A narrow lane to the right from the main road leads straight to his house. On the other side of the road opposite the lane stands an old Cherry Blossom tree. Sipping on a warm cup of tea, watching the sun rise on a cold winter day from his balcony, he could not help but marvel at its pink blossoms. He silently greeted the old friend who had grown so much since the last time he saw it. He knew it would be thinking the same thing about him. Seven years is a long time. He was now standing on the same land he once called his home, only difference was that it was a house newly constructed. He was happy to be where he was but his mind was restless.
Silently he conversed with the Cherry Blossom tree. They talked about the early days of their lives. He laughed as Cherry recollected how he would run with his school bag all the way home from the road, then come out to play without changing his clothes, his mother shouting at him to change his clothes from behind. Cherry further added how he would always be with his mother all the time, going for evening shopping for groceries with her and helping her carry it home. 'You were always the good son'. He sighed, 'I was' and emptied his cup of tea. He went in, kept the cup on the table and wrapped himself in a shawl. Cherry laughed saying that he had become weak now, needing protection from a little cold wind which never bothered him earlier. He smiled.
'Daddy!' a young boy of four came running towards him.
'Good Morning, dear! Is your mom up as well?'
'Yes, daddy.'
'Pradeep, come and brush your teeth and mom will make breakfast for you,' a young woman in her late 20s entered the room. Pradeep moved himself close to his daddy saying he would do it later. But he told him to go down with mom so that he could get ready and go shopping after breakfast. Pradeep hurried along excitedly with his mother.
Cherry looked pleasantly surprised by what he saw and heard. He told him that he had married the same year he left the town, with his college sweetheart. 'You mean Kusum? Cherry exclaimed! He nodded saying they were both working at the same place and so after a few months decided to get married. Pradeep was born the following year. He is adorable! Ya, he is. They were silent for a while.
He was trying hard not to remember the circumstances in which he had left the town. But in vain. Soon the past flashed before him in quick succession. The news of the accident. The funeral procession of both his parents. Relatives coaxing him to give them the charge of the property. His fights and arguments with them in the middle of his final exams. His crying over his loss and his loneliness, being the only child. Cherry saw his young friend's eyes watering up and said 'You have turned out quite well kid. They must be really proud of you.' Wiping off the tears, he looked up and smiled.
After his exams, he had taken up a part-time job with a magazine and later worked as a permanent staff for the same in Delhi. He had rented out two rooms in the house to manage his expenses since he did not want to touch the emergency funds his parents had left in his name. Two persons stood by him through it all, his eldest uncle and Kusum. Defying conventions she had stayed in his house for a month after the accident, even at the cost of constant arguments from her family. With time things took a better turn when they realised the two of them were serious about each other. After the result was out he was offered a permanent post for the same magazine but he would have to move to Delhi, the main office. He took up the post and left the house under the care of his uncle. Kusum decided to join him and applied at the same magazine. She was a topper and could have got a fine job in a much bigger company. So, it was no wonder that she was selected.
They soon settled down in Delhi. Work kept him busy enough to worry about anything else and having Kusum by his side helped a great deal. By November they had married in a temple, in a small ceremony attended by his uncle and Kusum's parents. With time they had build a support system of few good friends. A new family. A new life. The birth of Pradeep seemed to complete their world. However, it was not home as they knew it. Kusum knew he missed his home, the world where he came from even though he never showed any signs of discontentment. She could see it in his eyes, in moments when he would be lost in his memories. Signs only someone who knew him well like she did could see. One day she told him that they could start renovating the place with their savings and be home again. He was surprised and brushed aside the idea stating it would be difficult to start all over again since they have already settled well in Delhi. Kusum didn't give up easily and came out with plans to re-do the house, having a nice little balcony to see the sunrise in the morning, a colourful room for Pradeep and what not. Finally he gave in. Soon they involved his uncle and work was underway to reconstruct the house. After two years, they were now finally home.
As the sun shone brilliantly behind the Cherry Blossom, he knew he would have to end the conversation soon. The streets were no longer empty and soon it would be echoing the footsteps and laughter of school children, gossips and chats of the young and the old. He thanked Cherry with all his heart for sharing his life with him and hoped that he would continue to watch over the house which now builds a new home! Cherry smiled, shedding his pink blossoms.
Silently he conversed with the Cherry Blossom tree. They talked about the early days of their lives. He laughed as Cherry recollected how he would run with his school bag all the way home from the road, then come out to play without changing his clothes, his mother shouting at him to change his clothes from behind. Cherry further added how he would always be with his mother all the time, going for evening shopping for groceries with her and helping her carry it home. 'You were always the good son'. He sighed, 'I was' and emptied his cup of tea. He went in, kept the cup on the table and wrapped himself in a shawl. Cherry laughed saying that he had become weak now, needing protection from a little cold wind which never bothered him earlier. He smiled.
'Daddy!' a young boy of four came running towards him.
'Good Morning, dear! Is your mom up as well?'
'Yes, daddy.'
'Pradeep, come and brush your teeth and mom will make breakfast for you,' a young woman in her late 20s entered the room. Pradeep moved himself close to his daddy saying he would do it later. But he told him to go down with mom so that he could get ready and go shopping after breakfast. Pradeep hurried along excitedly with his mother.
Cherry looked pleasantly surprised by what he saw and heard. He told him that he had married the same year he left the town, with his college sweetheart. 'You mean Kusum? Cherry exclaimed! He nodded saying they were both working at the same place and so after a few months decided to get married. Pradeep was born the following year. He is adorable! Ya, he is. They were silent for a while.
He was trying hard not to remember the circumstances in which he had left the town. But in vain. Soon the past flashed before him in quick succession. The news of the accident. The funeral procession of both his parents. Relatives coaxing him to give them the charge of the property. His fights and arguments with them in the middle of his final exams. His crying over his loss and his loneliness, being the only child. Cherry saw his young friend's eyes watering up and said 'You have turned out quite well kid. They must be really proud of you.' Wiping off the tears, he looked up and smiled.
After his exams, he had taken up a part-time job with a magazine and later worked as a permanent staff for the same in Delhi. He had rented out two rooms in the house to manage his expenses since he did not want to touch the emergency funds his parents had left in his name. Two persons stood by him through it all, his eldest uncle and Kusum. Defying conventions she had stayed in his house for a month after the accident, even at the cost of constant arguments from her family. With time things took a better turn when they realised the two of them were serious about each other. After the result was out he was offered a permanent post for the same magazine but he would have to move to Delhi, the main office. He took up the post and left the house under the care of his uncle. Kusum decided to join him and applied at the same magazine. She was a topper and could have got a fine job in a much bigger company. So, it was no wonder that she was selected.
They soon settled down in Delhi. Work kept him busy enough to worry about anything else and having Kusum by his side helped a great deal. By November they had married in a temple, in a small ceremony attended by his uncle and Kusum's parents. With time they had build a support system of few good friends. A new family. A new life. The birth of Pradeep seemed to complete their world. However, it was not home as they knew it. Kusum knew he missed his home, the world where he came from even though he never showed any signs of discontentment. She could see it in his eyes, in moments when he would be lost in his memories. Signs only someone who knew him well like she did could see. One day she told him that they could start renovating the place with their savings and be home again. He was surprised and brushed aside the idea stating it would be difficult to start all over again since they have already settled well in Delhi. Kusum didn't give up easily and came out with plans to re-do the house, having a nice little balcony to see the sunrise in the morning, a colourful room for Pradeep and what not. Finally he gave in. Soon they involved his uncle and work was underway to reconstruct the house. After two years, they were now finally home.
As the sun shone brilliantly behind the Cherry Blossom, he knew he would have to end the conversation soon. The streets were no longer empty and soon it would be echoing the footsteps and laughter of school children, gossips and chats of the young and the old. He thanked Cherry with all his heart for sharing his life with him and hoped that he would continue to watch over the house which now builds a new home! Cherry smiled, shedding his pink blossoms.
