We were all gathered in one room at the end of an exhausting day during a recent vacation. Chitter-chatter about the weather, the monuments, the food of the day, the clothes of the locals filled the room. When suddenly there was this soft sound from deep inside a slowing down machine. A rare one. A snore. Dad's. The cacophony fell silent. All exchanged a quick look. Felt a happy warmth inside. And tip-toed out of the room.
We all have heard of that one busy dad who didn't make it to his child's sports day. But do you know of an even busier one who made it not only to that one sports day but to each of them, for each of his 3 kids, for all their PTAs, annual days, counsellings, graduation days, bachelor parties, break-up get-togethers (!), shopping sprees, post-wedding festivals at in-laws?
He has not only made it to these, he has stood their like a rock, he has been a wall to fall back on, he has been an enthusiastic participant along, a charmer, with a joke for a failure or a champagne for victory.
My earliest memory of my dad was him holding a 2-3 yr old me in his lap and pressing my apparently bad aching feet. Dunno who has grown more older since then. He can sure do that again anytime. He remains the balm of my life. The go-to 'Dost' forever.
With all his 'Dak' the he keeps clearing, the long calls instructing his employees of his huge company, the meetings day-in, day-out, touring all over the place, he still manages to keep a tab on the pulse of all of us and beyond. Before boarding his plane to Laos he'll enquire from Shakti where her birthday flowers should reach. While taxying in Rwanda he'll ask bhai if his interview went fine. Between his meetings in Stockholm he'll ask ma her waist size for a quick shopping of the traditional pants. Checking out of Nairobi he'll stress upon Komal that she must plan a Kenya holiday with bhai soon. From a distant call from Rio he'll enquire about my health or Rohit's clinics. Sitting alone in Beijing he'll message a request for the littlest baby's pic before calling it a day.
I haven't panicked in years, or have never known to, because I know, if he's around nothing can be too big to spoil my day. A day is still long rather.
He has rarely rested. He has rarely had a completed to-do list with all our endless demands or his surprisingly well-calculated unanticipated needs of ours. That list is not even physical. He jus knows. He jus remembers.
Papa I smile today, laugh so loudly, sleep that good sleep, because of you. All of us.
U deserve that li'll peaceful moment. When you snore. For if you are in deep sleep, all must really be well with the world.
Love you.
Happy Birthday.
