After a tired day at school,i got back home.It was an atmosphere of glee at my place.I wondered why and neither was i bothered!!My dad headed towards me and before he could utter a word,i said 'are u going to Saudi?!' 'How do you know?!!!!!!' Well..i did know little about Saudi then and honestly i guessed :)
I was in my 3rd grade.I was getting used to the physical absence of my dad-talking to him over phone some 5 times a week and meeting him over the weekend.He was put up at Bangalore then and we(mom,me and brother) at Chennai.We spent lot of time together over the weekend and the routine began on Monday.This was on for quite sometime..
All preparations were done and he had to leave the following day.Though i knew Saudi Arabia was quite a distance from India,as a matter of fact,i dint know he wouldn't come down every weekend! Give me a break,i was in 3rd grade!!!!
We arrived at the airport.There weren't any stringent rules then.The complete family was let into the airport.We were 8 in number! ;) Dad finished his formalities and had his final few words before his very first journey abroad.He hugged and kissed me on my forhead - Take care kutti.I started crying really heavily.It was the first time i felt he was moving,really far.A distance perpetual. :'(
It took really long for me to adjust the breach!Really long.I was getting used to phone calls thrice in a week from five.People said i was 'growing'.Was I??!!
Days passed.Months elapsed.Years transcended...
Before we could realise,a couple of years had passed by.Development in the field of computers proved handy.We coped up.We now saw him from what was 4 times a month to twice a year.I was in my 5th grade now.I was told i was a big girl.My dad used to write letters to me.Those hand written letters,i used to wait for them big time.My dad spoke so much in those,he delivered so much.The house never seemed incomplete.His presence always lingered around us.
As always I was returning home tired.I saw my father's BAJAJ SCOOTER.'Oh my God!!'i exclaimed. 'Has dad come all the way from Saudi to see me in a scooter?!!!!!' were the words that came off my mouth! ha ha..it sounds funny now.But to hear the No,why would you think so were the words that broke my heart.I felt senile!
I dint know then that my dad had sold the scooter to my uncle :( And he was the one to visit us that day.I was disillusioned!I lost the manners my parents thought me(for a while),i dint even greet him...
Well there started this journey of our family.Those were the memories on which our lives are strongly built today.We stand by as a family though put up at different places,still strong and happy.To face any given obstacle.
Yes dad,you made it possible for us.You made our lives better.Thank you dad and this blog is solely and individually dedicated to you!
Love you papa...
