The price of a watermelon

This was during the time when Amma was bedridden. She was in uncle's house and although close to a window, the summer heat was getting on her nerves. Back when she was very well, we had an almost perfect formula to beat the heat. Watermelon.
Much to the respite of people, nature brought delicious fruits along with summer. Mangoes are at the forefront and much anticipated by all. Then there's also sugar cane. Although popular but much less valued is the watermelon. This heavy of a fruit has got the right amount of nutrients to combat heat. Being high in water content, it is also quite filling. And being less sweet, it meant that my diabetic grandma and mother can enjoy it.
Maa would daily get a watermelon from the local hawker. Then slice it and refrigerate so that it could be relished chilled. Just before afternoon tea time, Amma, Maa and I used to enjoy the chilled, juicy fruit in its glory. Some prefer adding chat masala over it while many threw away the seeds. I am a purist so I enjoy it without the salt and with the seeds.
Almost a week after her fracture, Amma mentioned on the call that she missed watermelon. She had the luxurious mango but not the watermelon. The thing about mobile hawkers is that they are not guaranteed to visit your neighbourhood. So one day after I wrapped up my work-from-home, I walked a couple of kilometers to fetch the fruit, and delivered it to Amma. She didn't have it then but she was delighted. Don't know if it was the fruit or me. 
Here in Singapore, I am sure Amma would have been delighted at the multiple choices of varied fruits. And I'd have loved to have her here. But it's the watermelon that bears the sweetest fruit of her memories. Mango, you are close second.

The day my world stood still

I failed. Exactly one year ago, this was the day when I failed. And I failed hard, miserably and one from which I can never come back. 2nd June 2015 is the date when Amma died. No euphemisms here. And I wasn't even beside her. 

Rewind to 1st June 2015. Thanks to my friend Pratik, I had got a job in Singapore. This meant leaving my then employer TCS. And it is with this purpose of serving a month's notice period that I went to Mumbai after a long period of working from home. I was staying with my friend Ishan and had reached there on the first itself. That day was any other day apart from the fact that I had officially resigned. I talked to my manager Sachin and he was supportive of it. He also casually inquired about the well-being of my family members. I did inform him of Amma's fracture albeit with a smile knowing that she'd bounce back as she always had no matter what the situation. I asked Sachin to keep it a little secret as I believe that the more people know my plans the more it is doomed to fail. Later in the evening I told this to Srilekha who I consider in high regards and to be my mentor. I also called up Farhan for the sake of old times' friendship. Both were my colleagues. No one knew apart from them. So much so that none from my family (barring Maa) was aware of my Singapore plans, not even Amma. 

The next day as I was getting ready for the office, I got a call from Maa around 7:30 in the morning. She mentioned that Amma is really sick and her health is dwindling. She asked me to call her and have a talk. I was in a haste. Tuesday mornings meant a call with the client in America and I had to reach there by 9. I thought that this was just a normal case and Amma wouldn't got anywhere easily. She was bedridden and at my uncle's place not far from my parental home. I am family man in the end. Not even the most urgent of work takes preference over the tiniest concern of my family. I gave a call to Amma's mobile. No answer. I tried again. Still no answer. I passed with the idea of calling her after the client call ends at 10 am. And moved on. 

The bus ride wasn't comforting though. I had thoughts over Amma's health. And mine as well thanks to the numerous jolts in the Mumbai buses. Finally I got a seat and took to reading as is my usual hobby. The book that I had was won in a Goodreads giveaway and a romantic one. I am not against romance but the cancerous plot and mushy acts in the book left a bad taste in mouth. So I rushed to my desk reaching there at sharp 9 am. My screen showed the shared presentation over an extremely slow internet connection. Just as I was connecting the phone, my mobile rang. Maa. Family man in me picked it up. Sobbing. "Amma nahi rahi, Pintoo!" (Amma is no more, Pintoo!) More sobbing.  

I was shocked. It was a strangely familiar feeling. When everything goes numb around you. When your mind loses control of your body. Leave alone words, you can't even think. When business calls have the least precedence over anything. I knew this feeling as I had gone through the experience then two and half years ago when my grandfather passed away. That time too, I was in Mumbai and not at home near him. 

"Main aa raha hu Maa" (I am coming Maa) was the only thing I could speak and disconnected the call. Learning from my past experience, the first thing I did was to book flight tickets for two. My cousin Pooja also lived there and she had accompanied me then and would accompany me now. In fact, she was the one who had called me up to inform me about my grandfather's demise. This time I'd inform her. 

Sometimes, you curse slow internet connection. Other times you are just helpless. That time, I couldn't get my senses to spend energy in cursing. I was fixed to the screen and in 30 minutes or so booked two tickets that would get me to Ahmedabad at the earliest. During that time, I also got calls from others including Pooja. Between her sobbing, I told that the tickets have been booked and she had under half-hour to get going. My office is on the way from her home to airport, so she'd pick me up. 

Others were fixated on the computers and phones. I managed to search Sachin and inform him about the events. He was understanding and granted me the leave. I dropped a mail to withhold my notice period as one can't take leaves during it. I also informed Ishan, picked up my stuff and left the office. I met Pooja at the designated place and we continued our commute to the airport. All in sobbing and consoling each other ignoring the otherwise irritating Mumbai traffic. Managed to reach airport in time and boarded the flight. 

Strange thing that both the times, I was far from my grandparents. I had last met them just two-three days ago and I had to take a flight. Both knew that I love airplanes. When at home, I often run to catch a glimpse of the airplane. But never had travelled in one. My grandfather gave me the first reason to. Maybe, it was his parting gift. This time, Amma knew it well that I had enjoyed the commute of a flight a couple of times. Still she preferred this mode. When I reached home, her eyes were open over her lifeless body. Folks there said that all attempts to close them had failed. I saw the last glimpse in her eyes. Pooja closed them personally and Amma's body allowed to. 

They say that she wanted to see me. That her eyes were waiting for her dearest grandson. But he had failed her. I didn't talk to her in the morning when I had the time. I could have called my uncle or cousin but didn't. I didn't inform her of my Singapore plans. She didn't want me to go Mumbai and I mentioned that it was just a regular weekly trip. I lied and I failed. I was not able to get her a proper fan when she lay uncomfortably in summer heat. And I enjoy the air conditioning here. I failed. I couldn't help her build the home of her dreams; I was too attached to the current home. I failed. She loved cars very much but we didn't have one and would often ask the relatives whenever possible for a trip in car. I didn't know how to drive (nor do I know it at this moment) so I didn't get one. I failed. Numerous times she had asked me to marry so she could see her 'bahu' (daughter-in-law). I was not ready for the marriage. I failed. We promised her a gala bash on her 90th birthday. She was 86. Failed. She had great plans to visit Barcelona. I promised her and I failed. 

Not a single day has passed since then when I don't think of her. Remembering her brings me strength but weakens me to the core. It's an emotional burden that I have to carry lifelong. Nothing I do will ever rectify or justify the failures. Nothing. It's now a universal postulate and all my career performance (since grandpa and alleviated after Amma) have steadily dwindled. I know I can never succeed. Because I am a big failure. 

The Fall

19 May 2015: Exactly a year ago, she had it. My grandmother (Amma as she was known) had a fall that fractured her leg. It wasn’t only a fall for her health but also the one that would become an indirect cause of her demise. It was also my fall to the depths of no return.

I was working from home as had been for more than 16 months. The summers of Ahmedabad are dry and daunting, so the king sized bed in the only air-conditioned room not only called for an afternoon siesta for the working ladies of the house but also featured as my work desk. My mother always takes a nap after lunch whereas Amma was always up to something, be it sewing, reading spiritual books or taking a nap sometimes. Summer afternoons always beckoned for rest. So after the lunch (possibly featuring her favourite Tota aam and some chhaas), it was time for me to look over the two lovely ladies of my life grab some rest.

Amma was healthy and despite her age of 86, very, very active. Her iron-will is what will motivate me for years and is the one that I will fail to have, ever. She went to fetch her pillow while Maa had already hit the bed. And then we heard it. A thud followed by a loud shriek. Amma had slipped on the unusually wet floor (possibly after the mopping). I quickly ran towards her. She couldn’t stand.With the help of our neighbours, we managed to get her up to the bed. Quickly I dialed the nearest local doctor. Since it was afternoon, most doctors too, it seems, like to take have some siesta. I knew it was a case for an orthopaedic, so I contacted the one we know. He’d return at 5 in the evening unless there was an emergency translating into double the fees. I contacted my father. Money was not an issue but somehow we decided to wait for the evening. The worst decision of my life. Not that the delay led to her passing away; she was well operated that evening and resumed to normalcy. But the moments leading up to the time, she was writhing in agony.

I tried to resume my work but couldn’t give it the attention. Soon at the time, we got to the hospital thanks to the Dial 108 emergency vehicle. Just when we were getting her on stretcher, she mentioned that this is the last time she sees the home. I was with her in the EMV. And consoled her that we would soon make an abroad trip. Dubai wasn’t expensive (and she really wanted to go there) and she has her daughter staying there. Her other grandson stays in Jamaica and I mentioned it to her that Indians don’t need a visa there. But most excited she was for Barcelona. Yes, we had plans for that too. Her daughter number 4 resides there.

I held her hand in the EMV through the entire journey of 10 minutes. I talked to her, consoled her, kissed her that she would bounce back. After all, she had done it a few years ago for the same kind of fracture in a different leg. But this time, it seemed that she lacked her motivation. Her iron-will had melted. She will never make a trip Dubai, Jamaica, Barcelona, or even her own home. I was never able to tell her that I will make a move to Singapore and she has no need to rely on anyone else for the abroad trip.Her fall took me deeper into the abyss of worthlessness and lower self-confidence. I became more depressed, had more regrets, dwindling concentration and poor work-performance. Till this day, I wage a battle with myself every day wondering what if. I crave for that one chance with her. But I know I can’t. And that leads to further despair affecting the quality of things that I do. Every day I think of her. Every day I remember her. But this day will be marked as the one when we fell, one physically and the other mentally.