Dina's grandpa

The room looked as lifeless as a hostel room always does. There was no private touch to the dull walls that bore a sorrowful look with the turquoise paint almost coming off at some parts. The bed, the writing table, the chair, the book stand, the cupboard-they did not in any way portray Dina’s desires or her outlook…. Though Dina was a teenager with strong ambitions and opinions, she was not allowed to show them in the hostel “cabin”. No decorations and no ornamental possessions in the room. That was the clear rule for all the students staying in the old yellow building down the Tirupati lane. The building, which stood a bit isolated beside the Kanchan forests, had a board hanging in front that read
INDIRA GANDHI GIRLS HOSTEL

“The concepts of Physics” lay opened at the page 57 on the table. The chair had been pulled aside. The occupant of the room was sitting on the bed engaged in convulsive sobs. Then suddenly, she rose, still in a daze, and pushed the chair back in its place. She took off her specs and kept them on the table. She closed the book. Time to retire for the night, she thought. But just then someone knocked at the door. It was Dina’s friend Tintisha. Dina and Tintisha had been great chums ever since they had met each other in the shabby-looking dining hall on their first day in the hostel. They had the same subjects in college and occupied 2 adjacent rooms on the second floor of the hostel.

Tintisha asked, “What’s up? Have you been crying?”

Dina didn’t reply. Instead she rose and went to the writing table. She drew out a small photo-album from one of the drawers. “This is my grandpa,” she said, pointing at a well-built man in his 60s frowning in the photo. With a strange tone, Dina declared “my mother’s father!” She took a deep breath as if preparing herself for the greatest of challenges. When she finally spoke, there was something peculiar about her demeanour. Her voice was soft and pensive, so uncharacteristic of Dina

“My grandpa lives in Pondicherry. We were never the greatest pals- him and I. Never!”The last word came out with a tint of bitterness.

Tintisha waited. Dina didn’t want to hurry things up, she couldn’t.

“I have never spoken about him to you. I never felt the need to. For me, he had always been just an unavoidable part of life. I did my best to keep him out of my life. But as I just said, he was unavoidable. Every summer I went to him with maa. And had a hell of a time. I responded to his indifference with rudeness.” Her hatred for her grandpa was prominent in her eyes.

Dina had always hated him; she still did. Or did she? Tintisha’s eyes were fixed on Dina. Dina sauntered towards the window. Looking out at the dark wintry sky, she spoke again.

“But this last summer, things were pretty different. The haughty temper had left my grandpa. There was something very kind about him. His eyes looked gentle, his moustache friendly, and his smile generous. This…this really startled me for I had never met this different grandpa!”
Dina recollected, still gazing at the sky.
“I have my own room in grandpa’s house. It’s a beautiful house dating back to 1960 and has a large garden that keeps grandpa engaged all day. He’s really got green fingers. Oh! The roses, the carnations!” A smile flickered on her face.

“The garden’s clearly visible from my room.” Tintisha was busy conjuring the image in her mind when Dina slowly retraced her steps to the bed.

“It was 10th June,” Dina continued. “Eight in the morning. As usual, my grandpa was there in the garden sprinkling water on his dear roses. And suddenly he was groaning in pain.”
“I rushed to the garden with maa and we took him to the clinic.
It was the second heart attack and a serious one.
The doctor consoled maa. But made it clear that grandpa had little time left.” Dina sighed.

The huge bell at the town hall rang eleven times. “Lights off!” the warden declared.

“Next morning I woke up early and found myself squandering towards grandpa’s room. But I dared not enter his room.
And then I heard the sweetest of words about me that had even been mouthed by grandpa. ‘Could you please call my chubby little Dina, Meera?’ grandpa was requesting maa. I flung the door open. And how touched I was! On every wall hung my photographs- big and small, old and new. Unbelievable!
‘There are things that both of you need to sort out. I better leave you alone.’ Maa left the room.
Grandpa seemed weak and pale. He looked at me and asked softly, ‘You hate me, don’t you?’ I looked at him earnestly without responding. ‘I know. Twenty five years in the army sucks out simple joys out of you. You seek discipline everywhere. And it’s unbearable when your only granddaughter tries breaking all rules.
Your mother was shy; you are a chatterbox. I wanted you to join the army school and I remember asking Meera to compel you to do so but she was adamant. First time in her life! And I was annoyed.’

‘But maa did the right thing!’

‘I understand now. Yesterday, I really prayed to God to give me at least one more day- so I can say sorry to my little princess. And He did.
Sorry for having ruined your summer vacation every year, Dina! Sorry for not being like everybody else’s grandpa. SORRY!’ he broke down.
“But I really love you dear, just bad at showing my love.
Open up the closet- it’s yours now.’
The closet was full of books and chocolates. ‘Your college starts day after tomorrow. Wish I could spend more time with you. Probably this old bloke will never see you again. Serves him right!’ and he turned away signalling me to leave.”

“He loved me Tintisha. He did!
I had to come back here. Why! I want to be with him.
Maa had just called. He’s fighting death.” Dina started weeping bitterly.
“I couldn’t even tell him how much I loved him!”
Tintisha consoled her. Dina stopped crying. Her face was shining in the moonlight pouring through the window.
There was deathly silence before a knock at the door broke it.
It was the warden.

“Your mother’s on the phone. It’s urgent!”