It's an eerie silence that greets me despite the loud noise from the television. With the sound of the doorbell, uncle scampers to find the remote, while aunty hurriedly switches off another television set in the bedroom. For my 78-year old neighbour and his 67-year old wife, any visitor is a welcome change from their usual companions on the tube.
You guessed right, they live alone, but what's alarming is, this despite their children being in the same town. "Would you mind getting me a matka when you go out...? The heat's unbearable these days. I wanted to go to the market but you know how it is..." Aunty's been down with osteoporosis for the last 10 years, she can barely walk within our building, leave alone going out. Taking an auto is out of question too as "the metre just keeps rolling on...! We can't survive on our pension and the autos simultaneously, the two just don't gel!" she laughs.
As with most grandmothers, she loves to stich. A battered old sewing machine still holds a place of pride in her home, "just for nostalgia sake. So many clothes I've made for my children with this..."
I once asked uncle why he never joins the group of retired people who come together every evening in the park and seemed to have some kind of laughter therapy going on. "Bah! Who wants to lead a life like that! Just because I'm old should I confine myself to other old men and join in their pity jokes! I haven't yet retired from life for that!" I gave him a sheepish grin and ran for cover (I also took a mental note to keep all my suggestions to myself!).
The booming economy seems to have had its effect too. "Can you guess how much uncle used to earn when he first started working? Rs. 110. My grandson recently got a job through his college, and they have offerred him Rs. 60,000!! He's planning to buy a flat soon. We had to wait for forty-five years before we could say we have a place of our own. Kya zamaana aa gaya hain...But I'm happy for him..." she trails.
Another day, I hear no sound from the televisions in their home. Slightly concerned, I knock and find the old man and his wife in the kitchen. "Sachin's coming today! We're meeting him after one and half years! He's come down from the US just for two weeks, so his parents have let him spend a day with us."
She's bustling about, knee pain and all forgotten, making his favourite payasa and tomato pickles. Uncle's excited too, for this grandson shares his passion for books. "I need to ask him if he read Dan Brown's latest. I have not been able to buy a copy..."
I leave them in their busy worlds for a change. It's nice to see the television switched off too. I go home and dial my grandma. "When are you planning to come down...? It's been a while..."
