14
Playing on the lush green grass of my grandma’s garden, I kept an eye out for the familiar sight of my parents’ Vespa entering through the gate. I flipped my hair out of my eyes, battling the soft evening breeze. I’d come back from school at half past three in the afternoon. I’d sat at the lunch table, feeding out of my grandma’s hand – small balls of rice mixed with some boiled pulses and some boiled mashed potatoes (we call this dal-bhaat and aloo sheddho in traditional Bangla language, back here in India), while she regaled me with the adventures of the Kabuliwala from Rabindranath Tagore’s story. After having eaten lunch, I had napped for a while, my grandma napping next to me, after having been lulled to sleep by her oh-so-sweet voice, crooning my favorite lullaby. In those years, afternoon siesta for the kids was a must – if you did not abide by this unspoken rule, the ghost perched on the “neem” tree in the garden, would come in through the window, and take you away. I had woken up at half past five in the evening, and gone out to play in the garden, with Teddy, my grandma’s dog, and my childhood buddy. Now, I played – pouring water on the loose soil, and trying to mold the wet soil into shapes. And, I waited. “It is six already. Where are they? Did they stop by at the neighborhood store to get a supply of groceries? May be, they will get me some Cadbury’s Eclairs, or even better, some Cadbury’s Gems! Oh, how about Nutties – that would be awesome!” I shifted my gaze back to the shapes that I had created. I started crooning to Teddy.
Anghrija is a legal and statutory risk and compliance specialist at an IT company, unpublished writer, part-time blogger, small human, a Millenial, and a feminist. Anghrija earned a BA in English Literature from Miranda House, University of Delhi, in 2004 and uses it as an excuse to write about books while swearing a lot. When she is not managing risk and compliance, she reads books, curses at popular fiction by Chetan Bhagat, and posts silly things on Facebook. Her interests are books, dogs, music, podcasts, feminism, and Oxford commas. She is curious to a fault. Also, she makes up entire conversations and text messages in her head, or she weaves tales.
To the Moon and Back
Story of Hope and Healing, will rekindle your bond and strengthen your love for your father