Unanswered!

‘Tele, you have a post.’ said my Mumma and entering my room, where I lay absorbed networking with friends, kept that envelope, the yellow colored one, on the side table. Without allowing the neck the cumber-some task to turn, I enquired, ‘Who’s the sender?’

Check it for yourself, announcing, she exited.

It’s New Year 2011, and I got a post!

Friends weren’t sending me any gift, I knew. I never gave them any. Admit Cards had all been received. They too have to be printed now-a-days. No correspondence was expected from any University. The Summer Schools and Research Conferences were not worth being on the list of Dad’s expenditure, so I hadn’t applied.

Curious, turning to the bright-yellow envelope perched on the table, stretching the joints gone lazy, It is a Card. A Greeting Card!

In the times of SMS’ and emails, or rather merely Scraps & Tags, there was a greeting for me, from an Uncle.

Initially I hated to see my name mis-spelled, but you can't hate someone for loving you.

Uncle, who had lost his 24-year old son to destined death, many years ago. 6 months ago, when I had been back from Netherlands, and the newspaper had that piece of reporting, he had called me. He wanted to meet me and gift a memento of motivation. He had dropped at my place then. In his mid-fifties, with half-grayed hair & proud-happy eyes with a deeper seated sorrow, he had tried to see his son in me; tried to bask in the glory like a parent; tried to store the exhilaration to pass his fore-coming days.

This New Year he had not forgotten me. I, too, hadn’t. He sent me a card wishing me health & happiness to tame more successes. The heart gave a silent beat of sympathy, I felt blessed to have received their wishes.

24 days after the scheduled 1^st January had come, I hadn’t still called him to Thank, or written to him. Amongst the pile of papers of my internship letters, log-book, and my write-ups, the envelope stroke out. It was distinguishable all this while, but probably it was lying low on the priority list. The love and blessings that are showered onto you unexpectedly from unexpected people, are rather less reciprocated & valued only occasionally.

I sent him a message right now:

Hello Uncle. Hope the Year has had the happy beginning. Wishing you and Aunty health & happiness. Regards & Wishes- Telly.

Tele says: Being un-answered does hurt. Doesn't it?