“Living in a country side like surroundings can be a soulful experience and most of the time being close to nature works like a soothing and healing balm. I never had a say in home territory but outside the four walls, I had made a world of my fancy.
The mango tree, I climbed up barefoot with a monkey like ease; my friends, who trusted me to be their uncontested leader and gave into my silly plans without any resistance, my pet dog Kalu, who managed to understand me in spite of no language for communication; and the open fields, which gave me the feeling, I could fly in any direction, soaking in the abundance of nature all around me.
Last day of exams and I would hop out of the school bus to keep my bag away and climb the mango tree where freshly unripe mangoes were waiting to be picked by me which I and my friends would cut into pieces and eat with salt and red chilli powder borrowed from the ration shop.
I suppose most of our country kids find solace in cricket, I, too, may have found some in it. We played on for hours till our calls came, first, in form of a gentle, “Come for lunch” then “Food is getting cold.” And later “Are you coming or shall I come out” and we would all run into our homes with a pact of coming back within a few hours.
Kalu was a stray who initially would come for the leftovers and probably took liking to our doorstep since the leftovers were a feast in itself. There was so much trust between the two of us, I would let my entire tiny little hand go into his open sharp teethed jaw without a trace of fear or doubt and Kalu would reciprocate it with simply licking it with wholehearted affection.
Strangely, as much as he liked the fish bones and meat, he loved chappattis. He would always eat half of the number and other half he would carry in his mouth, and burry it into a hole. He, probably, was simply wise or maybe did not trust his luck too much.
Life outside home was simple, uncomplicated and as beautiful as the landscape I was a part of.
Inside home it was messy, weird and complex.”
*Do catch up, next Friday, with your late afternoon cup of tea or maybe coffee, the story of sHE continues.
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