In Vacant or in Pensive Mood

It's strange that I feel the need to write about you. After all, we've met only twice. The first time, I remember, was on the day I got married. The wedding ceremony had just finished; Arpit and I were yet to walk down the aisle together. We were surrounded by a group of people who were clicking away and documenting the first glimpses of the newly wedded couple. You were one of them. I had my eyes open, but I wasn't really registering anything. Everything was a blur, until I realised that someone from the crowd was trying to get my attention. Focussing my eyes, I saw you, showing your teeth and gesturing with your hands -- telling me to smile. I wondered who this random stranger was, someone I had never met before. Yet, I took the advice and managed to smile at the cameras facing me. I found myself looking at you again, when you gestured to me about Arpit's hair which the Achen had messed up during the wedding ceremony. You were telling me to tell Arpit to...

I didn't fear my parents growing up, but I did have reverent fear for Valiadaddy, my maternal grandfather. He was the official "hand-holder" at all my birthday celebrations that involved a cake. He is the one who taught me, by example, to love dogs. When my myna bird - Mittoo - died, I cried a lot. Valiadaddy brought me a parrot - Kuttoo - to make me happy again. I've been a picky eater all my life. I've had a phase where I would only eat a specific type of fish, a phase where I would only eat dry fish, a phase where I ate a minimum of 6 Marie gold biscuits (and no other biscuit) with my evening tea. Valiadaddy has always made sure that he made these available to me. What's more, whenever he and Valiamummy would return from a visit to Kerala, they would bring the brown halwa for the rest of the family and red-coloured halwa, exclusively for me. He loved birds and fish and he devoted several hours a day to take care of them, settin...