Ofcourse i remember you!

I always crossed my street a little before it was time for my school bus to stand and talk to you, 'i have a maths test today' ' a drawing competition today' i would say and you would smile with your teethless, wrinkled face and give me a toffee, sometimes an eclairs but mostly a kismi bar..
and then in those 5mins you would tell me what you saw on your walk to the ashram.. i remember how you were as thin as a human can be, fragile and tiny, wrinkled teethless face, white lustreless hair, back bent, doubling up on a walking stick, walking slowly every morning to the same shop, buying the same bread and toffees.. feeding anybody and everybody on way to the ashram and then sitting at the same chair in the corner of your house, feeding animals and kids through the bars..

'they have a stomach like you, but their moms didnt pack a tiffin and bottle like yours did, so we need to give them something' you used to say.

You would give me 2 toffees if i scored a complete 10/10 , or on mondays making up for the sunday..

One day you said "mini, you should not keep dead people with you" and i went pale.. "i mean your nails, why are they so long, dont they check in school", you laughed " they are dead cells you will learn in biology"..
And then you sensed why i was pale, you said "its okay, i will die too, but will you remember me after i am gone? I dont think anybody elsewill"  i could only say 'ofcourse'

Many days went by, more stories, more kismi bars and then it happened.. i came back from school to see you lying on a floor and people gathered.. mom said you are tired and you need to sleep now, but i told her " i know he is dead, and like nails we dont keep dead people,they have to go but we always remember them" you had given this little child this wisdom..and so much more..

And today, i see your little grand grand son at that same corner trying to feed a dog through those black bars.. i see your son scolding his grandson, to not to go near stray dogs, and i see him run back to the dog again after 2mins, i see his teethless smile and i know if you could see this, you'd be so happy!

I want to tell you that i did read a lot of biology, and i dont remember much about my grandpa because he went away too early, but yes dadu, i do remember you!