Sharada had come over this weekend!

Long weekend!

Calendar was kind enough to grant us one! Finally!

I took a whole bunch of CDs and DVDs for her. She wanted songs and movies. A brand new Sony Vaio laptop to hold it all!!! 200 GB HDD and 2 GB ram! Windows vista! Hot red colour!

As always we could talk like we had met just yesterday!

Ice cream, chakli, cookies, and filter coffee!!! (*drools* I lau LAU aunty’s filter coffee!)

Watched the sunset, walked, chattered, window-shopped, laughed, commented, laughed louder.

I went to see her off today evening.

And the ‘last minute packing’ always amuses me.

The usual scene.

Aunty will be combing her hair, draping her saree, making coffee, packing tiffins and dictating orders to Sharada all at the same time at superwoman-ish speed!!!

Sharada will obey quietly and sip her coffee quickly, wondering *why can’t my see-offs be a little bit more pleasant! hmmph!*

Big brother will contribute excellently by making snide comments on how she always forgets her stuff and conveniently asks him to courier it.

Sharada will roll her eyes and grind her teeth.

Uncle will quietly pace around, either in the kitchen or in the bedroom.

Scene#1

She packs her laptop. Packs her bag pack and her suitcase. Packs her many tiffins handed over in neat packets by aunty. Stands with her hands on her hip, looks around and thinks if she forgot something.

“Did you take your ticket?!?!?”

“Yes amma!”

“Laptop?? Ahh yes u packed it….wait, your phone??”

“It’s with me amma!”

“Locked your bag?!?!”

“Uhh…yeah that I will”

“See! I knew you forgot something!”

Meanwhile big bro conjures miniature locks from cupboard.

“Anna, I have a lock on the bag, it’s a combination lock.”

*pointedly* “Do you know how to use that?”

*a little offended* “Of course I do!”

*starts fumbling with the zipper of the bag*

10 minutes later, brother joins in and both are now seen fumbling with the zip.

Aunty hands a pair of scissors to him and he expertly snips something off and zzzzzzzzz….goes the zip.

Meanwhile uncle is quietly pacing in the kitchen.

“Now what combination do we use??” (sharada)

“007” (brother)

“Shyaa!! No it’s too common!”(sharada)

“Ok…666??”(sharada)

“Oh God NO!! No!! Not 666! 007 is fine” (aunty)

*laughter*

“But its too common amma!Ok, 999 then??” *grins* (sharada)

“NO” (aunty)

“Arre!! But...”(sharada)

“NO!!!!” …. *grumbles something in Tamil* (aunty)

“use 273” (aunty)

“Huh!?! Why!?!” (sharada)

“It’s your Birthday!!” (aunty)

“Ohhh fine then!” (sharada)

* starts fiddling with the combination*

“Uuhh…damn…abbe yaar….shit” (sharada)

“Tcchhah…lemme do it”(brother)

* grumbles in Tamil and continues fumbling with the combination, slaps away sharada’s hand*

“Wait!!”(sharada)

“No not like this…hold that…no not that…pull that! Haan! Now keep holding.”(brother)

*grunts a little and fumbles still*

*Aunty tries to interfere*

“Amma wait!”

“Arre wait, I think I managed it!!...ohh no…oops…no I didn’t.” (sharada)

"shyaa!! stop! lemme do this!" (brother)

*Brother takes over and keeps fiddling*

*Sharada gives up, smiles a little sheepishly and looks at me*

“Do you know how to do this??”

“Uhh…not really!”

* She sighs and resumes fiddling with the godforsaken lock with brother*

*Uncle is still pacing in the kitchen, a little quicker now*

*Aunty yells*

“It’s getting late!! Just put that other lock!!”

*brother finally gives up, gets up dismissively and produces the locks from the cupboard again, selects one and hands it to Sharada *

*She locks it expertly at one go and grins triumphantly*

Period.

Scene#2

While walking towards the rickshaw stand, Sharada and I walk slowly and fall behind.

Aunty still hurrying with her luggage in front of us, turns and looks at us impatiently.

“Walk fast beta! We’ll be late”

“No we won’t amma! We always leave at this time and always reach before time”

*Aunty smiles at me with a look that says ‘please walk faster’*

We oblige.

*Sharada whispers*

“You know every time, the day I’m leaving, every moment starting from the moment I wake up is ‘last minute work’ or ‘last minute preparations’ according to her!!!”*shakes head*

*I start giggling*

*Aunty calls out again, this time we hurry!*

I hug her and wave….”Cya next time dude!”