The Gardener Page #6

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to a standstill''

''There's gloom everywhere''

''l pine for you...''

''l'm lonely in body,

thirsting in soul''

''Not even for a moment...''

''why won't your face

fade away from my eyes?''

''Days and nights do go by...''

''a lonely life,

just won't go by''

''l can't say a word to you,

even if l wish to...''

''what anguish do l suffer?''

''You and l are

separated...''

''what has life come to?''

Okay then... bye

Don't forget to write

''Whenever l hear footsteps...''

''l feel as if you have arrived''

''Like a whiff of fresh air...''

''you have lent

fragrance to my breath''

''Those were the days

when we were always together...''

''and there is so much of

distance between us now''

''You and l are

separated...''

''what has life come to?''

''Good dogs don't bite

good folks, son''

''l'm glad you stopped him, mota bhai...

He kept chasing me like mad''

But why was it chasing you?

- He was making me jog

That dog came in my wife's dowry.

lt's from my in-laws' place

And l thought it wanted to bite you.

- That's my wife's job

He only makes me run

But l'm surprised he stopped

at your voice

''Yes, l have two dogs too.

Tiger and Pinky''

l also take them for a stroll.

- l see. You've just arrived in Delhi?

''Yes, l came only yesterday

to stay with my son''

See that building there...?

Urvashi...? That's the one

Whose flat in Urvashi?

- Sanjay... Sanjay Malhotra

''Third floor? So you're Sanjay's father?

- Yes, do you know him?''

''Of course. He has a son, Rahul''

Very sweet kid.

He comes to my music cafe

Music cafe...?

- Behind Urvashi...

Archie's Music Cafe. lt's mine.

- l see

''lt's two in one. Listen to the music

and drink coffee, if you wish to''

''Actually, it's three in one.

- Three in one?''

''ln the ''hole'' inside, there's a library.

Read whatever book you want to''

''You mean, one has to

get into a hole to read?''

''No! Not ''hole''...

a big ''hole''. 20 by 20''

Hall! l see!

So you're a Gujarati?

''But my wife's Hindi speaking.

- Two in one again, l see''

''Mota bhai... comic punch, eh?''

Why do you call me Mota bhai.

Do l look mota (mota=fat) ?

''Not fat... in Gujarati, mota bhai

means elder brother. Out of respect''

What is your name?

- Hemantbhai Patel

''Yes, l'm leaving.

He's going to make me run''

You must come to my music cafe and

drink the coffee my wife makes

First class coffee

l only drink the tea

my wife brews...

l mean...

l used to

''For the first time, l am not

serving you tea today''

Here you are with the newspaper

and Sanju's been screaming for it

You'll remain at home all day.

You can read it later

Kiran... where are you?

What is the matter?

- Am l not getting any tea?

l knew this was coming.

- What is coming?

''You know, the maid has run away

after Mummy arrived?''

She has run away?

What has Mama to do

with the maid running away?

You don't know how spoilt

the servants are nowadays

She refused to sleep in the kitchen!

Why are you quiet? l'm not getting

up early to make tea for everybody

''Let her make the tea for herself.

- Don't be upset, Kiran''

l'm here

l'm in the habit of working

l used to make the tea for your Papa.

Now l'll make it for my children

Reena! Hurry up!

l'll be delayed again because of you!

- What can l do?

There's an extra man's work to do

l've got to cook for your father...

''iron his clothes, get Rahul ready,

and there's no one to help''

''Bye, my child''

''Mummy, l'm leaving for the kitty party.

Cook whatever you want to for yourself''

But Payal...

- She has already left

She'll return only in the evening

after her dance classes. Bye

Mota bhai!

Come on!

''Welcome, mota bhai!

This is my music cafe''

Come on inside

The music cafe... see?

Shanti...

take care of your dowry

l'm coming...

and you're always picking on him

What is it? Why've you been yelling?

- The dog's been barking...

and she says l'm yelling!

This is Rahul's grandpa

''l told you that l met him in

the garden. Mota-bhai, this is my wife''

Namaste.

- Namaste

''Forgive me, you dropped

your lemons because of me''

You speak very good Hindi.

- Please don't embarrass me

''Things will fall, mota bhai. But she

broke some eggs the other day''

''She's not just my wife,

she's my life! My better-half''

Please be seated. l'll get

some great coffee for you

Could l have some tea instead?

At least try the coffee l make

He wants tea. So get him tea.

And make it nicely

''The other day you made tea and the

customer said, ''Wonderful soup''

How would a monkey know

the stage is bent?

''God! lf you must use proverbs in

Hindi, at least get them properly''

''Why do you mix them up?

- No, l always use single terms''

''Lies! You decide this, mota bhai.

You are Hindi speaking, aren't you?''

''The one he used just now,

wasn't it a mix of two proverbs?''

Two.

- Two? How?

''How would a monkey know

the taste of ginger''

''The one who can't dance

blames the dance floor''

l mixed up ginger and dance floor.

- Hear that? Okay?

l'll get you some nice tea now

The lemons! She left them here!

Great! You have indeed

a cheerful place here

lsn't it? Earlier we pined

for a child

And now there are so many

boys and girls around

''We don't have a child, you see''

Hey kids... come here

This is the kid party.

And this is Mr Raj Malhotra

He's like my elder brother.

Please be seated

''This is Kapil. ln London,

his father...''

has a publication.

And that's Nili

She's fair of skin but

calls herself nili (blue)

''Kiran...

- She has gone out somewhere, son''

She must've told you where she's going?

- No

She must be coming

''May l say something, son?''

You must keep a track

of these things...

''where your wife is,

where your daughter is''

Your Papa always took care

of these things

''That was interference on his part, Mom.

lt was his dominating nature''

Every human being must have the right

to lead the life he wants to

But there's need for

order in the family

lt's your job. Your Papa always

kept the family under control

He maintained a certain amount

of discipline

He kept the family together.

- Not so much discipline...

as to start interfering in each

other's lives and ruining their freedom

Whatever he did

was for our own well-being

lt was only his love

''When love crosses its limits,

it becomes suffocating, Mom''

''You mean, our love for you

was stifling you?''

Why're you getting into this argument?

You're here as a guest for a few days

So behave like a guest

l came here because

l thought it was my house

But you have turned your mother

into a guest

Haven't you gone to sleep?

''l couldn't go to sleep, but what are

you upto? lt's 2 in the morning''

''l have a presentation of a new project

at the office tomorrow, dad''

''So l'll have to complete

my work, won't l?''

''Not your cup of tea, dad''

Why not? This is what l've been

doing for the last forty years

How can you compare

your petty 9 to 5 job...

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