My parents have left for Neyveli and the house seems strangely calm. I woke up with a strange sense of tranquility – no “waking” orders from mom, no sound of the exasperating television and fm channels, which dad sometimes loves to run in unison (dual torture). So I took the toothbrush in my mouth and settled on the couch with the Sunday Chronicle, reading forecasts n Garfield. Almost instantly I was reminded of our lovely little home at ‘Prakriti’, where I used to have extended brushing sessions, just to complete the Young World, read Garfield and solve the crossword. Coz, once I’m done with my brushing, I had standing orders to get into my room and study.
Two days back, when I was reading the Archies which I borrowed from Pooja, I incidentally happened to get the heavenly smell that only an old book can enjoy. Immediately, flashes of the compact yet comprehensive Murugan library filled my mind. I was a crazy nut, dragging mom to the library, to get four books every four days… Murugan library has seen me grow up and grow out books and authors – Tinkles, Archies, Famous Fives, Sweet Valleys, Sydney Sheldons, Dan Browns and Chetan Bhagats… Now Murugan Library is no more the same – the smell of those crisp old books has been replaced by the sweet-sick aroma of room freshner and my routine doesn’t accommodate frequent visits to the library anymore.
There are so many incidents that trigger beautiful memories of the past which were insignificant and taken for granted then…
Yesterday, our neighbours singing Christmas carols reminded me of the Santa who was sent home at midnight, by Thelma aunty who lived downstairs. And hell, I still remember how surprised my little bro and I were, when we discovered that Santa was a woman!!!
X-mas stars remind me of the huge one that we used to hang in our living room. My mom’s green old recipe book reminds me of the egg less chocolate cake that I used to bake every Christmas… and the numerous combinations that mom and I used to try – orange, plain vanilla, nuts (yeah, sometimes we just gagged, but never mind!!!)… Our numerous experiments with French fries, potato chips and samosas… The hundred odd samosas that we made for li’l Vikky’s birthday party… The great moments I shared with mom… Now of course there’s not too much time for us together – but I have no regrets. No regrets too often I mean…
Sometimes, when I switch off the lights and withdraw for hours with my ipod, I’m reminded of my twelfth standard days, where I used to long for just five minutes of music. Music, telephone and TV were strictly prohibited during the pre-board phase … So when my parents leave for a walk during the weekend, I used to sneak up to the cassette player with a pair of semi functioning headphones and listen to “Aye Udi Udi Udi”…
Nowadays, I purposely take a different route from my GRE class, just to get a five minute glimpse of St.Michael’s. I have spent 14 years of my life there, and the memories are not just a handful. Every time I walk past my Alma Mater, it is like a “Tanha Dil” episode, if you know what I mean. I see us asking Guru Rickshawman for “maangas” from the street vendor, stealing one rupee coins from dad to buy those exciting little Mickey Mouse stickers… I see us being driven down home to Velachery in the school bus, deliberately standing in the bus to prove we’re ‘adults’ ( me, azzu, hanni, nishin, jeswanth, arvind…)…walking and screaming down the lane in blue and grey, ten to fifteen of us blocking the entire road… triples with Preetha and Mal… Michael’s is just so overwhelming. As I now walk back home after my GRE session, the single tear is always lost in the darkness…
There are so many things that I often get reminded about…
The endless hours of badminton, “help”, hopscotch, lock and key, hide and seek, “crocodile crocodile” and four corners at Prakriti…
Hour-long phone convos everyday with Malvika and Alia…
My bubbly little grape-eyed brother (the li’l kid often comes in my dreams even now!)
The intimate relationship I once shared with my granny and dad…
My kindergarten friend Vanik… I have hopes of finding him someday!
The night-long gossips with Meenu…
The endless laughs during my UG at MOP…
And the initial feeling of being in love. I often yearn to fall in love, right from scratch, over and over again (but with the same guy, of course!)…
…And I’m as sure as hell, that two years from now, when I’m married and off to a remote corner of the world, something will surely remind me of my mom’s sing-song morning orders and my dad’s morning musical extravaganza. But as ever, I’ll just wipe away that single tear and say, “some things in life never come back yet they never let go…”
