Date: Sometime in October 2014
I woke up just when the rays of the Sun lit the window panes of the tallest skyscraper in my line of vision. Parents were readying to get to church but I was in no mood to do so.
I announced I had every intention of going for the 6:00 pm evening service and fell on a chair that faced the television in the hall. Mother disapproved in her own quiet way. She said not a thing and refused to look at me as she made her way from the kitchen to the bedroom and back.
Father never bothered about mass nor my attending it. And so, he did not think it worth his while to protest against my choice of services. He went about his ritual the way he always did. In the meantime, I sat there in the hall and watched some meaningless news.
The Central government had transferred the Maharashtra governor to some state in the North East. The reporter was trying to explain to me that this was because he - the governor - did not quite agree with the current Prime Minister when he - the current Prime Minister - was the chief minister of Gujarat.
What followed thereafter was some nitpicking that the news channel passed off as news analysis of this very major event. Apparently, this transfer was being looked upon as a show of might by the ruling party. "After all,"the news woman said,"the post of the governor is something that politicians are allotted when they retire from active politics!" Which spoke acrimonious volumes about what governors are expected to end up doing or not doing! But well, the implied statement went unnoticed by the news editors of the channel and so, that got spat out as researched analysis.
By the time that finished up, Mother and Father were ready to go.
"So you aren't coming then?" asked Mother in the tone of a police officer counterchecking facts at the scene of crime.
"No, I don't think so. I am feeling very sleepy."
"So sleep then but sleep in the hall only. Otherwise you won't hear us!"
"Why won't I?"
"Because the bell is not working, no?"
"Ah yes! How can I forget that?"
A few weeks ago, the doorbell resigned from its job. And that has forced us all to keep one ear at the door and the other on whatever it is we want to hear. We have considered replacing the doorbell but we haven't got down to implementing it simply because "We have so much to do. Who has the time?!"
I told them I'll be in the hall and they need not worry.
"Latch the door. Be careful!"
"Mother, I am 35!"I said, impatience very much part of my voice, "Will you please stop that?!
"Okay, bye bye!"
The lift swallowed them and descended to the ground floor. They crossed the lobby and got onto the main road; and by the time they were in a rickshaw, I had shut the door, switched the tube light off, and plonked myself back on to the chair that still faced the television in the hall.
I had enough of the news. I switched to a movie channel. And then all of a sudden, I sensed how lonely the apartment had grown...
To be continued...
I woke up just when the rays of the Sun lit the window panes of the tallest skyscraper in my line of vision. Parents were readying to get to church but I was in no mood to do so.
I announced I had every intention of going for the 6:00 pm evening service and fell on a chair that faced the television in the hall. Mother disapproved in her own quiet way. She said not a thing and refused to look at me as she made her way from the kitchen to the bedroom and back.
Father never bothered about mass nor my attending it. And so, he did not think it worth his while to protest against my choice of services. He went about his ritual the way he always did. In the meantime, I sat there in the hall and watched some meaningless news.
The Central government had transferred the Maharashtra governor to some state in the North East. The reporter was trying to explain to me that this was because he - the governor - did not quite agree with the current Prime Minister when he - the current Prime Minister - was the chief minister of Gujarat.
What followed thereafter was some nitpicking that the news channel passed off as news analysis of this very major event. Apparently, this transfer was being looked upon as a show of might by the ruling party. "After all,"the news woman said,"the post of the governor is something that politicians are allotted when they retire from active politics!" Which spoke acrimonious volumes about what governors are expected to end up doing or not doing! But well, the implied statement went unnoticed by the news editors of the channel and so, that got spat out as researched analysis.
By the time that finished up, Mother and Father were ready to go.
"So you aren't coming then?" asked Mother in the tone of a police officer counterchecking facts at the scene of crime.
"No, I don't think so. I am feeling very sleepy."
"So sleep then but sleep in the hall only. Otherwise you won't hear us!"
"Why won't I?"
"Because the bell is not working, no?"
"Ah yes! How can I forget that?"
A few weeks ago, the doorbell resigned from its job. And that has forced us all to keep one ear at the door and the other on whatever it is we want to hear. We have considered replacing the doorbell but we haven't got down to implementing it simply because "We have so much to do. Who has the time?!"
I told them I'll be in the hall and they need not worry.
"Latch the door. Be careful!"
"Mother, I am 35!"I said, impatience very much part of my voice, "Will you please stop that?!
"Okay, bye bye!"
The lift swallowed them and descended to the ground floor. They crossed the lobby and got onto the main road; and by the time they were in a rickshaw, I had shut the door, switched the tube light off, and plonked myself back on to the chair that still faced the television in the hall.
I had enough of the news. I switched to a movie channel. And then all of a sudden, I sensed how lonely the apartment had grown...
To be continued...
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