Crystal Clear

 

The crystal cabinet had been beckoning me for the last six months! it had become so dusty that I refrained from putting on the display light, lest its accusative eyes turned in my direction!

My grandmother boasted of a crockery cabinet which housed a dinner set , tea set and other cutlery which were I believe used during the British Raj. They were used only when the British boss of my grandfather came for dinner! (Snobs!). Well, I had never seen them being used during my time spent with Granny; but I did hear a lot of stories associated with them. How Mrs. Rogers loved to have tea with her pinkie up as she picked up the teacup, or how the cake display tiered plates were loaded with special cakes with icing and the children were not allowed to touch them till after the guests had left! The crystal wine glasses, and the tiny liqueur shot glasses sparkled and caught my eye whenever they were washed and lovingly put back. Sometimes I did wonder why this was done with religious regularity when they were never used!

As my grandmother and I both got older, the cabinet was forgotten and relegated in the backroom with old books and many curios. It was too difficult to keep them dust free outside! Anyway there were no visitors who appreciated them so why go to all that effort. I didn’t miss them much either, my only interest were books and there were plenty of them outside.

I grew up and began setting up my own house. Whenever I got the little bit of extra money, I would buy crystal show pieces to put around the house. While I lived in Alexandria for a couple of years, I was never able to resist a visit to the crystal factory and went on adding to my collection. When the travel bug bit me and I travelled to many countries, my only indulgence there were fridge magnets and crystal show pieces.

Soon the fridge did not have any space for the magnets, so I stuck them on any metal board (read the electricity board!) I found. My crystals of course got a new house and they sparkled and glinted under the spotlights. Each of them have a story associated with them as do the fridge magnets. Though my crystal glasses and crockery still lay in cabinets without being displayed, but unlike my granny, I use them whenever I have a chance.  

Never did I ever let the maids or anyone else touch my artifacts. Once in two months I would take each piece out carefully and clean and wipe them while I reminiscence on the place where I got them from. If anyone was around (read my children) I would insist on telling them about it; sometimes forgetting that I might have already told them before!

Here I was all alone- the children leading their respective lives and the lord and master on a work trip. The sun had set, and I reluctantly left the balcony and came in to watch something on TV. I swear my back was to the crystal cabinet.

“Hey! Hello Madam!”

I looked all around the room and muted the TV. Walked out and peeped into the neighbour’s balcony- it was pitch dark and not a sound was peeping through. Thinking I must have imagined it I unmuted  the TV and continued browsing through what I would like to see.

“Don’t you think you have run out of excuses?” the anger and irritation in the words were palpable.

A ghost in my new house? Or was it someone playing a prank?

There are four apartments on the floor and the only one occupied was ours. It could be someone from downstairs; but what excuses were they talking about?

I opened the front door and peeped outside the safety door. Nobody there! Shutting the door I turned back, and I saw the dust filled crystal cabinet lit up and looking at me with exasperation.

All the excuses- ill health, no time, travelling, more important things to do…. the list was endless, but I had actually run out of them!

I put on the apron and began the ritual. As I cleaned each piece to its glittering glory the memories tumbled over each other and filled me with happiness. True there was no one to share my recollections but I pottered about happily, filling my metal minds ( read the ‘Mist born’ series to understand!) with happiness, which I hope I can retrieve and use when the world is bleak.

Now the fridge looks at me accusatively as it remains unadorned in its new position in the new house….

I do wonder who put the spotlights on!

 

The other woman!

It all started with Apple! Siri was the root cause of all my problems! I never had been an apple fan (half my family is though!) particularly “the still in the teen” one. But from the time I was exposed to the I phones and macs I had a tendency to criticize all their limitations. The only product I liked was the I pad. To cut a long story short while the rest of the family dabbled in “Apple” I stubbornly stuck to my HP computers and Samsung phones. (I still do).

I must confess though, that I was intrigued with SIRI when it was introduced in 2011/12. I did grow up with the idea of robots and this interactive voice module was as close as possible to this. When I was alone I would ask all sort of silly questions and abuse Siri when she didn’t get it right! I always got a reprimand over using foul language but that was the fun in the whole exercise!

One thing I have always been very good at is remembering directions. I do have a virtual compass in my brain and could and can find my way anywhere. But this was an instinctive thing, unaided by gadgets. So once in a while it would fail. I called this “My GPS is unplugged phase” We would then ask the nearest available human, “bhai where is XYZ located?” and we would most of the time be directed through many right, left and straight and would reach our destination safely.

When we started travelling abroad, especially in non-English speaking countries ,it became a little difficult. My GPS did not have any feeds, though we had the printed maps and we did manage somehow. The dénouement entered our travelogues when Google maps was introduced into our phones! Life became so easy! We could drive anywhere on our own, we could find Indian restaurants along with feed backs (Staying for prolonged periods without Indian food is rather challenging!) The mobile bills were rather challenging too but we put it under travel expenses to erase the guilt!

In the convenience of the moment I allowed the “Camel” to poke its nose into my tent. I fed the snake with milk of kindness! My importance as an instrument of travel was slowly diminishing, I still was the family navigator- (go right after 100 meters)- awake and alert I directed everyone everywhere. I did not see the impending doom!

Soon after Siri, google introduced the voice direction on Google maps (hence my blaming Siri!) and my services were terminated! The phone was conveniently placed in its holder and it could go on giving directions without falling asleep or getting distracted by the cows in the meadows! I still had not been able to see the shadow of apocalypse, as this allowed me to nap when I was not driving and gave me good confidence when I was.

Lately I suddenly realized that this voice is omnipresent whenever we go out. We have been living in Mumbai for almost ten years. We have shifted to different localities, but this has only enhanced my map feeds and I know most of the alleys and shortcuts. The head of the family never had a head for directions! Most of the time he was dependent on me and this made me feel needed!

My eyes opened to a new development in our married life. My husband was in love! He confessed it to the children and indirectly to me. “I never go out without her!” he had said  this umpteen times before I realized that a third entity had entered the sacred portal of our marriage vows! Some experienced matron had advised me when I had got married – that never let an unmarried girl get too friendly with your husband and never invite them home! I had, after twenty-five years fallen into this trap!

The ‘she’ I realized is the female voice of the google maps! She had taken over my place for directing my non directional husband and he was wallowing in his new found freedom of not being dependent on me! The other woman had entered our lives not during the seven-year itch but during our silver year! I cannot compete with a live feed of millions of people and the satellite that google uses. But once in a while when the signal goes off or the dumb female speaks about some unpronounceable name of the road to confuse us, I have that smug look to comfort myself. I know that I am irreplaceable but this “other woman” is giving me a run for my money!

Gestational Growth!

Nine months of very tumultuous existence!  It was almost this timeframe away that I wrote my last blog. It was about a milestone in my life. I thought that with my nest empty, I would feel empty, lonely and miserable; but life had other things in store for me! I have not had much time to brood, leave alone feel miserable and life has been far from empty!

Life, God or the omniscient- whatever you would like to call it, has catapulted me into a whirlpool of activity. I have been indulged with my favourite activity- Travel! The excitement of packing and planning, checking in (both at the airport and Facebook!) and the giddiness of reaching new places and exploring them at my own pace is what has made me go on despite the "empty nest" syndrome staring at my face.

 

I have had academic exposure, whirlwind sightseeing, peaceful living and settling in two children in different environments and squeezing in a romantic twenty-fifth anniversary (a surprise one) into these nine months.

It was awesome to be in school once again as a student. I learnt to listen, comprehend and participate. This time it was fun! I didn't need to excel or impress, just assimilate and hopefully gather knowledge which I think, I might use later in life. It did wonders for my ego and self-esteem.  I have no regrets except the fact that I could have been less inhibited. I learnt that you need ideas to succeed, not money; I learnt that you need courage to win, not immaculate perfection; I also learnt that shooting from your heart can let you reach your targets faster than shooting from your brain. The most perfect planning can fall flat because of a tiny error.

The ten days of unplanned tourism that we indulged in exposed us to a new culture which has the greatest strength behind it- the strength of variety. Colourful, vibrant and enthusiastic is how I will describe the American culture. It is young and impetuous; it does not have the profound peace and strength of our ancient civilization, but hey! Who wants peace when one is young???? But we did find peace as we gazed at the Niagara Falls! It has spoilt me for any other falls in the world! I bore everyone with “Niagara Falls was so….” The natural beauty of the huge country takes your breath away.

Poverty and crime are also here, pollution and garbage do abound, racism and insecurity are evident but it is the land of opportunity. I felt that justice and fair practice are more obvious here than anywhere in the world. It does not have the sophistication of Europe, neither does it have the grace and tradition of the ancient civilizations but it has charm, energy and raw beauty and power.

After the chilled-out month at Houston which I spent time with my sis-in-law, I had a hectic fifteen days at Bloomington; setting up my little TT who is now my fledgling! I came back to the heat and dust of Mumbai. Longing for Indian food and just letting go …. But there was more travel and a stint at the hospital and then setting up house twice over and more travel.

I jumped into the Mauritian culture for my second honeymoon! What a contrast! Life there is so laid back, everyone is happy and the clock moves really slowly- blissful! The people there are easy-going. It is how I imagine paradise must have been.

Thank God, Eve ate the apple! I don’t think I would have endured paradise for too long! Walking in the forest and eating fruits all day long!

It’s been a long gestational period for me. Like the little baby, I have grown “mentally” in leaps and bounds. It’s been a “full on” (Excuse my Indian slang!) learning period- a period of growth and development as a person. I have become more patient and resilient. I have accepted negativity as a co-existence of positivity. I have acknowledged that I am not always right and that I am no “Miss-know-all”. 

I am able to stand in a line in the MTNL office and smile at the man trying to break in and say a “Thank you” to the Madam behind the counter! Don’t you think that’s growth?

 

 

 

The Spanish Fall and other Fallen Stories

“Look its swelling up….” Followed by a wail. This was the fourth time I had twisted my ankle and fallen down…….

The day had been packed with activities. We were on the last leg of our Spanish holiday in Seville and I didn't want to miss anything. So as soon as we had checked in the hotel, we set out on a discovery of the quaint city. It was hot and dry, the hat I wore was hardly any protection, but I hadn't travelled thousands of miles to sleep in the hotel!

We went to the city center, scrounged for food and then went visiting the cathedral, shopped, loitered and as a grand finale went to the Flamenco show.

What a show it was! Colour, passion, energy, grace and beauty twirled before us in amazing succession. The sangria they served us while we watched this agape only helped to heighten the experience. Not a moment of the one-and-a-half-hour show was wasted. Each act was superimposed by the other and we hardly had time to breath. We never understood the words of the song but music is universal and the tones exhibited what words could not.

It was ten o’clock at night and the sun had not set, so we greedily thought we would pack some more activity and went for a walk by the riverside. The cobbled pathway inter spaced with trees and flowers were a treat to stroll along. Young children were cycling, skateboarding and roller skating. There were health-conscious joggers, the romantic strollers, the serious walkers and a few tourists like us on the wide path. The sun was slowly setting and the purple, red and orange that streaked the sky elevated my mood. But I was tired; it had been a long day and I could feel the weakness in my limbs but I didn't want to miss a moment!

As usual I was looking at the river and I stubbed against an upright cobbled stone and fell….

Let’s not talk about the pain and the discomfort that followed and how we managed to get back to the hotel after all the moans and whines by me.  It was late, no chemists were open. Thankfully with pain killers, ice packs and some gauze bandage I went to sleep.

 

Depressed and fully convinced that I would never be able to make the trip to Cordoba the next day I fell into a dreamless sleep.
 I woke up to find the swelling not too bad and the pain bearable so I decided to go to Cordoba.

It was a trip I would not have missed. The bus ride which took us through the Spanish countryside was enchanting. The walking trip of Cordoba did strain me but to have missed this slice of history would have been criminal. I don’t know how I managed to go through the whole tour – it was my family’s support and the patience of the tour guide which helped me through.

The first time I twisted my ankle – I was again walking on the cobbled streets of Mumbai with my head in the air and looking everywhere but at the road. I was alone and fell badly and I was helped by two good Samaritans on the road on to an auto. It was very very painful and I managed to reach home hobbling along painfully and crying! The foot had swollen up to triple its size. I did have the presence of mind to put ice on it. What followed was weeks of being in plaster (it had a hairline crack) and travelling around the house on the computer chair!

The second time was on the rough roads of a national park. I was very happy, I remember and I was hopping skipping and jumping following the car as I wanted to walk. Then Humpty Dumpty had a great fall! I was helped by a group of people and reached the car; promptly lost consciousness was taken to the hospital and followed weeks of being in a crepe bandage.

The third time was again in Mumbai, on its strangely tiled roads; having just returned to the city again to stay alone for a long period. It was wet and dark and I was happy in my own way. And the fourth time…….

What I found in common is that all the four times it was preceded by me being very happy! Wonder if the world noticed and cast an evil eye on me? After all the instances, my reaction is “its swelling up…. Waaaaa!” All the time it has been my left ankle.

 

I have a veritable collection of crepe bandages and anklets (the bandage not the ornament!) strewn in both my houses. I have thrown off quite a few but now I have decided I won’t because maybe sometime I will need it. In fact I have decided to carry it in my travels too!

Other than teaching me to be careful while walking, all the falls have taught me that people are helpful and they do help you when you need them. Your family is the best support system that can carry you through bad times.