Posted:
8 years ago
Dal & Fish
After work on that day he got out at 4 ish, rushing home to Gurgaon, to check on his son
The kid had slept all afternoon, the help had brought him a burger
He was a "OK" cook, he didnt have to know how to cook, Nupur had studied Home Science and had studied French and Italian Cooking and cooked for him
She cooked for who ever wanted to eat, she had plans to own a restaurant before Nihar went to college.
She couldnt have a second, a rare infection caused her to have a hysterectomy after Nihar.
She did EVERYTHING, he didnt even know what standard Nihar was... didnt know his subjects
Took him to cricket matches, if the ad agency did campaigns and he got free tickets.. but that was about it
Nupur was the boss
She had the "local" time table memorized she took 6 trains someday as she commuted trying to find something for the house...
His mother adored Nupur
"Dad... I HATE Delhi" Nihar said beginning to cry
"I am not crazy about it either" he nodded
They flipped channels... the help clattered dishes in the kitchen, the kitchen smelled like a pungent lemon dish soap
The cabinets were freshly varnished they smelled too
The apartment was ok, teh view was bad, it was on the 20th floor and the balcony faced another building
"Cricket dekhen?" he asked his son
Nihar shook his head
"Bombay chalte hain na apan Dad" he cried
"This will be good"
"HOW do u know" he shrieked standing up
"I lived here when I was 15" he lied
He had lived in Meerut... but never in Delhi
"Koi friend nahi hai" he yelled
"Wait for school"
"U said I cant go to DPS" Nihar shouted
He had heard "not so good things" he was thinking of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan... he had gone to BVB
He loved it
"Hindi school nahi jaana mujhe"
"Naam Hindi hai Nihu..." he addressed her like Nupur did
"I am NOT Nihu" he shouted deeply hurt
He sighed leaning back
The help brought out a plate with onion rings, cuccumber slices and lemon wedges in the center, and a tomato cut up like lotus
"Sir roti bana loon?" he asked
Neel nodded preoccupied
"I hate this house" Nihar cried again
"Lets eat, tujhe ice cream khilata hoon" he smiled
He opened his laptop, and powered it on... checking email, a few from Gomez, and a couple from Suvechha... "CCs"
"They requoted their quote... please, kindly check fully, means they wont give another quote" she had written
He detected ESL (English as Second Language) in that diction... it had been a while since he had seen the word "means" used in business emails
He read it again imagining her thick Marathi accent... and stopped, startled
The help brought dal with a floating red pepper, smoky, he had burnt some of it, and aloo gobi
"Iske liye poori bana do" he instructed
The help made a face, but nodded nevertheless
Nihar picked up his DS and sat by him, getting the headphone from the coffee table... tipping the dal all over Neel's feet and pants
Neel shook his head smiled and and wiped it all off, mopping up the dal and going over to the kitchen and rinsing his napkin and bringing it back
The help acted like he didnt even hear the dal toppling
they ate quietly, Nihar on DS and him on email
Nothing about it was "home" his two bedroom Matunga apartment reappeared in his vision frequently
He hadnt called his mother yet this evening...
They will both go down and eat kesar pista... Nupur's favorite
they both hated Delhi
They both hated the food
They both hated the apartment
They both loved Nupur
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She got off the rickshaw, women stood by the society gate wearing Nike knock off athletic clothes but authentic branded sports shoes
Their post baby bellies bulging in places, many carrying expensive iphones
Some paused to stare at Suvechha, a couple smiled, making a mental note to gossip
The guard gave her a registered letter... "Aur koi letter aaya?" she asked hoping Varsha had sent a card for Adya
But there was none
Varsha had sent ONE card... Adya looked at it EVERYDAY " Majhi maavshi paathvilele aahe" (My aunt has sent it)
Suvi paused by the elevator switching veggie and fish bag, the flies attacked her
Adya huddled afraid.. "Its a FLY" she stressed in Marathi... tired
She looked at the registered letter, after hitting 3rd floor
"Aaai" "Aaai" Adya pulled her shirt
The letter was from the Mumbai IOB... she had Rs.2.17 lakhs in it... she had wanted it transferred, They KEPT asking for papers
This was yet another lame excuse
They got off at the floor
Tai never opened the door, Suvi placed the veggie fish bag by the wall and searched for keys for the 100th time in her purse
Adya pulled it out of the side cell phone pouch of her handbag and giggled
"Aaiii ... aapan visroon aahet' (u are so forgetful)
She smiled and nodded wearily
Opened the door
Tai had NO light on... she sat like a ghost on the sofa, staring out the balcony
"taiii?" Suvi called
Tai smacked her forehead hard and rubbed her nose and cursed... because she had forgotten it was Sankashti and bought fish
Suvi hit the light as Tai continued to curse and mumble
Adya went over and sat by Tai and showed her a post it pad and marker Prayag had given her
Adya opened the pen, Tai pushed her scolding her for trying to stain her saree
Adya withdrew sadly...
Suvi made chai and brought to Tai
Tai didnt drink, just cursed her for bringing fish and making chai with the same hands
Suvi drank her chai in the balcony looking down... husbands returned from work and
joined their wife in pretend walks... high five-ing their kids on bikes... along the way
Some even held hands
Suvi wondered if they were the man's first or only wife"
Adya came to the balcony
"Aaii ice cream" she said pointing to the Walls' cart outside the society gate..
Suvi grabbed her purse and took her down
Tai sneakily got up and went to the kitchen and snooped into all the bags Suvi brought... grabbing two oranges, two packets of cream biscuits, and tucking it into her saree folds
Suvi had left some cash change in the subzi bag after paying the rickshaw, Tai quietly pocketed the
rolled up Rs. 50 and Rs.20 bills.. and threw the almost Rs.180 fish in trash before going back to the sofa to sit like a frigid statue.