For almost 6 months I didn't have any contacts with one of my uncles. Dev uncle,generally mentioned as "The Ginny" is our problem solver. Any problem,however grave it is,becomes solved easily when he is around. May it be a wait-listed ticket or booking a show somewhere,he can arrange within minutes. When I was in Kolkata,he was extremely busy with some political campaigns. So he could not manage meeting me. But afterwards,when he asked about me,I was already here in Bangalore. Yesterday,I came to know from my aunt that he is suffering from fever. I called him to know how he is feeling now. Then something quite weird and funny I came to know.
I called him when he was waiting for his lunch to be served. Dev uncle has a daughter who is of my age,and we share the common nickname! She got married recently,right now she is in her hubby's place. This girl is a little bit weird, but let's not talk about that. When I called,uncle answered in a weak voice. He was feeling somehow better,but the flu sucked out his energy. It was already around 3,still he was waiting for lunch,this sounded awkward. I sensed something is wrong.
"Where is aunty?Is she present at home?"
"Nah,she left just now. I hope my food is ready on the table."
"What does that mean exactly? Didn't she serve it to you?"
"Well, you know,she never serves it. She just keeps the food on my plate,places it on the table and covers it with something. Then I go and have it. After washing the plate I keep it back on the rack. Things go on this way".
"But why? What's wrong?"
"Oh,you don't know? From last few years we've stopped talking to each other."
Now it was my turn to be stunned. Dev uncle had love marriage,that also at the age of 17,when aunty was a girl of 15 or so! What happened recently,I really don't know. But as far as I know,he loved his family very dearly. He was such a great hubby and such a concerned father that I have seen very rarely in my life. Even I felt jealous of his daughter seeing him so concerned about her studies and career and so on. I came to know that before her marriage only,aunty stopped talking to uncle. But what's the reason behind this? It's not very decent to ask,but I wanted to know badly. It's very painful to see such a man suffer for somebody whom he loves so much.
I heard a painful laugh at the other end.As if he was clarifying the doubt, uncle said in a strained voice,
"You know,it actually didn't work between us. When we were young,it was fine. At that age people can compromise and adjust a lot. But as time passed,the difference grew larger and larger by everyday. We never had,fights, if u call it so. We just stopped talking to avoid the difference of opinions. You know,time always doesn't give things. It also robs,robs away many things from us. As in my case,it robbed away my family from me."
I was feeling very sad and worried for him. "But what about your daughter? Didn't she try to solve it?"
"Leave her,she is a carbon copy of her mom. Whatever her mom says,she follows line by line. She always takes out wrong meaning of my words. I stopped talking to her after her marriage,she also didn't show any effort to talk to me. So it's going like this again!" He stopped and took a sip of water.
Things sounded quite painful. I wanted to know, "But then how are you communicating with aunty? In case if you need something,how do you get it? Or you need to inform aunty about something,how do you manage?"
"I just call my sisters and start informing them loudly. I know your aunty always keeps an ear for these conversations. Gradually she comes to know and behaves accordingly. Isn't that effective?"
I tried my best not to laugh! What an unique way to communicate. But still these people can't patch up. Is the difference of opinion so huge? I was thinking. But my thought got interrupted with uncle's words.
"I think you have studied about fermentation technique in school,isn't it? See,our relationship was just like that. It was fresh and sweet at the beginning. But as the time passed,bacteria of distrust and avoidance fermented the relationship slowly. The end product is not consumable now. So both of us are trying to avoid it at any cost. Life goes on like this,you know,my baby!"
What shall I say? I am also in a relationship right now,almost farm fresh at this time. I have to protect it by all means so that no bacteria can enter the premises at any cost. So let me protect it from being fermented. Let me call my hubby and check whether he reached his office safely! Good bye!
