UNROMANTIC

Chapter5:The train towards you

Kaveri Iyer,
8th April 2024
Everyone except me, Aunty (mother-in-law) and uncle (father-in -
law) has left for work as I have still some days left to join the new college.So I decide to do the laundry and it's not gonna be hard as it'll all be done by the washing machine.In today's advanced world most of the hard labour has been replaced by machines and life has become more convenient and time saving.But the rate of competition between people has been increased and human life has become more and more stressful day by day.The issue of attaining happiness in people's lives has become a hot topic in the whole globe.Some employed people have faced the situation of divorced and separated lives due to lack of paying attention to each other.This situation calls a mental concern across the world.People,nowadays, are too focussed to the race of achieving the best, forgetting the values of those little things of life that makes us happy and elevates a better connection between us.
While I've been lost in my own thought Aunty summons me to have a chat with her.I let her know that I'll be there in few minutes after finishing to hang the clothes on the rooftop.Then I climb up the long staircase to reach the rooftop and start hanging the clothes one by one over the long rope spreading from one side to the other. After completing the task I go down the stairs and meet with aunty in the living room.She's sitting on the sofa with her hand busy knitting something.As soon as I enter the room she raises her head and tell me to sit beside her with a smile."Aunty, what are you knitting?You look very skilled"I ask in a curious tone.Then aunty replies,"It's a sweater for your uncle.I've been doing these for more than 20 years so I've become experienced.If you want to learn,I can teach you how to do this."
"That's great! It'll be very nice to have the skills to do that.I'll learn it from you for sure,aunty"I reply in a joyous tone."Ok ok,I'll teach you later but today I want to talk about something with you.It's about the new college you're joining soon.It's a college co-own by my younger sister and her friend so I think you can work at ease there since I've informed her to take care of you in my stead and I believe she dares not deny to carry out my words.If you need anything and face any worries later,feel free to inform her.She surely will handle it all.And I invite their family for a dinner this coming Sunday.She has a daughter who's studying in the college.You'll meet her often once you join the college." So the relative that they have mentioned before turns out to be aunty's younger sister.They do have a strong and powerful family I think.I wonder how these people are like, aunty has mentioned.
I spend my day doing various stuffs like reading,gardening,cleaning etc.At evening I go up at the rooftop and gather the clothes.Then I climb up again and stand there for a while and watch the children playing in the playground.Most of the view of the colony can be seen from there so it's a suitable place for observing people.I can see the sunset view too.When the sun sets I go down and do the evening rituals(offering incense stick and sweets to God).Then I join aunty to make the preparation for cooking.She teaches me a lot and also mends my mistakes.She narrates the story of Ramayana and Mahabharata(Epic books of the Hindus).She also teaches me the various disciplines of life which are ought to be followed in order to attain a peaceful life.And I think I'm lucky to meet a great person like her in my life.We've prepared a lot of dishes and we are waiting for Veer and Akash.Nandhini has come already in the evening and she has been taking a rest in her room as she has overworked a bit today.
Akash reaches home at 8 p.m.
and Veer has informed me that he'll be coming home late tonight and will have the dinner outside so he's told me to not wait for him for the dinner and to sleep early.We have dinner at 9 and it's already 10 o'clock when I go into my room to get ready for sleep.Usually Veer has approached me to have conversation so the room feels empty and becomes quite today as he's not here today.Almost everyone must have fallen asleep as they are all tired from the long days' work.While I'm looking at window to see the city lights someone is knocking at the door.I walk towards the door and open it and see Nandhini standing there."You must be enjoying your alone time.So I'm coming here to steal your happy alone time"she starts joking.I invite her in and we have spent one hour together chatting about many topics.She has talked about a funny colleague in her office and about her office life.She has left at 11:30 wishing me'Goodnight' and telling me to have a good sleep.Actually it's my usual sleep time but I don't feel like sleeping today. Maybe because I'm worrying about someone or maybe just missing him.I again stand near the window and feel the midnight breeze that flows gently which makes me miss him more.I see him everyday but I wonder why I miss him so much when I don't see him for some hours.
Even though my mind denies, my body is starting to complain to have a rest.Then I take two to three sip from the water bottle standing on the table beside my bed.I start pacing back and forth through the room.I sit down on the chair and place a notebook on the table and start planning about the tasks for the college.And I'm really excited to meet the new students and the new environment.I know it won't be easy to get along well at first with the students as it's thier rebellious and impulsive period.But it's my responsinility to cooperate well with them and try to understand them properly step by step.I've been trying hard to improve my social skills and I think I'm improving too.I've read many books to increase socialising and every Saturday I've volunteered to offer lectures and interation with the people of the charity homes.I've gone there for more than a year.So I think I'll be able to handle the students well.
"Knock knock!" That's the sound that wakes me up.When I open my eyes I see the handsome face of Veer looking towards me checking if I'm awake.And now I get where the sound comes from,it's from the table I have been sleeping for a while and it's Veer who's knocking on it.It looks like I've fallen asleep for a while and don't know when he's come back."Have you been waiting for me?You don't have to do it.Sleep on your usual time and don't stay up and wait for me next time.You know my job has no fixed time so I'll be called whenever needed" Veer states.He looks exhausted but he tries his best to appear fine."So you're back.Welcome home!And who says I'm waiting for you,look I've been doing lesson plans"I reply and tell a white lie to cover up my feelings.He makes a smile which seems to say that I can see through your lie and replies,"Oh,Is that so?"Then I reply yes and quickly climbs on my bed and tuck up the blanket to cover upto my head."Then don't stay up late working next time like today.Goodnight,Sleep well!" he tells these and goes to bed.He's just one step away but I don't know why I'm taking a long train to reach him.This train towards him is going too slowly so it will take sometime to reach the destination I think, but it's ok as long as I can reach to him,it doesn't matter what kind of route I take.

9th April 2024
Today is also the almost same as yesterday,everyone has left for work and the three of us (Me,Aunty and Uncle) are the only one staying at home. After having lunch Aunty teaches me knitting and I have started to knit a muffler scarf which is a mixed of black and white.I'm just a starter so the patterns are just simple.But I'll try hard and practice more to be able to become a pro like aunty.I've sat for whole three hours and have been knitting the scarf.Aunty advices me that sitting for long hours is not good and drags me to go to the nearby market with her to do shopping to fill up the kitchen.When we come back,we start preparing the meal for dinner.Veer won't be coming home tonight so I'll sleep with Nandhini today.I think it'll be a busy night as she'll be again nagging about her office and all.And at the same time it'll serve like a bedtime story to me.