"Keep these files upfront on my table, they need some follow-up", I informed to one;
"And these can be sent across to our branch office", directed another;
"Can't this simple thing be looked after by you, don't be expecting your pay if I end up doing your work", I finally lost my temper.
No it wasn't my employees who were at fault. It was my anxiety over an expected call which gave in to my anger. Poor fellows had to take in my shouts along with the pay I had on offer for them.
"yes...Tell..me..uncle", the call I was expecting had arrived.
"Did every..th..ing go on wel..ll?" I bit every word too eager to know something;
"You have a girl", my uncle replied living and cherishing each and every syllable he meant to convey.
I closed my eyes and allowed a tear drop that filled my eye descend down my cheek.
"Thank you Uncle!", I cried the words out.
"Is Meena fine?!", I enquired about my wife.
"She is so full with joy!", my father-in-law beamed.
"I can't wait to get there. Take care of her. I shall start right away", I said as words didn't have my control and ended the phone line.
As I placed the phone on its seat, I went completely lost; didn't know the world around me;
I shut my office; Kept foot after foot reiterating what had just happened. The feeling hadn't sunk in yet. I have become a dad. Yes, I have a daughter.
It is a practice in our part of the world where wives head to their mother's place to seek the necessary care and attention when they are to deliver a child. That had kept me away from Meena for 5 months now. I missed her so much that moment; more than ever before.
I had to get to her immediately somehow. Fly, drive or atleast run to reach her that very moment.
It was evening already and I had to look for tickets to Kumbakonam where my queen and princess were.
I managed to find a place for myself bribing the TTR with a hefty sum. For once, bribing wasn't such a bad thing to be doing. I got to my seat and laid down thinking. Thinking was all I did and could do that night.
How should I bring her up? What will be her name? How will she look? the seamless such questions kept coming through the journey.
"I should give her the best possible in life", I told myself.
"She should have the best education", I added.
"She would one day be proud to call me her father", I puffed out my chest and said; the parent in me had found birth.
In the middle of all these thoughts, the sun came out the next morning...
I headed to the hospital well-received by my in-laws at the station; that's the best part of the Asian culture, you have family around in every important moment of your life. To cry, fight or laugh you can always have a company around.
"Dhanlakshmi Hospital", I read as I entered the hospital and approached our room with increasing anticipation on every step that I took.
More than I wanted to see the baby, I wanted to see the fulfillment on Meena's face.
I envisaged how she would react on seeing me!
The first step into the room brought me eye to eye with Meena.
I hadn't seen so much joy in someone so far. She didn't intend to give me a smile at all, I just knew it from her deep eyes, unruly hair, motionless lips and the hidden teeth beneath them that she meant so much more than what a smile could possibly convey.
She moved her hands across her forehead to gather her falling hair and rolled it behind. She was in the hospital clothing, yet was picture perfect beautiful that moment. The best that I have seen her since marriage.
I didn't take my eyes off her even for a second until she cupped our baby girl from her bed and held her up against me. Before I could get introduced to my daughter, for some reason I kissed Meena on her forehead.
Amid the giggle of my in-laws about the kiss, Meena couldn't hide a sheepish smile. And so, I couldn't hide one either.
I took our daughter into my arms and couldn't react for a second or two. You never know what to do when happiness engulfs you, do you?
I made a silent prayer to God then and derived the courage to bring up my daughter by being an ideal dad.
I whispered to her ears, " I am not sure what fate has written under your name, but I promise I will see to that I will correct all the not-so-happy lines in it".
She was asleep then, but I knew she would have heard me loud and clear. I put her back on her cradle.
All close relatives had gathered by then and made warm comments about the looks of the baby. The grandparents began, "She is so beautiful, she is gonna get a great looking groom".
Others replied, "Yes, she is gonna make the guy run after her".
"The Indian family can be unduly exaggerative, fortunately or unfortunately", I murmured more to myself.
"Every 'baby' looks cute", shrugged off my 12 year old niece in a matter-of-fact tone. It all added to the beauty of the occasion.
By the evening the dad-feeling had sunk in. I had become more responsible. I atleast seemed so.
"I shall go and get milk and the other things needed for the mother", I pitched in to help my in-laws.
"I'll join in", my brother-in-law Muthu offered to help.
So both of us started out;
Milk was first on the list and it was supposed to be Meena's diet for the day and thus for my little girl too.
So I was very particular about the quality of the milk, with it being my first ever deed as a father.
"Lets buy from here", Muthu said it the 10th time showing as many tea-shops.
"Not clean; Not hot; No packeted milk", were my alternate replies for the 10 occasions.
"I regret to have wanted to accompany you", Muthu must have thought.
I wasn't ready for an acceptance even if it seemed to be the best available.
That defines not only me as a father by each and every parent.
Leaving me-being-a-dad-and-having-a-daughter story here, we as kids have similar duties towards our parents. To do anything and everything to protect their happiness and peace has to be the foremost of responsibilities in our lives.
About such a great relationship that transcends generations, I can never say enough about. So I end here with me wanting for the day when I get to be a dad to come very soon.
Parenthood is the proudest and heartiest feeling of life. I wish every one of us is blessed to have a kid and be called Appa or Amma. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can match that feeling.
From,
nagapps-the-appa!!!
"And these can be sent across to our branch office", directed another;
"Can't this simple thing be looked after by you, don't be expecting your pay if I end up doing your work", I finally lost my temper.
No it wasn't my employees who were at fault. It was my anxiety over an expected call which gave in to my anger. Poor fellows had to take in my shouts along with the pay I had on offer for them.
"yes...Tell..me..uncle", the call I was expecting had arrived.
"Did every..th..ing go on wel..ll?" I bit every word too eager to know something;
"You have a girl", my uncle replied living and cherishing each and every syllable he meant to convey.
I closed my eyes and allowed a tear drop that filled my eye descend down my cheek.
"Thank you Uncle!", I cried the words out.
"Is Meena fine?!", I enquired about my wife.
"She is so full with joy!", my father-in-law beamed.
"I can't wait to get there. Take care of her. I shall start right away", I said as words didn't have my control and ended the phone line.
As I placed the phone on its seat, I went completely lost; didn't know the world around me;
I shut my office; Kept foot after foot reiterating what had just happened. The feeling hadn't sunk in yet. I have become a dad. Yes, I have a daughter.
It is a practice in our part of the world where wives head to their mother's place to seek the necessary care and attention when they are to deliver a child. That had kept me away from Meena for 5 months now. I missed her so much that moment; more than ever before.
I had to get to her immediately somehow. Fly, drive or atleast run to reach her that very moment.
It was evening already and I had to look for tickets to Kumbakonam where my queen and princess were.
I managed to find a place for myself bribing the TTR with a hefty sum. For once, bribing wasn't such a bad thing to be doing. I got to my seat and laid down thinking. Thinking was all I did and could do that night.
How should I bring her up? What will be her name? How will she look? the seamless such questions kept coming through the journey.
"I should give her the best possible in life", I told myself.
"She should have the best education", I added.
"She would one day be proud to call me her father", I puffed out my chest and said; the parent in me had found birth.
In the middle of all these thoughts, the sun came out the next morning...
I headed to the hospital well-received by my in-laws at the station; that's the best part of the Asian culture, you have family around in every important moment of your life. To cry, fight or laugh you can always have a company around.
"Dhanlakshmi Hospital", I read as I entered the hospital and approached our room with increasing anticipation on every step that I took.
More than I wanted to see the baby, I wanted to see the fulfillment on Meena's face.
I envisaged how she would react on seeing me!
The first step into the room brought me eye to eye with Meena.
I hadn't seen so much joy in someone so far. She didn't intend to give me a smile at all, I just knew it from her deep eyes, unruly hair, motionless lips and the hidden teeth beneath them that she meant so much more than what a smile could possibly convey.
She moved her hands across her forehead to gather her falling hair and rolled it behind. She was in the hospital clothing, yet was picture perfect beautiful that moment. The best that I have seen her since marriage.
I didn't take my eyes off her even for a second until she cupped our baby girl from her bed and held her up against me. Before I could get introduced to my daughter, for some reason I kissed Meena on her forehead.
Amid the giggle of my in-laws about the kiss, Meena couldn't hide a sheepish smile. And so, I couldn't hide one either.
I took our daughter into my arms and couldn't react for a second or two. You never know what to do when happiness engulfs you, do you?
I made a silent prayer to God then and derived the courage to bring up my daughter by being an ideal dad.
I whispered to her ears, " I am not sure what fate has written under your name, but I promise I will see to that I will correct all the not-so-happy lines in it".
She was asleep then, but I knew she would have heard me loud and clear. I put her back on her cradle.
All close relatives had gathered by then and made warm comments about the looks of the baby. The grandparents began, "She is so beautiful, she is gonna get a great looking groom".
Others replied, "Yes, she is gonna make the guy run after her".
"The Indian family can be unduly exaggerative, fortunately or unfortunately", I murmured more to myself.
"Every 'baby' looks cute", shrugged off my 12 year old niece in a matter-of-fact tone. It all added to the beauty of the occasion.
By the evening the dad-feeling had sunk in. I had become more responsible. I atleast seemed so.
"I shall go and get milk and the other things needed for the mother", I pitched in to help my in-laws.
"I'll join in", my brother-in-law Muthu offered to help.
So both of us started out;
Milk was first on the list and it was supposed to be Meena's diet for the day and thus for my little girl too.
So I was very particular about the quality of the milk, with it being my first ever deed as a father.
"Lets buy from here", Muthu said it the 10th time showing as many tea-shops.
"Not clean; Not hot; No packeted milk", were my alternate replies for the 10 occasions.
"I regret to have wanted to accompany you", Muthu must have thought.
I wasn't ready for an acceptance even if it seemed to be the best available.
That defines not only me as a father by each and every parent.
Leaving me-being-a-dad-and-having-a-daughter story here, we as kids have similar duties towards our parents. To do anything and everything to protect their happiness and peace has to be the foremost of responsibilities in our lives.
About such a great relationship that transcends generations, I can never say enough about. So I end here with me wanting for the day when I get to be a dad to come very soon.
Parenthood is the proudest and heartiest feeling of life. I wish every one of us is blessed to have a kid and be called Appa or Amma. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can match that feeling.
From,
nagapps-the-appa!!!
