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Farewell

Discussion in 'Stories (Fiction)' started by GeetaKashyap, Jul 5, 2018.

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Jul 8, 2018 #41

Vedhavalli Platinum IL'ite

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GeetaKashyap said: ↑

This is, in fact, every parent's nightmare. I lost a 21 year old cousin, another cousin's life was ruined and a friend of my son who grew up in front of my eyes also met with a similar end. Girls are more careful but... Every parent fights with this fear before agreeing to allow their children ride 2 wheelers. Logic is not to be crippled by fear and imagine the worst!

Thanks for your comments, @Vedhavalli.
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Very sad to know about reckless driving by teens, tweens most of the time it's because of other drunk drivers who don't get scartch. Many a times saw/heard in Mumbai , Bangalore and Chennai

Vedhavalli, Jul 8, 2018

Vedhavalli, Jul 8, 2018

#41

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Jul 8, 2018 #42

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Vedhavalli said: ↑

Very sad to know about reckless driving by teens, tweens most of the time it's because of other drunk drivers who don't get scartch. Many a times saw/heard in Mumbai , Bangalore and Chennai
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It is a sad story that repeats every day yet nobody learns a lesson.

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

#42
Jul 8, 2018 #43

GeetaKashyap IL Hall of Fame

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Ammu2886 said: ↑

@GeetaKashyap
You are a true all rounder

Awesome narration...I was imagining the real chinnu and vishnupriya....but I have a doubt..Is this a real sequel
Click to expand...

@Ammu2886,

This is a fiction but very close to the reality. Thanks for your appreciation.

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

#43

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Jul 8, 2018 #44

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Mistt said: ↑

Geeta,
Title of the story itself struck me somewhere that ending must be sad but in a positive approach I said that hope for happy ending in my FB after reading first part. I know it was a story still it was never digestible but your narration was as usual awesome.
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I can understand when a likeable character meets a bad end it hurts and the hurt lingers on for a while. Let us see, as I have left the end inconclusive, we can try and change Chinu's fate. Thanks a lot for always being there for me.

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

#44

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Jul 8, 2018 #45

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Geeta,
It is very happy if you write sequel of this story and bring Chintu alive I wish and pray for any parent gets such kind of punishment in real life. It is indeed horrible.

Last edited: Jul 8, 2018

Mistt, Jul 8, 2018

Mistt, Jul 8, 2018

#45

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Jul 8, 2018 #46

Ammu2886 Gold IL'ite

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I don't mind even if chinnu 's travel is cancelled..Let him apply for the course next year...
The smarty,handsome should be back with a bang

Ammu2886, Jul 8, 2018

Ammu2886, Jul 8, 2018

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Jul 8, 2018 #47

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Mistt said: ↑

Geeta,
It is very happy if you write sequel of this story and bring Chintu alive I wish and pray for any parent gets such kind of punishment in real life. It is indeed horrible.
Click to expand...

I need to research a bit before writing the sequel and that will start shortly. I appreciate your sentiment, Mistt.

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

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Jul 8, 2018 #48

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Ammu2886 said: ↑

I don't mind even if chinnu 's travel is cancelled..Let him apply for the course next year...
The smarty,handsome should be back with a bang
Click to expand...

Sure, dear.

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

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Jul 8, 2018 #49

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GeetaKashyap said: ↑

Part 1 of 2.

I quickly checked the list on hand for the nth time as I rushed to the kitchen. Our cook Meena was busy giving finishing touches to the BisibeLe bhaat. The moment she saw me, she handed me a cup with two spoons of the famous Karnataka rice item to taste and approve. I tasted the warm and gooey bhaat appreciating the wonderful blend of the different flavours and tastes.

‘Perfect! Add a quarter teaspoon more of salt, the vegetables will absorb the salt by the time you serve dinner and ensure to serve it warm with a good amount of ghee. Fry papads just before serving, otherwise they will turn limp very quickly in this weather. I have kept potato wafers in this drawer. Wafers and Papads are wonderful accompaniments for the bhaat. Don’t forget to add some pomegranate seeds to the Mosaranna (curd rice), to make it yummy. What about the Paneer-Capsicum gravy? Ensure that it isn’t very spicy, Chinu will not like it. Remember to serve Raita in two bowls, a smaller bowl with more chillies for the doctor and Rao saab, and the remaining for the others. Make chapatis when I tell you, saab likes them hot, directly from the pan to the plate.’ Then I went on to check if the dinner set was arranged properly. ‘Meena, it is already seven, they should be here anytime. Latest by 8:30 pm we must serve dinner; we can’t afford to be late as tomorrow is a working day.’ I instructed her and rushed to dress.

Oh! Sorry! In my excitement, I forgot to tell you that our son Chintan aka Chinu will be going to the USA for an advanced study and training, in Cardiac surgery. Tomorrow he will be flying off, so we have arranged this intimate dinner for our very close friends. There will be Dr Seema and Dr Ajay Prabhu, Advocate Dwarkanath Rao aka Dwarki, and his wife Prerna, a banker and we two, along with our son Chinu.

******************

I changed into a simple red printed silk saree which Chinu had gifted me for my last birthday. My hubby, Shridhar was still in his study room. Ever since his bypass surgery, which Ajay performed five years ago, Shridhar had decided to take his profession a little easy and all of us had unanimously agreed with his decision. By nature, he is prone to high level of stress and anxiety. Dwarki, my husband’s partner in their Legal consultancy firm has taken the major load of work upon himself. He is a good observer and a man of few words.

I gently knocked on the study room door as I entered, ‘Are you ready?’

‘What is there to get ready? We men don’t have to take much trouble like you ladies. Moreover, all our guests today are like our own family. They won’t mind even if I receive them in my nightdress. By the way, did Chinu return?’ Shridhar queried.

Even as I clicked our selfie, I said, ‘He should be here any moment.’

‘Lata, what is your craze for selfies at this age?’ Shridhar said with irritation. ‘You should not have allowed him to go out today. Looks like it will rain very heavily tonight. Has he taken the car?’

‘Don’t worry Shridhar; he should be here any time now. Even I insisted on him to take the car but he wanted to go on his bike. Can we win an argument with children these days? …Now, do you hear Ajay’s booming voice? Let me go and receive them, Come out soon.’ I rushed out to receive the Prabhus. Even though it was an informal dinner, our excitement was palpable.

‘Lata, you look stunning!’ Seema Commented as she gently hugged me.

‘Seema, you too look great! Let’s take a selfie and let these men remember forever how gorgeous their spouses look!’ As we clicked a couple of selfies, Ajay also joined us and he volunteered to click a few more pictures. Seema and I readily posed like two giggly teenagers.

‘Lata, again you started with your selfies! I think we have to consult a Psychiatrist to treat your selfie addiction.’ Shridhar commented from behind.

‘Arre, Shridhar, let the lovely ladies enjoy themselves. Why are you interrupting their fun? Because of these little fun activities, Lata is still bubbly and young at heart. Look at yourself, you are growing prematurely old.’ Ajay said.

Putting his arm affectionately on Ajay’s shoulder, Shridhar said, ‘At sixty, I am like a mature sixty-year-old person. Age appropriate behaviour matters, doesn’t it?’

As the two men moved towards the balcony, I rolled my eyes and moved into the drawing room with Seema.

‘Lata, how is Meghna? I wish she too was here with us today.’

‘Yes Seema, I am also missing her. She is doing great with her husband and daughter. Recently they moved over from Brisbane to Sydney. This Christmas, they may visit us.’ Excitedly I showed her my three-year-old granddaughter’s latest snaps.

Even as we were admiring those photographs, Raos walked in. Acknowledging us with a hand wave, Dwarki joined the men on the balcony and Prerna joined us.

After serving our friends with light snacks and soft drinks, I phoned Chinu.

‘Chinu, where are you? All have arrived, we are waiting for you.’

‘Mum, there is a terrible traffic jam near Malleshwaram. I will try to reach home as early as possible.’ Chinu replied.

‘Is it raining there?’

‘No. Just heavily overcast.’

‘Take care, dear.’

‘Sure mum, don’t worry. At the most, in another thirty minutes, I will be there. Bye.’

‘Shridhar, Chinu is still at Malleshwaram, he is held up in a traffic jam and he said he would be here in thirty minutes,’ I announced loudly.

‘How can he reach from Malleshwaram to JP Nagar in thirty minutes? When he knew about our dinner programme, couldn’t he start earlier?’ Shridhar frowned, as I looked helplessly.

Coming to my rescue, Ajay said, ‘Relax Shridhar, our young man must have gone to meet his friends, give him some freedom. Come on; let us join the ladies in the drawing-room.’

Once all of us settled in the drawing room, we started talking about Chinu. Prabhus and Raos know our family for over twenty years. Dr Prabhu’s son is also a doctor and he has settled in Singapore. Raos are issueless and they dote on our children. When Chinu was in his twelfth standard, I had to rush to Davangere to attend to my critically ill mother. At that time, Meghna was in the final year of Engineering. Then Prerna had taken leave from her work for almost a month to take care of my children. From then on, my children lovingly address her as Chikki, a short form for Chikkamma, that is, mother’s younger sister in Kannada.

I brought out a couple of old photo albums and with great interest, all of us started looking at the pictures and exchanging notes.

‘Lata, do you remember the first time we met? Chinu had a head injury after a nasty fight with his friends.’ Seema recalled with a smile.

‘Of course, how can I forget that day? He was bleeding profusely and he was also in a lot of pain.’

‘Who would have expected that aggressive young boy to become such a handsome and sophisticated doctor today? During his twelfth board exams, the poor guy studied so hard and I saw a lot of changes in him during his teens.’ Prerna remarked thoughtfully.

I could see a lot of love and warmth in her eyes. Nodding my head; I placed my hands affectionately on hers and thought my children are blessed to have three sets of parents! Then on, we busied ourselves recalling various anecdotes from our past and laughed till our sides hurt.

As the clock ticked, Shridhar’s anxiety increased. ‘Lata, what kind of an urgent business did Chintan have, that he had to go out today? Why did you allow him to go? Had you informed me, I would have stopped him.’

In a calm tone, I replied, ‘You had gone to the court this afternoon and that is when he left. How could I inform you? Moreover, he is a thirty-year-old guy, not a small child.’

Shridhar wasn’t convinced.

‘Shridhar, he wanted to meet some friends. Err…okay, I will tell you the truth, promise me that you won’t ask him about it directly.’

‘Now, are you keeping secrets from me?’ a visibly upset Shridhar thundered.

‘Shridhar, please calm down. Let us hear what Lata has to say.’ Dwarki pacified.

‘Well, this noon he was specially dressed and he seemed very cheerful. When I teased him, reluctantly he revealed that he was going to meet Dr Vishnupriya, who was his junior in the college!’ I disclosed with a smile that was hard to hide.

‘Mmm…Our Chinu is in love!’ Prerna remarked with a beaming smile.

‘Hey! Selfie Queen! Show us how our hero looked when he left and did he share her photograph with you?’ Seema asked eagerly.

‘I will, but promise me that no one will tease him about it today. When the time is right, let him divulge it to all.’

‘Agreed,’ everybody chorused.

At first, I showed them my selfie with Chinu and after everybody admired him, I showed them the photograph of Chinu with Vishnupriya.

Shridhar enlarged the image and began to scrutinise it minutely.

‘Now I understand the reason for the delay! Parting is always a tough thing especially when they will be away for a long time. No issues. Shridhar, simply relax and don’t say a word to our sonny. After all, we too have gone through these emotions in our youth! Only a cardiac surgeon would know the matters of the heart, intimately.’ Ajay said winking at Seema who was blushing. Looking at their expressions all of us burst into laughter.

‘Then there is no sense in waiting for him. Considering the traffic and weather woes, he won’t be here at least till ten. Let us start dinner. Let him join us, as and when he returns,’ Shridhar said, signalling me to serve food.

Though a bit disappointed, I got up. Seema and Prerna also got up to help me.

To be continued....
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so far so good. Agog to know when Dr Vishnu Priya enter the scene!
Thanks and REGARDS

Thyagarajan, Jul 8, 2018

Thyagarajan, Jul 8, 2018

#49

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Jul 8, 2018 #50

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Thyagarajan said: ↑

so far so good. Agog to know when Dr Vishnu Priya enter the scene!
Thanks and REGARDS
Click to expand...

Thanks for being here, Sir. I shall bring the sequel shortly.

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

GeetaKashyap, Jul 8, 2018

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