A normal day it was. I had reached office on time and was reprimanded by my boss for the figures that did not tally, which was actually filled in by him. Hunching over the XL sheet, I realised the error he had made and pointed it out to him, while he was on the phone…. He stammered and stuttered before calling off.
“So you think you are very smart? How come you didn’t see it before?” he asked menacingly.
“Boss, you had filled it up. Remember you shared it on the Drive?”
“To hell with you and your Drive! What do you mean by bringing it up when I am speaking with the General Manager on the phone?”
Oh! Oh! I realised the problem then. He made a fool of himself in the eyes of his boss, the General Manager. It would have been amusing, but not when I was being made the scape goat.
“Sorry Sir! I didn’t know that! Let me rectify it!”
‘How come I lost any which way?’ I mumbled under my breath as I returned to my table.
Sushil and Neel tried their best to cheer me up. Making Boss the butt of all their jokes and reminding me I was much smarter than all in our office, even though I had missed the promotion list.
“What you should do is invite him for dinner one day! Once he has your mother’s food, you will have him eating out of your hand!”
“Its not you two we are talking about, you know! You were sold on her parathas in kindergarten,” I replied.
Nevertheless, I thought, let me give it a shot! I have nothing to lose, and Aai would love to have another fan of her cooking.
After work, I mustered up courage and knocked softly on the cabin door…
“Come in!” the voice I hated, called out.
Putting on my biggest smile, adjusting my spectacles, taking a deep breath, I walked in. I placed a file on his table and cleared my throat.
“Sir, I have a request! Please join me at my humble abode for dinner on Saturday. I don’t live too far from you. I am at Versova, you are at Char Bungla!”
He raised his eyes from his laptop and for a long moment stared at me! Then emerged a single word, “Why?”
“It has been my parents’ desire to meet you since long, and they have been asking me to invite you home… But , in case you are busy, its alright, we can dine together some other day!” I rushed to explain. The words tripping over each other.
Being the subject of his long scrutiny was like walking the ramp in those insensible affairs the designers stuffed unsuspecting models into.
I could feel my face turning a distinct red, and the tic near my right eye going off like the siren of an ambulance, wailing loudly while drawing all attention!
I struggled to meet his eye and for the first time noticed a kind look, some humanity, barely glistening in the white orbs, magnified behind his thick glasses. He actually looked human. His bald head, ensconced with a few strands of peppered hair around, gleamed, reflecting the yellow bulb overhead and his face was almost appealing as the vestiges of a smile slowly spread across his countenance.
“No one has ever invited me home, leave alone their parents! Sure I will be there and thank you for all you do!”
I quickly retreated, before I would fall flat on his face, in sheer disbelief.
That changed the day completely!
Riding the late night Andheri local was always peaceful. One didn’t have to fight for foot-space, nor have people squeezing you amidst them. I looked out of the window at the city of Mumbai, glittering in the bright lights, while the train provided the rhythmic beats to my soul’s song. My heart was singing, recalling the numerous moments Aai had tried to reassure me, my boss was human and had bad hair days too. Incredulously I would ask in annoyance if she was my Aai or his. Terminating with, “What bad hair day? He is bald!” It always made her laugh uncontrollably. The recollection made me smile.
Our house had been spruced up since morning. Baba had shopped like he was organising a wedding; fish… big pomfrets, tiger prawns, vegetables in a wide assortment- bright and crunchy capsicums, cucumbers, tomatoes, brinjals, spicy green chillies and a big heap of marigolds! I had been drawn into string the flowers in various lengths. Then, not knowing what to do, they were draped all over the house! It looked definitely like we were wedding ready!!!
Aai had been busy, chopping, cleaning, washing, frying, grinding, more chopping, kneading and lots of yelling. “Bring this… bring that… can someone taste this???” But the smile on her face never departed. I only wondered if it was worth it.
Evening arrived, the sun set and as the sky was tinged with colours of love- pink, peach and violet, Baba draped some fairie lights too. I was about to add a sharp retort but then thought… at least someone is having fun, let them!
Precisely at 7:30pm, there was a soft knock at the door. Boss? I rushed to open the door, before checking my appearance in the mirror over the sink. There he stood, Mr Sheshan, my boss! He looked fresh, almost benign in his spotless white shirt and white trousers, his trademark dress. A gentle smile hovering on his lips. “I hope I am not late!”
“No, not at all!” I mumbled, before remembering to welcome him. I called out to my parents and they came in with folded hands, greeting him with a ‘Namaste’ which was warmly returned. My mother was signalling I had not judged him correctly, while my father fussed over where to seat him, how to seat him and what to serve him! Unthinkable! You could knock me down with a feather!
Miracles happen, I guess, as I witnessed a genteel and erudite Mr Seshan regaling my parents with amusing anecdotes from the routine humdrum of office goings on.
At dinner, he was blown away by the elaborate preparations. Prawns in coconut gravy, Pomfret fried whole with spicy konkan masala and aesthetically presented on a banana leaf, were the show stoppers. Even the dal, capsicum fried with chickpea flour, koshambir and plain rice somehow acquired a posh and snooty presence. He tucked in heartily, as food was plied lovingly by my Aai and even Baba. I was relegated to serving water, bringing a spoon and generally hovering in the background.
“Our son has always excelled in school, you know.” Aai began. How I wished the earth would part and I could disappear, like Sita ma. We did this drama when I was in school!
“His teachers and Principal, proclaimed every year, he would do wonders in the future!” she continued, while Baba nodded his head in coordination.
“I can see that. He has always been excellent at his work. He is most reliable and works well in coordination with all team members. Meeting both of you today, I can see where he gets it from!”
Well! Well! Well! Ganju can speak well of me… I have never seen any of this written on any of my appraisals!
Jai Vignaharta! I swear I will offer sava ser prasad to you next Saturday! Nothing but the best motichoor laddoo, made in shudh desi ghee, from none other than the best of the best -Tiwaris, at Juhu! My heart was cartwheeling with joy!
If those two were here, I would have kissed them and promised sava ser laddoos to them too! My childhood buddies- Sushil and Neel.
Just then, as if on cue, my phone rang. Since the others were deep in conversation,I went to the other room to take the call. It was Sushil. He satrted scolding me…
“Where are you? Why are you not here? At Ganju’s house.”
“Because Ganju is here, having dinner made by Aai!” I chuckled. “Wait till you hear what he is telling Aai. This time I will get an increment no less than 15% for sure. But I have to thank you two for the suggestion!”
“What are you blabbering? Show us a pic!”
Surreptiously I went to the room and clicked a picture of all three oldies guffawing over some joke! No one would believe it if I just told them, right? Now I had evidence.
The phone rang immediately.
“Don’t fool us bacchu… sending us pics of your parents. Where is Ganju?”
I looked at the pics and realised there were only Aai and Baba in the pic. Where was Ganju?
I ran to the room to take another pic… but Aai and Baba were waving to no one and saying “You must come again.”
What was going on? I called Sushil in a huff.
“Sushil whats happening? I am so confused. You have messed up a perfect day for me!”
“Listen carefully… Ganju passed away early this evening. We are here to help prepare for his last rites. As usual you are late. Why did you not pick up your phone till now?”
