Part 3 - Memories

Prologue here

Part 1 - The search

Part 2 - The Truth stings

Part 3 (contd)

She was unpacking my suitcase when I entered with the tea and her favourite anise flavoured cookies. Although, as taught all through my growing up years, my clothes were neatly folded and stacked in the suitcase, I still saw her taking out each item re-folding it and keeping it in the cupboard. I had always found her obsessive compulsive behaviour to be freakish and would easily get irritated, but today I stood there amused realizing that I had actually missed this about her. "Why are you up Ma? You know you have been advised as much as rest as possible." The concern in my voice made her look up.

"I feel so alive today Karan...so full of life. I think seeing you has refreshed me." She had covered the five step distance between us while speaking and already the cookie had been lifted to her mouth. I could sense her spirits were up today.

"I want to move out of the house. The past two months I have been mourning Anuj's death and now with my health dwindling I don't think I can hang around like this...here...waiting for..." Innocent to where this conversation was heading I excitedly proposed to take her to the market...street shopping, enjoying the lip smacking chaat at Bittoo Tikki Wala, a session of gossip with Mrs. Rao...I presumed, moving out of the house, was synonym with these activities for Ma. "No Karan, I mean shift out...I was thinking of staying with Rajjo di" Rajjo di was Ma' elder sister, my beloved aunt..."but she lives in Amritsar!!" I shouted aloud perplexed. 

I was not happy, how could we leave this house, our house, my house - so many memories. Of growing up, memories of Pa! Unlike the common perception that sons are more close to their mothers, I was a daddy's son. The Sunday gully cricket, the silent long walks, the indoor ping-pong atop our dining table, sitting idly in the winter sun eating peanuts, the serious conversations on women and politics...all these memories were a part of this place...leaving would mean leaving a part of me here...But of course for Ma this house spelt memories of lost love, death of her husband and her only son deserting her...Life had again presented a situation where I had to bow down.

We did go shopping that day. I saw Ma's eyes gleam as she checked out the shimmering sarees and the colourful bangles. But she didn't buy anything for herself and despite my reservations got me a leather jacket instead. A dark brown leather jacket very much like the one Pa had. Maybe that's why her eyes had lingered on this jacket hanging amidst the more fancier ones. I remember how Pa used to never leave home without this jacket in winters. I remember how Ma gently touched his shoulder and wished him a good day as he left for his work on the construction site. I remember how when he got back and removed his jacket, I would immediately put it on breathing in his smell, catching a whiff of the cement, the dust, the sweat, the hard work, imagining myself to grow up one day and become just like him.

(to be contd.)

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 8th – 14th December 2013
Day 1 prompt is Memories!

Oh I'm so excited linking this to the Write Tribe Festival of Words - 2. This is going to be helluva 7 days with reading excellent posts, commenting, sharing and connecting. Two of my dear tribers, Jairam and Sid are onto writing their novellas. I'm also attempting the same. :) :) Fingers crossed! And while Suzy is taking us through her personal journeys in the next few days, Rekha's cute stories down the memory lane left me smiling from ear to ear. Now I'm off to reading some other posts...Thank you Corinne for this amazing experience! Write Tribe rocks!!