A year within 6*3 inches
She nodded when he said thanks, like he was paattu mami, and she had gotten a song right
The three formed a triangle without realizing it, Ranjan in a high back chair, II across from him on the couch and R&B at the entrance of the Master
None of them willing to break the ice...
Until Ranjan spoke "Manya aa gayi beta?"
She shook her head in response, her tear drops flying off her face
"What does the song mean?" Ranjan asked
"I can show it to you" she whispered looking up a site that had translation
Walke dover to Ranjan and placed her phone on his lap, he
fumbled to find his glasses, and then almost poked his right eye attempting to wear it, and managed to get it on
And read patientintly scrolling, gently placing the phone on her palm
His aging but confident body suddenly worn out, he leaned back
"I will go check on dinner" "Did u invite Chachus?" she asked
"Chache aayega... baaqi ka kya maloom puttar... kadi chachi ghar rehndi nahi" He looked at the window in the distance again as he tried to figure out how to explain to his DIL
How different they were, shopping.. partying... it was a typical Vasant Vihar family... only the help enjoyed the comforts, the family was usually out
"The bhabhis cant come either?" she asked softly
"Na jee na puttar" he smiled, taking his glasses of and shutting his eyes
"U must go rest inside" she said softly
"Mahavir nu pejin jara puttar... ik drink banaan waaste" he requested
"U shud take a nap" II insisted
He opened his eyes and burst out laughing "U are quite the drill sargeant arent u?"
she smiled shyly and mumbled "He uses a higher rank usually... like General" she pointed to Ranjan's son
"Oh achha?" Ranjan smiled at his son
"Lietenant General or major general" R&B's lips twitched
"chalo jee... pick one"
"Which ever is higher" Ii said smugly
"Many of my cousins are in the army... yahi Dhaula Kuan rehte hain... ek Pandara Rd rehta hai... I think he is a Leitenant General" Ranjan smiled reminiscing
"u must take me to his house so I can shadow him to learn how to be" II said
"Chaliye woh bhi ho jaana hai" he smiled
Mahavir walked by pausing
"Aaayin beta ek Scotch banayin jara" he smiled
He smiled and asked "Aapko Sam Adam?" he asked haltingly
R&B nodded
"Gudiya kitthe?" Ranjan asked
"Theyll be here for dinner" II said reminded of what the purpose of being in the spot on a Sunday evening was
"amma Appa?" he asked
"theyll either get here or to the airport"
"He shudnt drive so late at night... ghar pe 4 driver hain he shud take one" Ranjan ordered
"I can tell him" II lied
Mahavir brought his drink
"akka ka khaana baandh diya" he said
"chef aaye kya aaj?" Ii asked
mahavir nodded
"Oh! theek... main le jaaoon? " she offered
"Nahi Sant Ram jaayega" Mahavir informed
"U shud have invite dher beta" Ranjan said
"I met... we met them for lunch.. and visited when we dropped them home...
too much activity for Akka... BP was erratic yesterday, she still has over 6 weeks to go Dad, August 11th is the new date.. all of July is left" II ranted
Ranjan sighed caringly... "Nandu nu laayin aithey" he offered
"Hes coming" "with Sam" II smiled
"Arey nahi... woh... kee naa hai oda? Shravu... haan Shravu nu laayin" (bring him here for summer)
II stared in shock, as she realized he was confusing names...
"U are just too tired... why dont u go take a nap?" she asked frustrated
"achha meri ma... huney "(right now) He got up, his glasses fell off his thigh
She caught it and handed it to him
He walked into the Master...
"Did u need anything?" he asked his son again
"Umm... no" R&B said
"Pack everything... u cant call and ask a driver to bring it" he cracked a sad? bad joke
R&B tried to smile
"Yaad hai tujhe Ma har suitcase mein ek list daalti thi... of everything?" he prodded his son
"She gave me a master list" he pointed to his wife
"Hoye shabaash" he smiled pleased
"Its a scratched up note" II smiled sheepishly
"Savita aur teri sahi dosti ho jaani thi puttar... teri tarah saara din bak bak... chust... kaam mein awwal" he praises his long gone wife
"Aapko daant ti thi?" she asked hiding a smile
"Arey woh Field Marshal thi" Ranjan declared "Bus isko chhoot... ek dum khulli chhoot" he pointed to R&B
"Bhabhiji, woh chef bula rahe hain," Mahavir walked in
She took the basket to Ranjan and Savvy's closet and set it there and returned (a chapter on this room later)
R&B took a call... Ranjan lay down on the bed in his work clothes...
the evening sun begging the earth, to be allowed to slide down faster.. Ranjan's whiskey lay on the bed side table, untasted
He opened his eyes startled and began to think about the day his son left the last time..
2? 2.5 weeks after Savvy's passing... thats when he had seen him in the Master the last time (before leaving for Paris)
In all the trips he had made in the last 4.5 years, he would step down for dinner or supper depending on when his flight was and where to it was
Mahavir would lay the table, if it wasnt dinner Ranjan wouldnt eat,
he would be in the lounge sipping his drink scouring newspapers he didnt have time to read in the car
Or would have barely returned from work, or would be on his way home from work or a couple times he was in Spectrum
"I am old" I cant seem to remember" Ranjan chuckled self deprecatingly
He would get a text "Leaving for the airport"
he talked with her more definitely.. talked with her more than he ever talked to his son in 30 years
He picked his phone up from the bed side table and scrolled to texts from his son
He went to the previous screen... "II" was listed above R&B...
Went back to his son's page
Went as far down as he could..
A entire year's worth of conversation fit into the 6 inch by 3 inch screen... sometimes more than a year's worth
Rare conversations initiated by R&B.. only statements...
"Do u have a Labor Law attorney?" he had asked Feb 4th 2012
Ranjan had texted the name email and cell phone number
"Thx" R&B had responded
"Did u meet the PF administrator? he had texted R&B son while he stayed a month in March (the few weeks here and there he showed up at Spectrum and took on work)
"The Provident Fund Administrator cancelled my appointment. Conflict he said" R&B responded
"Just finished dinner @ Sam's heading to the airport" he had said on 20 March 2012 from Delhi airport
And then another visit in June
"@ the airport" he had said in 18th June 2012 from Delhi airport
A visit end of November 2012..
And a text "My AF flight was cancelled;I am taking Swissair to Zurich" on Dec 1st 2012
That was all of 2012
The sun was almost gone.. a job well done... yet another day... flawless
He scrolled up... he got to late 2014.. and then 2014... and then some more 2014
And then 2015...
Transpro installation, tests, failures, HW upgrades, patches, how patches were failing... there was atleast 5 exchanges daily
~~~~~
"did she find her cap?" he asked his son
"No we didnt" R&B texted
(after the visit that one rainy night to check on R&B when he was sick... and NOT looking for Minion)
"U must ask Mahavir to get one from DLF Mall Saket" Ranjan offered
"Will do" R&B had sent a half smile
~~~~
and then middle of January 2015
Jan 15th when he brought Ishita over for lunch...
"Are u giving her a ride home?" Ranjan asked
"Yes I am" R&B responded
"she seems to love rasmalai. Send some with her" Ranjan informed
"I noticed... Thanks will do" R&B sent a smiley
~~~~~~
In Feb...
"Did u go meet with Mr Iyer?" R&B had asked
"I did" Ranjan had texted😳
~~~~~~~
👏Nisha...great job
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
