Sing Me That Old Song Yet Again
every time i see an old couple i cannot help remember you two
this time i see one at the airport i tear up a li’ll
for the man is just like you, Nana
the hair on his ears are longer than the bangs the hairdresser cut for me when i wanted fringes
that black mole on his face is right where yours is
his moustache is trimmed just the same length as yours
it reminds me of how you always end up cutting yourself when you shave
the bottle of Savlon is over even before your shaving cream is
The airport oldie is clad in a white kurta-pajama just the way you wear at home but his is plain while yours has chikan embroidery all over
his skin is just like yours
the brown colour is not a shade different
i sneakily peek at his Kolhapuri to see if his toe nails are as thick as yours
i wonder if he too sits under the sun on a Sunday morning cutting his toenails with a knife
i wonder if he too wears that leather watch all the time
even to sleep
i wonder if he too reads the newspaper and if that is all he talks to his granddaughter about
then i shift my gaze to the woman next to him
she wears a cotton sari just like Nani
but Nani doesn’t like borders and her’s has a broad golden one
her skin has folds just like that crepe paper we used in the SUPW class
i wonder if i’d feel the same warmth if i moved my hand on her skin
her red glass bangles with golden glitters are just like the ones Nani wears
it reminds me of how you always purchase a dozen for her and she wears half of them in each hand
and over time as she does the daily chores they break one by one
i remember how everyday in the evening she had a story about how they broke
like once
it was when she was washing the plate from which I ate chole only she knows to make that yum
mum tries to make them as well but it’s not quite like hers
and the other time it was when she washed my bottle-green skirt
The airport granny has her hair tied in a small bun just as mine does
braided and then rolled like a shell
like I roll into your lap everytime i am home
her red bindi reminds me of hers
of how she invariably never forgets to put one on her forehead every time she takes a bath
but loses it even before it is noon
that’s when i realize i am clumsy too
and how once when suddenly out of the blue i asked her for my piano pencil-box that i had stopped using a week ago
she only remembered that she had kept it somewhere safe but not where
so she rearranged all the four almirahs only to remember that she kept it in the trunk
that’s when i realize i am forgetful too
it has been a while since i saw you two
i know you have grown older
i see this old couple with their hair more grey than the last time i saw the both of you
and i wonder if your hair has become like theirs too
i am tempted to ask you again if you want me to book you a ticket to come to visit me here
but then i remember how you need to go to your local doctor every week
i remember how you have to water the plants that would die if not for you
i remember how you need to get that leaking tap repaired lest it flood your entire town
i remember how there will be too much dust if you left the place unattended
i remember how the place has suddenly become full of burglars who break into locked homes
so here i am looking at the calendar on my phone
to head home
to stir me to sleep in my nest with a lullaby again
