"Addy! Wake up", said my Aunt rapping at my door. With a sleepy yes, I looked at the clock. 8:30, it read. Slowly I got off my bed, opened the door and I headed for the living room. I lazily sat at the sofa and began to read the newspaper. I ignored the calls of brush your teeth fast and get ready. I took my own time to get ready. But then my mummy sent me to fetch flowers from our garden. Otherwise I would have ignored that also, but this time my father was sitting in front of me and I didn't want a lecture on laziness early morning. Slowly I went to the garden, took a couple of minutes to find the best bloomed flower, plucked it and headed back.
I reached back to find my father cleaning the portrait of my grandfather. I handed him the flower and took the reel one's for washing. I washed it thoroughly and handed it back. All this time, i was emotionless. A machine just doing his job. A peeked at my grandfathers room and I found everyone there. I headed for the washroom to get fresh.
It was 10:30, I believe when it was time for me to offer my prayers. I lighted the Incense stick and I finally stood in front of grandfather's portrait.
*
"What's going on?", asked my grandfather. " Actually the AC is not working and the parts that are damaged will arrive in a couple of weeks. So Papa is installing a new one so that you can sleep peacefully.", I replied.
Silence
"Babu?"(he used to call me this)
"Yes", I replied.
"Where are you? I can't see you." (He was in a paralysed condition where he couldn't even move his body)
I moved so that he could see me.
He smiled. "I don't know why but I am feeling afraid today", he said.
*
Within 10 seconds, I did what my Aunt asked me to do. I barely offered him my prayers and I left. I couldn't even stand in front of the portrait. I went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water.
11 O' clock and I finished my breakfast. We were preparing for food packets to distribute it to the beggars. My job was to pack 'Puries' (Indian dish) in packets. I sat alone with my headphones, listening songs and it took an hour for me to get it done.
About 1:30, I loaded the food packets in the car.
"Come with us", asked my Mom but I denied.
*
My dad came home for lunch and his health had started deteriorating. He called the ambulance but no one would have thought that it was his last day. Hospital visits where quite common for us.
I still remember my Mother and my sister rubbing his palms will I rubbed his legs. I needed to go for coaching and I asked Mom that whether I should go or skip it.
"Well you go. What will you do going to the hospital"
*
*
I was sitting at the corner bench with my mind wandering around. Suddenly my friend Adi came up to me(he was in a different batch. Reshuffling tests got me promoted to A-2 and my gang at A-3.)
"Your sister called me and has asked you to talk to her." And my heart skipped a beat.
I took the phone and dialled her.
"Adi. Listen. Just come back home and drive slowly. Their is no reason to panic."
My hands were trembling at the moment. Being on the sixth floor we both headed for the parking. With each step I sighed and I sighed and I sighed.
*
*
I saw his lifeless body and I finally broke down. People kept pouring in and I sat beside his bed and I kept crying. I don't remember about the people around me but everyone was comforting me. I was his dearest. I took his hand in mine, a cold dead hand. I rubbed it. I don't know what I did. I cried my eyes out. Everyone was crying and then I saw my father. A blank face. Never seen him so helpless before. He was considered to be the the coolest mind in the family. A man like him with no emotions was tough to look at. All our family living in the same city arrived and the elder men took the body to the hospital. A tiniest hope we had that he would live. But no he did not.
*
*
That night. With his lifeless body kept in freezer next room, I slept in the room next to it. I have closed myself in my room and have kept typing this continuously. This is dedicated to you.
To you,
It has been a while since we talked. Yeah I guess it's exactly a year after you and so I should write you something. A letter perhaps. Best way of a one sided convos. So if you are reading this, thanks and if not, it's all well and good. A lot of things has happened since you left. Glad that you didn't had to witness it. Hahaha! But it would have been good if you were still with us. Anyways let's keep this one to all the happy one's.
People are getting married(Just after 4 days). Everyone is quite geared up. Didi has landed up a job. Hahaha! And with her first salary she gifted us a lot of things. The remote fights between Dadi and me still goes on. She still watches TMKOC and I am literally fed up of it's few episodes. They keep on repeating the same stories. Aaha! How can I forget about the cricket world cup. Yeah we have a match tomorrow. If India wins we will celebrate, and if we lose, we will curse the game of cricket. Such a waste of time, football is better Hahahaha! Just Like the old times. And and and what to say? Passed 12th and trying to figure my life out. Headphones are my life now Hahaha.
Aaah! yes I have been travelling a lot. Visited Asansol hahaha! Dreams of going to darjeeling.
I have no idea what to write now. I guess that's it. You still come in my dreams though and I keep waiting for that.
PS: After a year without you, life still moves on. But that void never fills.
Authors Note: Never gave this a second read. Please Ignore the typos.
Also it was around 3' O Clock he left us and I just wanted to complete this beforehand.