Prescriptions That Heal And Feel

“I do not know what is wrong with her!” said Amma.

“Give her some gripe water” opined someone in the room.

This incident happened sometime during the 1980s when our family was settling down in the ‘then Bangalore’, somewhere in a quiet street of Wilson Garden. Back then when the greenery was at its lust best and the weather was that of a hill station’s things were a lot different in this city, but for one person. Appa was entering the house after a long tiring day at work; he was working as a clerk in a bank back then. While he was at the door and was about to remove his shoes, he heard the hullabaloo. He looked around and saw his little daughter in her mother’s arms turning apple red and restless, crying like the world has come to an end. I must have been around eight months old. His heart must have twitched, and how am I so sure about it now, well I shall explain that later.

What happened after that is a hilarious anecdote recited in our household even today. Only a father could do such a thing, and when I ask or tease Appa about it now he gives me the widest grin. Seeing me cry he rushed in with his shoes on and snatched me literally, while everyone could do nothing but look at him rush out. Amma enacts it quite dramatically anytime we ask for, like it happened just yesterday. Within a moment he was gone, running out in the street.

He returned in the night having tried everything to console me, our favourite spot was a medical store named ‘Bharat Medicals’, not knowing what is wrong with me he would take me there thinking some medicines might help. But finally I would end up sitting on the counter, looking at the vehicles and passer bys and playing with the shopkeeper which somehow worked according to him! That day it so ended up that I had a bad ear infection, so the doctor diagnosed after a consultation which happened after he returned back home with me.

“He did not even let me check why you were crying!” says a miffed Amma. I have always been a child with cough, sneeze and wheeze. Needless to say, Vicks has been my constant companion, she used to rub it on my nose and chest to put me to sleep, she laughs about this weird practice of hers now saying:

“Most mothers sing lullabies, I rubbed Vicks!”

“Vicks kittu, kammi akku!”[Apply Vicks, it will come down!]

More than any poem or mantra, I have heard this from Appa. Some relationships are a blessing, you would have never asked for it but still they turn out to be one of the best things in your life. Having a father who treats you like a princess all the time in all the places and also expects others to treat you so maybe is one. But having a father who treats you like you are his world, well that is God sent, sans pareil. Anyone who knows our family knows about me being his total darling, people do pull his leg about it but he is proud about the same.

What we as father and daughter share is beyond this post. We have our moments; happy, sad and the usual like everyone else but today inspired by this prompt by Vicks and Blogadda, with a thought about what might be his reaction I hugged Appa in the morning as soon as I woke up. He was sitting on the sofa with the lights off and I was at my ‘running nose’ best rubbing my nose on his tee, the early morning allergic rhinitis episodes that I usually have. Believe me it was magical, it really did take me down the memory lane. He is a retired man in his sixties now, very young at heart doing everything possible for his daughter.

"You are a doctor now, why don’t you take care” he scolded.

“Appa...”

I mumbled and hugged him tighter knowing how gratified he is about this one particular fact, someone who had to visit the doctor every other week during her childhood is actually one now. What he said while he hugged me back made my day:

“Why this special love today, Vicks kittu, kammi akku!”

Adorable! Ain’t he? I am going to give him a special hug this Father’s Day and every day. His heart does twitch when I am not well even now, and his prescription for his daughter who is a doctor always does include ‘Vicks’. Some joys of life are given to heal and feel.

#HugYourDad

PS:“This father’s day, I am expressing my love towards my dad by participating in the #HugYourDad activity at BlogAdda in association with Vicks.

-R.

None For The Master, None For The Mane

Kiara sat beside him. He was sitting watching the sunset, his favorite pastime. This is what he usually did after a hard day. There was an unfazed calmness about him. On occasions such as this out of curiosity she thought does he even care a hoot about himself let alone about the thing on his face. She knew it was difficult to ask him as in why he had them there. It made him look different, look what he was in fact. It always grew like there was no tomorrow because of which getting close to him was like getting lost in the forest. He was unapproachable because of his composure firstly, and then there were these little prickly pears on his face. How she wished they were out, but then without it would he be what he is right now, well that was her worry.

Today therefore ask she did "Why do you have them?"

"Because I should" he replied. She had to agree.

"Can't you ever do without it?"she added.

"Why should I?" he asked back.

Men will be men she thought but Kiara being brought up by her mother did exactly what she would. She did not give up. Women will be women too. She stared at him, you know that kind of look, and said nothing more. He smiled, she did not. She walked away and sat at a distance. Well that was enough.

After a while when their ego clouds settled down, he came towards her and whispered "Kiara, what is your problem with my stubble, it makes me look like a king after all ?" He was an unkempt one at times, but nothing apart from strong and handsome. Kiara gave him a grump because she knew that, she turned and said "Dad do you know something more, it hurts to give you a good night kiss unlike when I give it to Mom, it really does but am kind of used to it so it is okay, really okay" and gave him a peck with her modest innocence. He shrugged and said " Oh if that's the case...none for the master, none for his mane, anything for his little girl who rules him more than he does his lane..I will do something about it" He wished he could.

Picture Courtesy

The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage. A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, ‘Daddy, I need to ask you something,’ he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan.”

-Garrison Keillor-

If you were try what Kiara did on the brother, the boyfriend, the husband or the friend, I guess this "I am really okay" is a not so okay plan. Mind you only the father. Only he will give you all the love that you need before you crave, even without he craving for it;-)




PS 1: What do you do when your blog has had more than 100000 page viewers :-)

PS 2: This post is a part of the 'Shave or Crave' movement in association with BlogAdda.com

The Okay People

Always count your blessings, and when you count them do not forget to count your family. I have realized this in the twenty five years I have spent in this world in all the growing up with three simply complicated people I know of, personalities just poles apart and yet there is one common denominator that binds the four of us.  Love and understanding are some underrated terms if I use them here. Until today I have not understood what makes us bear and care for each other so much, because disasters like quakes and tsunamis are a common scene in the house. It kind of keeps us going. And right now being away from home I miss them and more pretty much. Funny but true!

This may sound philosophical,a fact nevertheless, a family grows like a tree with branches facing different directions, and yet they stay together sharing the same water and light. No matter where we are. No matter what we do. No matter what is happening in our life. No matter if we are sad or happy.  If there is one thing which keeps us rooted to life it is our family. And if we were asked to pick just one person amongst them or just one moment that we spent with them, I guess that shall not be enough justice.

I realized this when I found this photo frame in the attic while cleaning the house few days ago. It is calmly but oddly sitting on my bookshelf right now. And not very surprisingly I still am figuring out which photograph to put in, the problem is not the lack but the choice.  A family gives us enough moments. Some in photographs, some in gifts, some in talks, some in fights and some by just being there.

I shall tell you my first and the best. I was equally hesitant and curious when the brother was born. I had rocked his cradle for almost the whole day with all the lullabies the mother used to sing to me, so my folks tell. I was three years old then. Our story began on that day, and has continued. The mother always told me that he is my ‘only’ brother and with him I shall share “Is it okay?” and this she wouldn’t mind saying even now. The father like most fathers has always been the kind who would get toffees and chocolates without any tummy or toothache issues. He would hand it over in my hand and say” Is it okay?” and he wouldn't mind doing this even now. I have always been the sister who has shared her stuff with the brother, even the birthday chocolates and Christmas goodies given in school were opened only at home.  Back then I used to give half of anything that I owned to him and say “Is it okay?” and I wouldn’t mind doing this even now. We have made this ‘Half-Half’ pact for life. I told you, we are weird people.

The brother is not any far behind, with all the news about the quake and tsunami hitting the coasts today, guess what he did. For unknown reasons he is not one of those phone people, but today he called me soon after the news was on air only to ask “Is it okay?” just because I live in one of the coastal cities, and more  because he cares. It made me smile, now tell me how do I capture this moment? I cannot click a picture of it, neither can I explain it. But the feeling was priceless. I have had many such moments, I am sure you would have to :-)

The best moments of life with your family, well according to me are not in any photographs, are not in any gifts, and are not in any hours that you spend together. They are in what you have in your heart and what you feel for each other. They are when your dear ones are somewhere around and make you believe now and then that  "It is really okay”.

"If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all."

-Professor Morrie in Mitch Albom's 'tuesdays with Morrie'-

PS: This post is for my Okay People. I love you. You make me and my life.

-R.

This entry is a part of the contest at BlogAdda.com in association with imlee.com