ അവൾ നീട്ടിയ ചോക്ലേറ്റ് വാങ്ങി അവൻ അവളെ തന്നിലേക്കടുപ്പിച്ചു ഒരുമ്മ വച്ചു.


What was.

 

It was getting colder. The onset of winter, and to think that it was only October. But out here in Munnar, it was always cold.

Gazing out of the window, Saraswati amma, as everyone fondly called her, could see fog enveloping the tea plantations all around. She was petite and rounded. Of late, her eyes felt glazed. The cataract surgery for her left eye had been due a month ago. The workers seemed to have gone home early today.

It was her idea, to come and settle in Munnar after retirement. They had sold off their house in Thrissur and some property too. Parameshwaran Nair had unwillingly given in to her persuasion. Or had she been outright stubborn? Didn’t matter anymore. Her children were not happy with the decision. What with them being so far away, they wanted their parents shifted to a flat in Kochi. A flat! The very thought of being enclosed in a small space, sharing walls with strangers irked her.

She fell in love with this house as soon as she stepped into it. It probably was the windows that did it – large French windows with beautiful frames. There was a fireplace even! Then there was a tiny garden upfront. The view from the bedroom was beautiful – she had of course chosen it as hers. You could see the sun setting over the hills. They had been happy there.

Parameshwaran Nair had passed two years ago, yet she decided to stay on. She had help, ofcourse. There was Neeli who came every weekend – to clean the place, make beds. There was always a little bit of dust here and there, some cobwebs on the ceiling, even after Neeli ‘cleaned’. Domestic help was so hard to get these days, so she held herself back from complaining too much. Then there was Velappan, the gardener. He was a drunk, but very good at his job. Loved plants and talked to them even.

She watched the sun slowly go down behind the hills. She wasn’t feeling very well. Maybe she had forgotten her blood pressure medicines? She couldn’t recall. There were guests today, Velappan and Neeli had mentioned. She went around the house, checking if the bed sheets were clean, the bathrooms scrubbed and the water heaters working.

Fatigue washed over her, as she yawned. She wanted to creep into bed, rub her feet with some of that oil, a concoction Neeli had given her, and sleep. Yet she decided to wait up until the guests arrived and exchange pleasantries. She had always been this gracious hostess. Rude otherwise, she thought. Why were they getting so late? Had they lost their way?

At around 9.30 or so, she heard the keys rattle and the door opening. Velappan must have handed them the keys. He knew she slept early on some days. She opened the bedroom door a little and took a peak- Two men, hefty and tall, entered. The idea of exchanging pleasantries now took a backseat in her mind. On some nights, when there were guests, Velappan’s son Kannan came over to sleep. He wasn’t there today. Exams or something, Velappan had mumbled.

She made a mental note to herself, to tell Velappan only to let in families hereafter. Not that there were any valuables in the house, but can’t trust anyone these days.

Resignedly, she decided to go to bed. The Hellos could wait until morning. Somehow, sleep evaded her. She tossed and turned. Was it something about those men that bothered her? Or was it her aching calf muscles? Smoke from cigarettes wafted into her room. Again she got up and opened the door a bit. The door creaked a little. The hinges needed oiling – another mental note. The creak caught one of the men’s attention, and he looked up. She quickly moved aside, but then he got distracted. There was alcohol- Of course Velappan had sourced it. They spoke in hushed voices. Were they planning something? Or was she just being plain paranoid?

How embarrassing to have been almost caught spying secretly on your tenant. Parameshwaran Nair would have chided her if he was here. It had been his idea, to let the bungalow out to tourists. For him, more than a source of additional income, it had been for company’s sake. He was a social being. Always surrounded himself with friends and family. Loved to talk. She on the other hand was a loner. Always had been one.

In fact, the day Parameshwaran Nair died, they had guests. He was sitting with them, narrating tales from his childhood in Madurai, when the pain struck. And that had been it. Not much of a struggle, no suffering. Didn’t even make it halfway to the hospital. Soon after, her children had taken her with them to Houston. It was all good for a while, grandchildren and all. But she longed for her own space somehow. She longed to be back home.

Pressing her ear against the door, she listened intently. No sounds at all. No hushed whispers even. She had locked the door, just in case. Were they secretly lurking outside her door? Were they on the other side of the door, ears pressed against it too? Was that a shadow moving outside her window? She quickly walked over and drew the curtains.

Never again, she vowed. No more guests- No families, no groups of men, no one. It was so cold anymore. Was she sweating? She glanced over at the old cuckoo clock – it was just about two in the morning. The sun wouldn’t be up over the plantations until at least five. Not a wink of sleep. Her body stiff from the stress, she closed her eyes tightly and prayed.

“Where are you from, Sir?”, The old man asked, folding his newspaper and took a long drag from his beedi. It was really cold The two layers that they had thought would suffice were proving otherwise now. “We work in Kochi, but we’re actually from Varkala and Kozhikode.” Tiju and Sumesh were regular techies, and roommates. This trip had been an impromptu one. Both had set out on their bikes in the evening and gotten here by night.

Their tea had gone cold. “Where are you staying here, in Munnar?” The old man was curious. Not really. He made his living out of the meager commission that home stays and tourist guides paid him. “Oh! At that homestay, Spice Valley? A couple of kilometers up this road, to the right.” Tiju explained. “Ah! Velappan must have taken you there, right?” The woman running the shop joined in the conversation, bringing them another glass of tea. “Belonged to a kind couple. The man passed away few years ago. The children are away, far off somewhere. Took their mother with them, but somehow she always wanted to come back here, I guess. Six months ago or so, she passed away in that foreign land. They didn’t even come down to cremate her. Poor soul.”

Gazing out of her bedroom window, Saraswati Amma watched the sun slowly go down behind the hills.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

A lonely love

 The first rays of sun kissed the window sill, and Mahesh got up from his bed. 

It was his off day and he felt happy to have the whole day ahead of him. 

Mahesh was an art lover and his off days were spent visiting art galleries, more so to kill all the boredom that comes along with his regular, routine life. Spending all day long in front of his laptop as a software engineer does nothing to refresh his soul, so he often finds these weekends as a respite and getaway to follow what he truly believes in, art. 

He got up from his bed and was all excited to get up and going. It was nearing 9 in the morning now. He was living in a single room lodge in Coimbatore. The place had a special ambience with lots of tea shops and by lanes filled with bustling energy. He had a look through his windowsill and saw people busy in their own worlds, some sipping tea and taking a drag from their cigarettes' while others rushing to places, god knows where. He indulged in the sight seeing for some time before getting ready to go out. 

He got ready quickly. Came down and grabbed a cup of hot coffee from the tea shop downstairs along with his normal routine of idly vada as breakfast. He went to the bus stop and was waiting for the bus there heading for Gandhipuram. He boarded the bus, reached Gandhipuram and got down from the bus. 

He strolled towards his destination, which is the art house of Gandhipuram. A place filled with beautiful paintings and artistic richness. He slowly entered the place and started walking down the aisle, enjoying each and every detail of the paintings. He was stuck in a painting for a while, marveling its beauty and almost lost the track of time. Suddenly he heard a voice which made him come back to the normal world. She said" I too love this painting, and often come back here just to see it". Mahesh looked sideways and there she was. "Yes, yes" Mahesh replied " A true piece of beauty indeed". 

Maya was her name and Mahesh was smitten by her the moment he saw her. Maya was just like a beautiful lady, straight out of a painting. He was in awe of this lady in such a short time and it was love at first sight for Mahesh. They had similar tastes of art and exchanged ideas about different paintings and art works adding more color to the world of Mahesh. Even though Mahesh had the whole day ahead of him to enjoy art, it was not the same for Maya. 

She had to go back to her house a little earlier than what Mahesh expected. This broke his heart, he wanted to spend more time with her. Now Mahesh was eager to get her contact number so that he can get in touch with her later. He was very shy and was hesitant to get it from her. "Okay Mahesh, its time for me to leave". Mahesh had butterflies in his stomach. It was a do or die situation for him. Either get her number or lose her forever. The fear of losing her got the better of him and he asked for her contact number. She smiled and replied " Do you know something Mahesh. I fell in love with you the moment i saw you. That's why I interrupted your thought process. That's why I took you away from your paintings, but now its time to put you back into the world of paintings as falling in love with you is impossible for me as i am a married woman. Sorry for disturbing your peace of mind. Now lets get back to our realties. She turned back and without uttering anything more, walked away from Mahesh. 

Yet another lonely love of Mahesh..