My mother comes down to spend a month or two with us, and
that’s the time my home is full of pranks. She is 79 years old and my son is 7
years old, to say that generation gap exists between them that would be the
last thing I would state.
In addition of both
being voracious readers, they both have liking for Bollywood songs, my son is a
diehard fan of all the top chart busters and my mother is fan of old classics. Both have embarrassed present day
gadgets very well ,my mother has moved with times I can say and my son ,
I believe is trying to be a bit ahead of his time. The earphones plugged in and
book in their hand is a regular site to watch in my house.
The day, they decide to do something different than usual,
then they have me around the house to play pranks on .I would find creepy
looking toy insects under my clothes or in the bath tub, or my son would just
hide behind a door and wait for me and as soon as I pass he would jump out and
scream, “BOOOHHHH “, the result I drop the things from my hand if I am holding
something, or just get scared. My mother would put ketchup around her, thumb
and pretend she cut her finger..,….and I can just continue the list is long.
I am so aware of the fact , that they might be planning
something or the other just to have that laugh and smile , yet how much I try , not to get scared or fall
prey to their pranks , I mostly fall in to the trap.
That day was not different. It was around 5.30 in the
evening and we had just finished our tea. I was making preparations for the
evening dinner, and suddenly I heard my mother coughing. She is a chronic
bronchitis patient; hence her cough syrups travel with her where ever she goes.
“Ma did you forgot your afternoon doze? I shouted from the kitchen.
Mommmmyyyy , come fast , see what happened to mamayji ( that’s what my son calls my mother )
!!!!!. My son shouted in response to my
question.
I ran leaving whatever I was doing; straight to her room .I
see her in the washroom, near the basin.
The basin was full of blood.
I did not know what to do; there was a blackout for a moment
in front of me. I grabbed on the door handle for support and regained myself.
My son looked at me, and then at my mother, he could not
control his laughter, neither could my mother. And I kept looking at both of them;
they had nailed it again and were successful in playing yet another prank on me...
“Mummy, don’t get scared it’s not blood, its mamyji’s cough syrup!!!
It was my idea, just to fool you. Please
don’t get angry “said my son.
I quietly looked at both of them. I was not sure whether to
laugh or get angry. I just left the
room.
My mother was aware, this prank had gone a bit far, she had realized
that it had moved me from within; she followed me out, hugged me and apologized.
She loves life, and loves to laugh every
moment as and when she can. And I was aware, that she had just become a child
today with my son, she did not want to hurt me.
But sometimes, some pranks leave an immense mark on us and
even on the ones who play the prank.
I believe this was one such prank. It taught us that even a
thought or fear of losing our loved one can do to us.
That night, I walked up to my mother’s room.
I hugged her and said, “The thought of losing you also
scares me ma, I love you.
“I love you too, and don’t worry I am not going anywhere so soon”,
she said.
We both smiled.
I kissed her cheek, wished her good night and while closing
her room door, I watched her...
She drank the cough syrup and slowly placed the bottle on
the table next to her bed, put the plugged the earphones and started reading from where she
had left.
I silently closed the door behind me with a smile!!!!!
1 comment:
Lovely story!
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