23rd November 1990 - Part 2

It was a fun filled day at school. Bhagya miss gave him a Sketch pen set (color pens)… Greetings from all his friends… the yummy lunch…the PT class (games hour)… the day just flew away… Jillu came home at 4.00 that evening. He tossed his bag to the corner… and drank his chocolate Complan … and set off to buy a gift for dad… With the little he had saved from his pocket money, he got a Black Reynold’s Jotter pen from the near by 'Lucky fancy store' and got it wrapped neatly…with a note wishing his dad.

Friday was a NO homework day, as there was always the weekend to complete it… and moreover it was Jillu’s day… so it was only games in the evening. He was even more thrilled as the Mohan anna and Ravi anna (older boys in the street) let him play cricket with them. It grew a little darker and they closed the match… Jillu’s team won that day…

Jillu got back home, had a quick wash and he was all set to give a big surprise to dad. He was watching his favorite show 'The Super Human Samurai' on TV and was all set waiting for the Rajdoot horn. His dad always used to honk when they entered the street and Jillu used to rush downstairs to receive his parents, who got back from work.

It was getting darker, but Jillu was still waiting to hear the horn… Finally the door bell rang. Jillu jumped to the door and opened it screaming “haiyyaa….appa…” But then his excitement subsided as he saw his mama (maternal uncle) at the door. “Vaango maama”, he greeted his uncle and led him inside… To his surprise, his uncle asked him to get one of his mom’s nighties and hurry up as they were to rush out somewhere. Jillu assumed his grandma must have been ill and so mama was rushing. Jillu was all disappointed; his surprise gift to dad was still lying there on the table, he hadn’t got his grand parents’ blessings still… (It was their routine to visit his grand parents to get their blessings on his bday)

Off they went on his uncle’s fiat car and it was a long drive. Jillu enjoyed his drive, peeping his head out of the window, delighted to see the busy roads of Chennai…he was all happy today and the drive added more excitement. Finally they reached “The Devaki Nursing Home”… Jillu suddenly got curious … “Maama, thaatha-paatikku odambu serillayaa ?? Amma inga vandrukkaala ?? “(Is granny or granpa ill?, Is mom here ?).. “Enna aachu maama, enga irukkom namma” (What happened, where are we now??)…. His uncle just patted him, but did not utter a word…

(To be concluded....)