Behind Mummy’s Days Out!
Or What happens back home when Mummy and
the Girls are Away!
Day 1
Waving good-byes to mum and the eldest
sister sibling with brave words like “don’t worry about us, we will survive, we
can take care of ourselves”, the male chauvinists didn’t quite know what
unexpected things could be waiting for them!
Day One – Less than one hour as the eldest
sister sibling left with her hubby, the eldest male member and youngest male
member took to the kitchen as the evening tea-time came. The older gentleman
mixed water and milk not quite knowing how much of each to add to each other.
The boy took over but just before the tea was boiling, the younger male had to
come out of the kitchen for some reason. One of the hard-working duo managed to
shut off the gas. Good tea was served as on other days. Nearly an hour later
the old person was in the kitchen and was amazed to see some thing shining
below the gas burner. Unable to figure out where a reflection would come
shining in the gas oven, he called out to the boy. The young chap was smart very smart indeed as
he stopped the shining thing by turning the knob of the gas stove! The ‘shining
thing was actually a low flame as the gas had been shut off earlier by turning
it off in the wrong way! We thank God we did not get our house on fire!!
Evening meal was OK except perhaps for the
fact that the left over chicken curry made the old man sick the next day!
Came Day Two and the younger boy got up
early enough to prepare tea for the family, to learn when and how to turn the
correct switch on the power switch board and which handles and are to be turned
to let the water flow in to the main tank, to pump it up to the over head tank
and how long to do it and to switch off the power. He is a quick learner, this
boy and he figured out what he had to do as ‘master’ of the house especially
during day time as both the older folks are out for work.
Father had many important matters to attend
to in the morning – an over-sea call from his friend in Australia, multiple e
mailings, a call from distant Nagaland, an important meeting with a visitor
from Shillong who was on his way to the Airport. Finally it was decided to have
the meeting /discussion in the car as well as in the waiting room at the
airport. So off Father went with his computer notebook, his DDA papers and ‘the
dough’ he had to submit in the DDA office being chauffeured by his faithful
‘Vijay’ (whom he often called Bijoy much to the unuttered annoyance of the
latter). Father entered the Aiport lounge
after buying a 20 rupee ticket ( he had to borrow Rs 20 from his visitor friend
as he left his purse at home!). Almost an hour was spent discussing the
upcoming Bill and Melinda Gates Project in NE India with an opened laptop on
his lap. Later as his friend left and he walked back towards the door his feet
felt funny and then as he looked down he was surprised to see two different
chappals on his two feet (Mary’s blue and black one on his left feet and his
newly bought brown one on the other feet!) Mama would have spotted that before
he stepped out of home if she was there at home but sadly she was not – she was
miles away aboard an east-bound Rajdhani perhaps silently praying that her
folks back home would somehow survive in her absence! Survived they did even though Daddy might
have caused quite an amusement for the folks in the Airport!
Lunch again consisted of plain and soft
rice (very well cooked indeed!) and plain dal (ML’s favourite, by the way!) and
omelette (which ML is good at making! I tell you this boy is clever and made
his Poppy happy!
Let’s jump the day and come to the evening.
Daddy instructed the younger boy how to pump the water up. However he forgot to
switch off even after 15 minute – actually it went on for almost about 45
minutes and the neighbourhood had water flowing some time as if to reduce the
summer heat of Vasant Kunj!
Evening came and the older sibling brother
started cooking dinner and before he could finish cooking Dal the gas stove
went kaput. The gas was gone. The other barrel too was empty. Mother had told
them to call the Agency on Monday morning but they did not remember and frantic
call to the Agency at 7 30 PM did not helped. We borrowed a cylinder from
C-9/9469 but somehow failed to connect it with the regulator. Finally a telephone call brought
Good Samaritan Saira to their rescue. So
boiling of the favourite Dal could continue. Later the kitchen had a
strong smell of gas – was it leaking somewhere? Daddy did not know how to put
it off at the regulator. Another frantic telephone calls. First to his trusted
daughter in Mumbai but no response. Somehow the line could not come through.
His faithful David did not answered his Mobile – he must have been driving!
Finally David’s sister picked up David’s house number. She said ‘Uncle, you
turn the knob of the regular to the right and it will be ‘off’. He did and
indeed she was right – no more smell of the gas! Wasn’t she clever! She should
be working in a Helpline Centre for male chauvinists!!
Today it was just a day and half since
Mummy’s day out. They have survived so
far and sure enough they we will be a lot smarter by the time April 18 comes
(exactly 12 days away!). By God’s grace they will pull through! Sure made them
miss the girls (did you have nightmares about them Es’, Mar’ and Ci’as your siblings with Poppy
slogged??). Mummy did you confided with God to teach them some lessons on survival skills? May be God
forced you to leave them on by themselves just for a week or two to make them
realise how dependent they really are on Mummy and the gals and how much they
need you and indeed love you! Mummy, you should come back soon. You know they
are smart and really learn things very fast – two weeks are not really needed
to teach them a lesson – even one and half a day was enough! Come back soon
Mummy they are missing you very very badly!!!
5/4/04 10 PM
No comments:
Post a Comment