The Word that meant the World to me..

I sit still in the chair.. contemplating on the days that have gone by.. Two small children, a cute looking enthralling boy and a beautiful angelic girl, were having a ball of a time in the garden.. A charming young man with a stalwart physique was maintaining a constant vigil on them to prevent them from straying to the nearby pond.. It reminds me of my days as a kid.. My father used to do the same, when my elder brother and I used play in the garden in our locality.. Just then the boy snatched the doll from the girl’s hand and ran away, far beyond her reach.. The incompetent girl on realizing her inability to chase him down lets out a cry of despair.. It brings a bleak smile to my face.. It reminiscences me of my daughter..

She was as angelic as this girl.. I still remember how dearly I loved her.. The most memorable day of my life was the day she began to speak.. The day she uttered her first words.. “Pa..” and a million dollar smile flashed across her face, a thing that always made my day, followed.. As if she wanted to tell me.. ‘See.. I did it.. You always wanted me to say this right..’ ..I always wanted to be with her.. Every morning I left for office with a heavy heart.. She always cried as the engine of the car grunted to a start.. She thought I would never return.. Those tears were more than the value of diamonds for me.. I still remember the enthusiasm with which she used to crawl towards me when I returned back from work.. The nights when she slept on my voluminous tummy like a lizard sticking to the walls..

Days and years went by.. right from the time since she started walking.. to the time she scolded me for returning home late from office.. to the evenings when tired and weary I dozed off on the couch only to find myself next morning covered with my blanket with her sleeping by the foot of the couch.. it was something as a father I would always cherish.. She was my source of inspiration.. I still remember the day when she got married.. I received the most valuable gift of my life.. A painting that she had made.. For the past few months she had been working at it.. All day and night.. She would not even let me in her room lest I get a glimpse of it.. It was a silhouette of a man with his daughter holding hands teaching her to walk.. He was leading her out of the house.. I could not stop my tears.. I thought how I would ever be able to live without her.. I let go myself.. She said.. “Be strong.. I am always there with you..” .. It reminded of the day she was born.. Those were her mother’s last words.. I felt the pain in my heart as if someone was trying to thrust a blunt sword right through.. My daughter always stood strong by my side like a pillar supporting an old dilapidated structure.. I was sure that she would never let me feel left alone.. She was a woman of her words.. The disastrous day when I was en-route to our first meeting since her marriage.. I met with a horrifying accident only to be up in the hospital.. I opened my eyes.. and there she was.. I knew she would definitely be there.. Tears rolled down her cheeks.. as she let out a cry and hugged me.. I smiled bleakly.. “Don’t worry.. I am fine!” I said.. But she did not seem to stop.. I did not understand what was wrong.. As I tried to sit up.. I fell off the chair.. The kids playing in the garden along with the young man came running up and helped me onto the chair.. I was horrified.. I felt like crying.. The realization dawned on me.. I had lost my feet in the accident.. How I wished I had died then.. Just as I was about to break down.. I felt a familiar pat on my back.. “Be strong Pa.. We are always there with you..” It had to be.. no one else than my daughter.. She was always so beautiful and charming.. The young man stood by her reassuring me that they would.. He was my son-in-law.. It was a dream, come true for me.. I always wanted to see her happy..

Just as I leaned back with relief on to the wheel-chair and closed my eyes, I felt a tug at my trousers.. It was the small angelic girl.. She was looking at me in anticipation.. She was my grand-daughter.. I looked at her and smiled.. She smiled back and said.. “Pa..” ..Those were her first words..

© ROHAN S. AMBRE

12^th December, 2009