Home-coming son....

      Well its been a good semester, except for the result. It reminds me of a quote from the movie ‘Where Eagles dare’ that goes like “There is always something unexpected, isn’t it?” After all my futile attempts to put some sense in my faculty’s head about my grades, i confirmed my lecturer is suffering from multiple personality disorder. His talking and his doing never coincide. Well if its about him its waste of words. I was in college even after my holidays are declared, i had been doing a project, my choice.  I wasn't the only one to stay back. During this stay I realized a thing, If you can stay back in college even after your holidays are given, if you can resist that urge to rush back home even after being an owl for all that exam-days, you can withstand any sort of separation, least of all getting ditched by a girlfriend.

       But for now, its not my grades, its not my project that's worrying me. I am about to take a train back home now in five minutes. I am supposed to be at home a month before. I promised my mother in the last vacation that i would be at home right after the holidays are given. Only i didn't, anyway its not my first time  breaking my word with ma, first time being in my second standard. There was this guy back then in my class who sits behind me. One day he brought a pen to class, a fountain pen. I don't know why i was so duty bound that day i told my teacher about it. She took that pen from him, never knew if she gave back. Bringing a pen to class is a big deal back then. He had been wailing for half an hour and then he stopped abruptly. I didn't understand then why he stopped that way. So, i was returning home that evening, i could sense him following me. He approached me from behind, when i was about to turn back this freak took out that ink pot from his pocket, threw it right on me. I returned home with a white shirt turned blue. I saved my short, it was already blue. I explained everything to my mother. That day ma made me promise her that i wouldn't do anything to him next day. I promised her that i wouldn't do anything wrong. Next day i bought an ink bottle, on the way back home smeared ink on him and said 'Sorry'. Ink for ink and Sorry for the pen.

Its time to board the train, 2:00 in the morning. This train called West coast is much suitable for me. Due to West coast express odd timing no kozhikodans would prefer it and reservations are easily available. Talking about kozhikodans, I would be surprised if i can find any locals around NIT Calicut after 9:00pm or at Kattangal so locals boarding at 2’o clock is unlikely. I read in quora they are too self centered and family bound. I dont blame them. Sometimes I wish I could just sleep at 12’0 clock in the night. That happens rarely. On the train’s arrival as a customary thing I checked the list to see if any girls are there in my coach and I wasn’t surprised. Surya and Gautam menon cheated us.

       So, I am in this train. Its 2’o clock in the noon and the train is a frying Pan. I am afraid my laptop would just melt down in my hands. There is a couple here where I am sitting. They have two kids. The elder daughter who  should be around 6 is taking a snap of her parents sitting on the opposite seat. I wish I could paint them just like that. They looked so happy.

    And here comes my home town Bapatla, a sleepy liitle town. Somehow I got down the train without getting roasted.  There is like a mob of rickshaw peddlers trying to grab my luggage. I avoided all of them and went to an old man standing by his rickshaw. I am fair deal to the rickshaw pullers. I am slim with not much luggage. I went to him, told  my address  and asked him how much. I bargained and reduced the amount by five rupees. You see, we go to malls have a ravishing meal and pay a few hundreds without saying anything. But now here, I am trying to bargain for 5 rupees for the labor of this poor old fellow. This thought came to my mind and I felt sort of guilty. I reached my house, gave him money. When he Is about to give the change I told him to keep it. Then he gave me a look and uttered something like ‘God bless you’. For some reason I found it  more honest than the blessings of a priest in a temple.

      

     I am at my home. I go to my door and this thought popped up. This is my own house and I don’t ring bell at my own door. So I began shouting ‘Maa, your proud son is back from his victorious war’. She opened the door in slow motion trying to look at me like she doesn’t know who I am. She asked softly ‘Who are you?’. I replied ‘Maa please let me in..I’m sorry’. I can see her struggle in pretending to be hard on me. But she never could. That’s her weakness, I suppose every mother’s. I am reminding you I was supposed to be at home a month before. That too I promised maa that I would. I went in. She is still pretending to be angry over me.

 ‘I am ready to accept any kind of punishment your honor’ I said mockingly kneeling down and bending my head with folded hands. Her anger disappeared.

‘Keep the luggage there, take your clothes and go to bath. Be here in 15 minutes.’

 ‘As you command’. I went to bath. Meanwhile she prepared coffee and I was just dying for one. There is nothing more cozy in the world to me than that coffee in front a TV.

‘So how many did my son kill in his war?’

I just told you maa ‘no killing just winning’

May I know the statistics?

‘One S’

‘And?..’

‘Two Es’

‘What? That's too close my son..’

‘Maa but don’t be mistaken. There is this faculty, and he is kind of mad. Anyway don’t worry my cg is descent.’

‘Descent??’

‘Good enough to get placed in a nice company’.

‘By the way, did I tell you, Anita came yesterday.’

Anita was our neighbor before we had our own home.

For a second I remained still. ‘and..’

‘Asked for you and told me that you told her that you would be coming yesterday’

‘Well, she’s wrong’

‘But, YOU(more stressing) have time to talk to your GIRL FRIEND(most stressing) and not a second to call you mother?’

‘Maa first of all she is not my girlfriend. You know Anita.’

‘Second, I didn’t call her. I texted her once when she asked me when I was coming. You don’t like texting on phone. Shall I show you all my messages on your phone?’

‘If you can text. Why don’t you call?’

 ‘Maa, I told you many times. Texting only takes a second. I can do it whenever I want . Moreover I don’t have to wait till you pickup(mocking slightly).’ She looked convinced.

‘Okay, now as for your  punishment….’

‘Punishment! I am done with my bathing!’

‘That wasn’t your punishment dumbo. Go get all the groceries in the list, take my ATM. If you miss any item you need not come home. Go straight back to Kerala.’ 

‘Okay, Fair enough’

I just went through the list. Some special savouries in the coming days. I figured some items that could be made with the list . There is Semya so payasam, lots of  sugar for  lots of sweets, ghee, atta, etc..She came with the cloth bag and I asked for the bike keys. She handed me the keys and opened the door.My bike looked clean and is serviced .  

‘Thanx maa’ I shouted. While I was getting the bike out, She stood by the gate, looking and smiling at me. ‘Don’t be late. Head straight back to home. You can do your roaming tomorrow.’

My fuel meter showed full. God! I love her. She knows exactly what I always wanted. Now don’t you be imagining me on a pulsar 250ns or a Honda stunner. This is just a HERO Honda splendor almost as old as me. But, There is nothing more loyal to me in this world than this bike. Anita always teases me for riding this bike.  I got all the things and called Anita. We talked like good-old buddies for some time. Its almost 8o clock, I headed back home.

 ‘You still remember Bapatla(my town) even after your disappearance in NIT Calicut, don't you?’ maa said mockingly

‘After all those years of wandering along with you from one shop to another?! I surely do.’

‘Oh! Wandering with me or with Anita?’

She got me there. I didn’t say a word. She went in to prepare dinner.

Just then Maa has come back. We started chatting again. I am happy. This feels good. Home is home.

At dinner she started the usual work to do list of my vacation ‘You should get your hair cut tommorrow’ , she said.

‘Okay’ I replied

‘You are getting thin my son!’

‘Not to worry! That’s your department now’

‘Arent you eating properly in the mess?’

‘Mess is mess, Maa’

‘Those are dark circles around your eyes. You’re not sleeping properly.’

‘Maa, in college one get to choose only one thing, either studies or sleep. Don’t worry those circles will be long gone once I switch to hibernating mode.’

‘You are getting white hair, I should get you married.’

‘Oh sure, the girls will line up.’

‘Because you’re so handsome?’

‘Nope, because I am the only son of the great Latha’

‘ha..ha..’

Mom laughed for so long. For a moment I felt I would need nothing in this world than this. We watched TV for a while and I climbed on my bed.

‘Sai, do you know how you got that name?’

I am not to answer that. I heard it like hundred times before.

She continued, ‘ Even after few years of marriage I couldn’t conceive. Then I prayed to Saibaba to give me one good son and then you were born. So I named you Saikumar meaning son of Saibaba.’ Well if god could grant kids to all those who prayed I wonder how he would let them die during their own birth and cause such a pain and sorrow to all those unfortunate mothers. I could never say this to her, never. I cant hurt her.

For some reason I felt so sleepy. I already closed my eyes. My mother got up covered me with a blanket and switched off the light.

Its  just 10.30  and I am deep asleep.