THE
GRANDMOTHER
A Story
By
VIKRAM
KARVE
I recognized her at once.
She was my course-mate’s wife.
It was 7 o’clock in the morning.
She was standing with a little boy who was
wearing school uniform.
The school-bus arrived.
She kissed the little boy on the cheek.
The small boy waved her goodbye and got into
the school-bus.
The school-bus departed.
She turned around.
And – she saw me.
She recognized me.
She smiled at me – and walked towards me.
“What are you doing here…” she asked me.
I said to her:
“I have been watching you for 5 minutes – but
you were so engrossed in the little boy that you didn’t even notice me…”
“He is my grandson…” she said.
“I thought as much…” I said.
“My grandson is the only thing I have got in
my life…” she said.
“What about your daughter…?” I asked her.
“She is there – but she is very busy with her
work…” she said.
“Oh – so you are doing “nanny duties” in your
daughter’s house…?”
“What to do…? She lives all alone – and she
has such a busy career – so I have to look after her son…”
“You daughter lives all alone…? What about
her husband…?”
“My daughter is divorced…”
“Oh – I am sorry to hear that. What
happened…? Why did she get divorced…?”
“Compatibility Issues…!!!”
“If “compatibility issues” was a reason to
get divorced – all of us would have got divorced long back – especially you
and…”
I instantly regretted my words.
So – I said to her:
“I am sorry…”
“It’s okay. He passed away so many years ago.
I have got over it long ago…” she said.
“Yes. 25 years. He was a dear friend – and –
of course – he was my course-mate since our academy days…”
“My daughter was just 12 years old then – now
she is 37 – I brought her up on my own…”
“I know – it must have been tough – but full
credit must go to you…”
“My daughter has done really well – she
topped in her engineering course – and now – she is working for the best
Software Company – and she is doing really well in her career…”
“That’s really good…” I said.
“The only bad thing that happened is that her
marriage broke up…” my course-mate’s wife said.
“But you are there for her…” I said.
“Yes – I am living with her for the last 9
years – ever since my grandson was born…”
“Oh…”
“My daughter – she got divorced 6 years ago –
and since then – she has immersed herself so much in her career – that she has
absolutely no time – and I am looking after my grandson – doing everything – as
if he was my own son…”
“That’s really great of you…” I said to her.
She looked at me and said:
“I have been talking all about myself. What
about you…? What are you doing here in Pune…? And that too in our residential township…”
she said.
“Well – I retired from the Navy last year…”
“Settled in Pune…?”
“No. I have gone back to my hometown – we
have a huge ancestral home there…”
“Oh. So – visiting someone…?”
“Yes…” I said, “My uncle lives here – in “E”
Building. You may know him – Mr. “XXX”…”
“This is such a huge gated community – I
don’t even know the people living in my own building. Out here – life is different
as compared to Navy Townships – everyone keeps to themselves…” she said, “and I
am so busy looking after my grandson – that I really don’t have any time for
anyone else…”
“Let’s go and meet your daughter – the last
time I saw her she was a small girl…” I said.
“She is not at home…”
“Does she go to work so early…? I thought “IT
Firms” open quite late – after 9…”
“My daughter has gone abroad for 3 months –
to the US – for a project…”
“Oh…”
“She has to travel a lot for work…”
“And you are there to look after her son…”
“Yes – I told you – my entire life revolves
around my grandson…” she said.
I spent a week in Pune.
During that week – I met my course-mate’s
wife every day in the morning when I went for my morning walk – and – she
invited me home a couple of times for tea and dinner too.
I saw that my course-mate’s wife was devoted
to her grandson.
Her entire routine revolved around her
grandson – dropping him on the school-bus – picking him up after school –
taking him for various tuition and hobby “classes” – monitor him as the young
boy played sports or had a swim – his meals – his studies – everything – she did
more for her grandson than normal mothers do for their children.
She was constantly with her grandson – not leaving
him alone even for a minute.
Once – I said to her:
“You are getting too attached to your
grandson. Remember – he is not your son…”
On hearing this – she got angry – and she said
to me:
“Don’t say such things – he is more than a
son – I love him much more than people love their own children – and he loves
me too – even more than his own mother. I told you that my grandson is the only
thing I have got in my life. He is the light of my life…”
It was true – her grandson loved her very
much – he was indeed the “light” of her life.
10 YEARS
LATER
I visited Pune 10 years later to see the same
uncle.
But this time – I went to visit him in the “Assisted
Living” facility of an “old age home”.
My uncle was suffering from dementia – he had
been afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease.
He was in bad shape.
I felt very depressed after meeting him.
As I was walking towards the main gate of the
“old age home” – I saw my course-mate’s wife coming out of the reception office
of the “old age home”.
Yes – it was her – my course-mate’s wife –
who I had met 10 years ago – the woman who loved her grandson so much.
I smiled at her.
She smiled back.
I said to her:
“So – you’ve come to meet someone here…?”
“I live here…” she said.
“You live in this “old age home”…?” I asked
her, surprised.
“Yes…” she said, “you were right. I shouldn’t
have got attached to my grandson so much…”
And then – she broke into tears.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)
Copyright © Vikram Karve
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
