The husky voice of
Adele fills the room, "never mind I'll find someone like you". I
pause and look around. The sky looks lovely with clouds creating beautiful
patterns reflecting the light of the sun
setting in the west. A gentle gust of
wind enters in. The apartment is not in its perfect shape since past few days
as my mom and dad are out in the southern part of the country handing over the
sole responsibility of Flat #5B, Block B
to me. And I have left no stones unturned personalizing it. The line of empty
water bottle on the dresser, the used cups of coffee on the table.. The
glasses, books, pillows, laptop, tangled cables of adapters, the empty packet
of munchies all in perfect harmony on my bed. I ignore the disturbing vision of
the pile of clothes on the chair , as if frowning at me, asking to be picked
up.
I get up to light the
incense sticks. My mother has been reminding me everyday during her
calls not to forget watering the Tulsi plant and light the incense sticks at
the dawn and dusk(if I am at home). Well dawn for me has been postponed to
around 11:30AM in the morning. Recently she had frowned at me seeing a bunch of
coriander plants growing from her priced
Tulsi pot! Yes, I was curious to know whether the coriander seeds we get from
the market do actually turn up into a herb.
But I was able to convince her with "It must be the birds, maa!!", and
she had replied "Oh, don't pluck them off then, it must be a sign". She
often tells this dialogue, and as a child I used to believe it , wondering what
these signs ever meant.
The incense sticks
fills the rooms with its soothing scent which reminded me of her even more. I think
whenever I will start a family of my own, wherever it may be, I shall always light incense sticks to remind me of my
roots.
I look across the window and see a man, dressed in white,
wearing a white skull cap entering the cemetry. He kneels down beside a grave.
Somehow I am able to feel his pain of missing a loved one.
I call up my parents
and end up answering my father whether I lock the doors properly and my daily
diet to my mother, thanking almighty that I have my loved ones a phone call
away atleast and that they will be back in
a few days.
The man is slowly
walking away now, head bent.
