Visited Thane after lectures on Thursday. Walked it up from class to Mulund station. Got into a running train...those things pick up speed mighty fast! Note made to self: Do not repeat behavior. Shall not be! Walked from Thane station to home. Discovered that a very old and frequently taken lane from station to home no longer existed! They have demolished the buildings lining it, filling up the lane with rubble. So no lane. I walked to it, wondering where it had disappeared looking for familiar buildings and landmarks until I realized the buildings were gone and so had the lane. A helpful soul enquired "kidhar jaana hai?" to add to the feeling of "I have been out of touch with Thane". Pch! Kidhar jaana hai my foot...in a place where I lived for 24 years! Grrr...
Visit to Thane serves a lot of points. Discovering lost lanes or lanes that are now lost amidst other things. That day the point was LUNCH! Aai rolled out hot chapatis while i sat on the floor my back rested against the refrigerator. The only one we have had, the only one that the house has seen. It has been 27 years :) Point of being in Thane was lunch and that day's lunch has given this post a point! As aai started with her second chapati, the crow came. For how many years do we have him visiting us now? She takes a while to think, gives up rolling rotis, turns to face me, head tilted to one side, squinting, wiping the beads of sweat with the back of one hand while holding the latna (belan) in one and says.... 5! Now that is a very long time i say to myself. This crow has been a part of my mother's life for 5 years now. I was wondering how long they lived these crows and how many more years will he visit us. The first time he came, aai says, It was raining and I could see he was wet and cold. I gave him a few soggy Marie biscuits which he ate happily. Since then his visits started! He comes everyday, somewhere in the afternoon, yes, around this time. Having said that aai looks at my empty plate and gets back to rolling rotis. Aai isnt always in the kitchen. Sometimes napping in the bedroom or watching television in the living. The dear crow would create a ruccous calling out to her through the kitchen window. He gradually learnt to go near the balcony if she was in the living or the bedroom window if she was napping. He demanded food! Woken up by his constant cawing / crowing one day, mom looked for Marie biscuits and couldn't find any. There were bourbons though. She opened a fresh pack and gave him two! THAT was the day the crow stopped eating Marie. He gave his opinion on which was the better biscuit. He would ONLY touch Bourbons after that day. No amount of Maries would stop the crowing / cawing. Only Bourbons would! Our household stopped seeing an inflow of Maries and Bourbons could be found anytime...all the time. Soggy Bourbons were not frowned upon anymore! They had an unfailing demand.
That day, mom was rolling out rotis, i waited for more and so did he! He only wants garam garam rotis nowadays this fellow. So Jamna, this one i have rolled out is for him! You get the one after this ok? What is next aai, garam rotis with ghee for the cawing / crowing glutton? Elaborate Thali spread? I couldnt help smiling...aai and her ways :) Her occassional glances at the window at lunch time, her rolling out of that extra chapati...for whenever the fellow comes...her references to him! Dad being a willing helper....Aye, here he is the crow. Come fast and give him the chapati! Dad does not bother himself with serving the crow, he is most likely to frighten it away for life. Mom has even asked him to inform her in hushed tones and not yell in his stentorian voice!
Mangal, the maid ( with us now for 17 years ) says its the soul of a departed beloved. Mom rolls rotis, Mangal keeps a pela of water!
I LOVE Thane house and the way life goes on there, everyday.
