Pearl Drops

Pearl Drops


"Archana don’t go there into the rain" shouted her mom. I looked in that direction; it was this small little four year old girl playing with her new puppy in the first monsoon showers of the season.

The sky was pitch black, with the sun trying his best to get a peep of this beautiful lush green carpet which draped the earth like a baroque silk sari drapes a beautiful lady. I was enjoying a hot madrasi capi sitting in my easy chair and drooling over the childhood I spent there. When, I hear her voice.

She was complaining, "She will catch cold, and that stupid dog that she has got, if anything happens to it, I have to take care, that too in this village where there is nothing, why did I ever come here"

I didn't say anything, I got used to this tuffs between the mother and the daughter. I loved to watch her play in the mud and the rain. I was like that, and watching her I relived my childhood days. She knows me very well, and always complains that I am pampering Archana. But am I, its only I am letting her live what she and all her friends cannot imagine in the concrete jungle that we have created for ourselves.

But, then her nagging at least makes me call "Arch! Get in dear, your mother is in a mood to make chutney of us"
Arch looks at me a bit confused, and goes back to what she was doing. Feeling that the situation may go out of control I go to fetch her out of the mud.

Voila what a great climate, the rain filtered through the coconut palms, the drops playing hide and seek with the rain. At that instant I was taken back a quarter in my past, I started to jump in the rain and play in the muddles that as so characteristic of the place.

"You are coming or not!” were the only words she said. I was in no mood to be disturbed, as soon as she turned back (god knows what), I with Arch. and the new entrant the puppy, did a hajmola on her.

And that was it, we drenched her with mud and all the muddle water, arch., and the puppy wallowed in muddles to their hearts content. I was so happy with her also in the picture, and she was numb with what she could never even imagine can happen to her.

She goes back in very upset. I heard her say "why did you leave me? I should also have come with you, why did you do this to me?"

A lighting strike, it was beautiful. Sensing that it was beyond limits Arch. and I get back to the place where she is. The puppy diligently follows its mistress.

For her age, I am surprised to see Arch., take her mothers head in her lap and console her. "Sorry ma, i will not do anything that makes you sad. Smile na good girl na!!”

I got near them and wanted to hug them and give all the love I have. I touch her cheek with my palms. Except for a strange reaction there was no response from her. I put my hand through Arch, hair but no, there’s no reaction. I shout at the top of my voice, but it doesn't have any effect on them.

I get mad, I get out of the room furious, only to bump into a poster on the wall. I am breathless, speechless, it is my obituary, I died an year back, when a lightening struck.

I turn back to see a house, to see a family, to see her, to see Arch., to see the poster disintegrating in the heartless drops that are no more pearls.