chapter 20

‘Sanyogita’ , don’t leave me, I was shouting …‘Sanyogita…’…‘Sameep … please wake up… I am here … see … open your eyes …’, Sanyogita was saying … ‘open your eyes , please’She was shaking my shoulders fiercely , when I opened my eyes …‘See , I am here … why you were calling …’, she asked …She asserted , ‘don’t panic…’ ‘I won’t leave you…’I returned to reality … and said … ‘Sorry for bothering you … nothing … it was a bad dream… I am well now …’Sameep … she called me … I could sense the concern and affection in her voice … and I was tantalized … my suppressed emotions beneath my subconscious , regained the stimulus … I controlled myself and my emotions for her … and uttered … why all of you have gathered here ? Resume your work … I am hungry … Sanyogita where is your special cuisine for me … She removed her hands from my shoulders which I wished should be there forever … And she said … in her typical style … rounded eyes and swollen cheeks … Oh! You frightened me … My legs are still shaking …My mother made her sit on the chair … Mayank offered her a glass of water … She gulped it at once …and whispered … Oh! Now I am feeling better … Sameep , my mother said … gather yourself … we are used to your behaviour … but she is afraid … can’t you see … so promise her … you won’t do this again…I started laughing … My father said , ‘Don’t laugh … do what your mother is saying …’I sensed concern in his voice also but to lighten the atmosphere I said , ‘Are you encashing this golden opportunity to scold me in front of the guest …’Listening this … Sanyogita furiously uttered … ‘Am I guest to you? Do you want to receive more scolding?’I enacted as if I was afraid about what she said and uttered , ‘No… no … I am scared … please don’t beat me mother …’And everyone started laughing …Mayank stated, ‘You don’t know , Sir, after how many days , I have seen , Uncle and Aunty smiling wholeheartedly … Madam you should have met our Sir earlier …’Sanyogita replied , ‘Who said I was late , he is always late , ask your Sir …’Again, the conversation was taking the serious turn … so … I said aloud… we are late for lunch…Sorry, extremely sorry … Sanyogita said … that’s my bad … I will hurry … I still have to prepare the Subji … she rushed out of the room …And I exhaled a breath of relief …Mayank , I called him , ‘Please bring newspapers …’ He rushed out of the room , I observed , he was also excited as my parents …I was able to listen what my mother and Sanyogita were discussing in the kitchen … Aunty I have brought stuffed bhendi , Sanyogita was saying , just I have to fry it … he likes crunchy Bhendi masala and mixed dal , I have cooked it , here I will give tadaka … where is the cooker aunty … I thought , I will cook the rice here so that I can serve him hot … I think … he had puris in the morning … so afterwards I will prepare phulkas … shall I prepare some sweet for him … I was thinking , I will order ice-cream after the lunch … is it ok aunty … will this menu … is it good for his health? Sanyogita … dear … please don’t overthink … take a pause … my mother said … he will like anything you will prepare with your hands …Sanyogita exclaimed , ‘What did you say aunty?’My mother corrected herself , I mean to say , he is bored with my style of cooking … he will surely like the taste of your hands … ‘Oh! I know … do you remember aunty … he fell  ill … just at the beginning of our semester first … he was admitted in the hospital … at that time … I used to bring tiffin for him … he must have told you…My mother , I heard , affirmed … yes , yes he told about it … but I am surprised you still remember those incidents after so many years …She said abruptly , ‘Aunty , I remember all the incidents very clearly …’ I couldn’t listen … what she said further … because there were whistles of the rice cooker … Though , I was extremely happy , she has conserved our memories till date…‘Aunty … ghee ?’ , she said … shall I ask you something , won’t you mind?My mother answered , ‘no dear , go on…’‘What has exactly happened to Sameep?’, she asked in a hushed voice…My mother replied , we can talk about it later , after lunch … Sameep must be hungry … so we should serve lunch first …I sensed my mother was trying to avoid that question but she did spin it very well. I came out of the room… Ma was arranging the plates on the table … I went near her … and asked … why didn’t you answer her questions… what really happened to me … please tell me …Sanyogita came out with a plate full of hot phulkas … she said … hurry up! I know you are starving …All of us including Mayank we enjoyed the lunch followed by the ice-cream , Mayank has brought … While cleaning the table … Sanyogita reminded me that, I had promised her , after lunch I will narrate her few of my experiences …Sure … why not … I replied … Mayank please arrange two chairs in the garden , I told him…He nodded and went out …Ma , Baba you also take some rest , Sanyogita said …They went inside …And we stepped out … we two … after so many years … like we used to … near lake Vihangam … I am liking it, her company, her presence … but I don’t know about her present situation, status … my mind was warning … still the same attraction is there in me, it used to be years ago … as if time has elapsed … no, it’s not good … my mind was instructing again and again … I suddenly asked her … where do you live in Pune…Amm! Near Baner … she replied … What about your family members …? I asked …I told you earlier that’s long story … she replied …‘We have ample time … so your story first … ‘, I said laughing …She replied , ‘Sameep , why are you insisting , there is nothing great to narrate … you know …’I asked hesitatingly, ‘Your children?’She didn’t speak at all … ‘What happened …’, I asked …‘Nothing …’, she replied in a melancholy tone … I am tired Sameep … will you please change the topic … she urged …Dr. Archana Pandit