Wednesday, May 09, 2012

things that matter

i have met you only twice in my entire life. remember, that first time in the hospital? i wore a yellow sari. the meeting was very important to me. perhaps to you too? otherwise why would you say two such intimate things to a girl of 23 you had just set eyes on? yourself a worldly man of seventy something, not well, tired, frail, and me trying to be brave though i couldn't make sense of so many things. yet i knew there was no need to make sense of anything for what mattered was all that really mattered. it's good to be 23, oh that clarity of the young. but your clarity left me stunned, strangely stirred, still so clear 28 years on. then that tea at new market. jokes, chat, laughter around the table. a gift of rs 500. "buy yourself something nice, indu," or something to that effect you said. my mind did a double take, aghast. "indu?!!!" no one had ever called me that. indu? no, that's so not me. ouch, no not indu, please. i saw your smile spread to your eyes. i saw the young man who said he had women for breakfast to tease his girlfriend, i saw something untouched and shining in his eyes. did i ever let you know that i bought a beautiful shawl from kashmir with that money? the borders are intricately embroidered in shades of brown and sienna, the base is pure and clean off white, when i wrap it around me i still feel the warmth of home. there are those who have known you longer. they know you better; we only met twice. sometimes i hear you still. still so clear. this morning i heard my head go "it's 9th may." after almost five months i sat down to write here again. a simple card really, just to say: happy birthday, love indu

Comments:
Wonder who the guy is/was. Love the bit about girlfriends for breakfast. Ha!!
 
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