The day had begun at 4, as I'd to catch the 6 AM train. Anto had ensured that I was at the railway station on the dot. The train was running on time till three stations before my destination and then got delayed by over an hour and for once, I was happy it was so as I'd lesser time to while away because my assignment for the Foundation was around 1530 h at the Collector's office.
On reaching the destination, the idea about spending my spare time had crystallised. I'd decided to call on an uncle and two aunts, whom I'd not seen for a very long time. Clutching a meagre fruit basket, I'd landed at the huge house around lunch time at the insistence of my senior aunt. My uncle, whose kidneys are weak, has got used to the pouch to remove his urine periodically. And what I felt nice was that at 80, he's peppy about life despite his physical discomfort.
My senior aunt, all of 78 years, was looking forward to the cataract operation on her left eye, a fortnight from now. With her positive outlook towards life, she's braved many a storm like breaking off with her Maharashtrian husband, barely a year into marriage as he was a compulsive wife beater! I remember my grandfather grieving over the issue as he'd given the go ahead for the marriage, as the patriarch. Her only son is the apple of her eye but she's worried because of his precarious medical condition!
The second aunt is, sadly, inflicted with the Parkinson's Syndrome but ambles along. Today, according to her two daughters, she'd been eagerly awaiting my arrival from the time she'd heard about my plans. I was humbled seeing her excitement and was left with a lump in my throat for having done so little for the three of them! All of them have expressed their desire to meet my mom and I've promised them that I'd get her at Neelamperoor during the third week of October on the auspicious beginning of the Malayalam month of 'Vrushchikam'.
And on the way to the collectorate, my cousin had taken me to Vijayalaksmi chechi who's bed ridden thanks to a paralytic attack. There's a tremendous improvement in her condition and I saw her eyes swell with tears when I kissed her forehead and told her that she looked beautiful. Hope she's able to take care of herself, pretty soon!
The meeting went off like clock work with my maman giving the process of implementation of the programme that would make the district cent percent 'e-literate'. And soon after, we're at Haripad for spending the night.
Tomorrow is gonna be a whirlwind visit to four panchayats, to review the milestones achieved and avoid mid-course correction, where necessary!
Tailpiece.
I'll keep that date with Neelamperoor next month so that my mom and her cousins can interact!
On reaching the destination, the idea about spending my spare time had crystallised. I'd decided to call on an uncle and two aunts, whom I'd not seen for a very long time. Clutching a meagre fruit basket, I'd landed at the huge house around lunch time at the insistence of my senior aunt. My uncle, whose kidneys are weak, has got used to the pouch to remove his urine periodically. And what I felt nice was that at 80, he's peppy about life despite his physical discomfort.
My senior aunt, all of 78 years, was looking forward to the cataract operation on her left eye, a fortnight from now. With her positive outlook towards life, she's braved many a storm like breaking off with her Maharashtrian husband, barely a year into marriage as he was a compulsive wife beater! I remember my grandfather grieving over the issue as he'd given the go ahead for the marriage, as the patriarch. Her only son is the apple of her eye but she's worried because of his precarious medical condition!
The second aunt is, sadly, inflicted with the Parkinson's Syndrome but ambles along. Today, according to her two daughters, she'd been eagerly awaiting my arrival from the time she'd heard about my plans. I was humbled seeing her excitement and was left with a lump in my throat for having done so little for the three of them! All of them have expressed their desire to meet my mom and I've promised them that I'd get her at Neelamperoor during the third week of October on the auspicious beginning of the Malayalam month of 'Vrushchikam'.
And on the way to the collectorate, my cousin had taken me to Vijayalaksmi chechi who's bed ridden thanks to a paralytic attack. There's a tremendous improvement in her condition and I saw her eyes swell with tears when I kissed her forehead and told her that she looked beautiful. Hope she's able to take care of herself, pretty soon!
The meeting went off like clock work with my maman giving the process of implementation of the programme that would make the district cent percent 'e-literate'. And soon after, we're at Haripad for spending the night.
Tomorrow is gonna be a whirlwind visit to four panchayats, to review the milestones achieved and avoid mid-course correction, where necessary!
Tailpiece.
I'll keep that date with Neelamperoor next month so that my mom and her cousins can interact!
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