And life came back to me...!

SHE LOVES ME! SHE LOVES ME NOT!
BY: RAJBIR DESWAL
Well, she is my granddaughter. Twenty-one months old, little Anaysa. She was to leave for the U.S. when we decided to spend maximum time with her. Only a day was left in her exit to the land of opportunity. To fulfill her parents’ American dream.
I planned the entire day with little more goodies to involve Anaysa more endearingly. We went to the lake and fed her favourite duckies. We also had a rickshaw ride. It was a day stuffed with Hi-Fives, Peek-a-boos, ghoomi-ghoomi, and gooli-goolis. We also went to our backyard where she always called out to the ‘white bird’ saying, “Wi-baad,wh-er-you! Kahan ho!” And believe you me the avian never missed putting up presence.
She posed for photographs as if she understood we would need them during her stay in the U.S. She was a tad more lovey-dovey that day. More cherubic and more responsive. We were amazed at her over indulgent behaviour with us. That day I didn’t have the faintest of an idea how differently she would behave with me the following day. It was quite baffling for me to understand child psychology.
Early morning the next day she said a casual “Good Morning” to me .I tried to pamper her as usual like a buffoon, but to no avail. She simply chose to cold shoulder me. She did not jump on to my lap. Didn’t respond to my gimmicks either. All through the train journey she avoided me.
Anaysa’s sudden change in behavior, particularly with me, baffled me the most. To very upsetting extremes. Why was she doing it? “Perhaps to make you feel the pangs of her separation in little less measures!” my wife tried to console me. “How come a child less than two years of age could be so impish, so elfish?” I wondered. And remained sad.
On the way to the airport, Anaysa was sleeping in her Dadi’s lap with Tanu sitting by her side. Sawan was driving while I was sunk in my seat by his side, utterly depressed. Quietly we pulled off having arrived at the airport. I stepped out to find out the gate we were to line up for bidding good bye to the threesome. When I joined them back Ana was looking through the window. And she smiled at me. My wife told me that the moment I had moved out of the car, Ana had said, “Where is Dadu gone?” This was so relieving to me as if it was a divine call that I missed. But I was relaxed.
Back home, shouldn’t those empty spaces which were full of screams, bawls and yelps, stare deep at us! “Life is like that only” wife and our younger son Sagar tried to console me. “Grow up Dadu! Crying like kids! Chee-chee-chee!” Ana would have said if she were around.
Next day the phone bell rang. We were expecting a call from Sawan. Know who was on the line? And what was I to hear! “Hello Dadu! How-er-you? Love you! Mich you!” And life came back to me. The call was no less divine. No less heavenly.
Click OFF TRACK - She loves me not, she loves me'HindustanTimes ePaper to see it published in The Hindustan Times of Feb. 19th 2008