Stories - Omnipresent

The downpour was very heavy. The driver said "Sir, I can't see anything in front". Torrents of water were falling on the windscreen. I thought it would be better to halt at one of the wayside restaurants and have some refreshments, while the rainfall might slow down. I was travelling to Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala State, my home state in Southern India. The driver negotiated a turn and drove the Ford Ikon into the parking area of The Tropical Inn, a well reputed restaurant. There was no cessation of the rainfall, the monsoon was in its prime youth and the wet assault continued. Unfolding an umbrella, I rushed into the restaurant and went inside the coffee shop.

The dim light of the restaurant spread a gloomy atmosphere inside. I saw an old lady sitting at the centre table and sipping a cup of what could be coffee, from the aroma I could feel, while I was walking past her. Mantovanni's orchestra was playing Moon River over the music system and I occupied a table opposite to the old lady. The time was only 9-30 PM and the restaurant was sparsely populated due to the incessant rains.

I wiped off the water particles on my hair with a handkerchief as the waiter approached me with an army salute. He was a dark complexioned skinny looking chap with a red uniform which was over size for him and with a white cap, the upper part extending like feathers, resembling an old maharajah's headwear. He smiled and one of his teeth glittered in the gloomy light, perhaps a golden tooth it was. I ordered coffee and started to ponder over my oncoming journey to the airport.

The lady looked at me with a half smile. I smiled back. She was fair complexioned with wrinkles down her chin. As she smiled, there was a majestic look on her face.

"Would you mind joining me here, young man?" her voice was hoarse.
I accepted her invitation and sat opposite to her.
The waiter brought a steaming pot of boiling water and all the ingredients for the preparation of coffee. I prepared two cups of which I offered one to the lady.
"Thank you" she said.
"It is my pleasure, Madam" I replied. I could not understand why the waiter was looking at me with surprised eyes.
"So you are going to the airport?" she asked me.
"How do you know that, Madam?" I was surprised.
"The air ticket is protruding from your pocket" she smiled.
"Are you alone?'I was inquisitive.
"No, my husband has gone to fill petrol; it seems he is caught up in the rain. Where are you flying to?" she queried.
"I am going to Dubai, Madam" I answered
"Oh! I am also going to Dubai, my son is there" she continued.
"That is great" I was pleased.
The driver of my car came inside and told me that the rain had subsided and it was time for us to move on.
"I shall see you at the airport, Madam" I said good bye to the old lady and proceeded to the car. Rain continued to fall unabated all the way to the airport. I dozed off for a while and was awakened by the driver. The airport was not crowded as night flights were very rare. I was bored to think that I had to wait for another five hours for the flight. I freshened up and waited at the lounge.

I could see many faces, some of them gloomy, some moody and some happy. I closed my eyes intending to relax. My mind travelled down the memory lane, in the time machine. Some of the pictures of the past became live again.

Her eyes were full of tears as she gripped my hand. I was saying good bye to her to fly to Dubai, on my maiden journey .
"You better take care of your health. The weather is very hot there in Dubai they say, protect yourself from the heat". She sobbed a little.
I was afraid to look into her eyes as I thought I would also burst in tears. With my throat choking, I hugged her. My rough cheeks pressed on to hers.
"Don't worry mother, I will always take care" I ensured her.
She was standing at the entrance, with her grey hair fluttering in the breeze, as I raised my hand to bid farewell.

"Is this wallet yours?" that old lady whom I had met at the restaurant asked me.
I stood up in surprise to be awakened from my sleep and to listen to her query.
"Yes, my God! Where did you find it?" I was confused. It contained my passport, air ticket and money.
"My husband found it in the men's room" she said.
I was foolish enough to leave it in the men's room, I cursed myself.
"Thank you very much. Madam. You have saved me" I asserted.
"My pleasure" she smiled and walked away.

It was 5-30 AM when I went through the security check and proceeded to the aircraft. I occupied the window seat and tried to settle down in there. Rain drops were falling on the window and rolling down like colourless pearls. I adjusted the overhead air regulator. Day was trying to dawn in the midst of falling rain. The air-conditioning inside the aircraft was no match to the nature's air-conditioning outside.

"Oh God! I will miss all these" I said to myself as a shudder went through my body.
"I will miss the smell of wet earth, the coolness of the rain, the streams, the landscape" my soliloquy continued with a sigh.

"Anybody sitting here?" the familiar voice of the old lady gave me some solace.
"No madam, would you like to occupy the window seat?" I declared my hospitality.
"It’s ok, I am happy here" she deposited herself in the next seat to mine.

The cabin crew started to demonstrate safety procedures and I closed my eyes. I hated to see those demonstrations. The aircraft's wheels moved over the concrete apron and soon gathered speed to take off. In a few minutes the aircraft started to climb up with its nose pushing the monsoon clouds. Rain fell in inclined lines, the greenery looking wet, seemed to move down and we were cruising away from the round earth.

The lady by my side was sleeping. She was looking peaceful in her sleep. Rain clouds, black and grey, played around the aircraft which jerked to maintain the altitude. The captain's words were very audible over the addressing system. He requested us to keep the seat belts fastened as the weather was very rough. As soon as he finished his address the aircraft lost height and jumped down through an air pocket. I was always a nervous flier and I said "'Oh God!!!"
The lady heard me and her right hand gripped my left one and she said "Don't worry, nothing will happen, relax".
Her gripping hand pressed my palm and I felt certain warmth pervading me. I felt very relaxing and in no time I fell into a deep slumber.

I was lying on the operating table. It was New Year's Day. I looked at the glaring round lights above me. Masked men and women with coloured uniforms were standing around me. The clatter of stainless steel instruments fell on my ears. A small needle caressed my skin with a poke. As I looked up again at the lights, they were first emanating silver rays, and then changed into white. Cotton bundles spread everywhere, I was floating. There was nothing audible. I moved into oblivion, a state of nothingness from which I never knew whether I would return or not.

Some voices and footsteps of moving people fell into my ears. Then again I blacked out. I was being moved on a stretcher on wheels, I could see some light. My senses were trying to come back; all were as if in a dream, in a drowsy state. I opened my eyes, I saw my mother's face, smiling at me with her eyes wet, some tears were trying to fall down, but she wiped them off.
"You are alright, everything is fine, don't worry" she said pressing my hand.
I again went off my senses. The full recovery took another hour.

My body was aching and I tried to touch my operated part. All was in bandage and the smell of antiseptics filled my nostrils. My mother sitting on my bed was wiping away sweat on my forehead. Her fingers were moving along my hair scalp and slowly pressing. I felt very relaxing and soon fell into a sleep.

That evening she told me "Look son, you have to promise me that you would never ever take alcohol in your life. Now look at the health problems you are in".
I held her hand and said "I promise, mother, I will never take it". I wept as tears flowed down my cheeks.

"Sir, would you like to have some drinks?" the beautiful voice of the air hostess woke me up from my slumber.
"Never" I said to her. The old lady nodded and smiled at me approvingly and said "Good Boy".

The monsoon clouds disappeared and silver lined clouds took over. The aircraft pierced through them with elegance.

When I landed at Dubai International Airport, the temperature was 40 degrees Celsius. Walking along, climbing up and down the escalators, I reached the immigration counter and got clearance to proceed further to the luggage picking area. The old lady was waiting there to pick up her luggage. I gave her my telephone number and invited her to go with me to be dropped at her place. She thanked me and told me that she would go with her son who would be waiting outside for her. I said good bye to her and got out with my luggage.

The taxi rolled on the hot asphalt roads of Dubai. The hot and humid weather was a definite contrast to the wet and pleasant weather of Kerala. I took my luggage up to my apartment. I opened the door. It was dark as all the curtains were down. My heart jumped into my mouth as I saw the same old lady, to whom I had said good bye at the airport, standing near the portrait of my mother. My hands trembling, I switched on the lights. There was nobody in the room. I rushed to my mother's portrait. I looked at it with bewildered eyes. There were dots of tears in her eyes and a mischievous smile.

I looked at the calendar. That day was 28th June, the day my mother had left us for ever for her heavenly abode.