The Hill Residents Park

“Ashwin is not letting Dattu leave,” Desai said smilingly to Iyer while strolling with him. He would then complete the trio, occupy the vacant one-third part on their everyday bench at the Hill Residents park. “Yes, the father-son bond is one of its kind, even Vaishu is very close to her dad, Dattu is blessed to have such children” Iyer and Desai reminisced the day when they had accompanied Dattu to see his future wife, Subhadra.“What a lovely couple they made, didn’t they, no wonder they had such loving kids.” Desai used to always cite Dattu and his family as the ideal family among all the households in the Hill complex.“

He couldn’t overcome the untimely passing of Subhadra, the kids were too small then, but he raised them like she would do, educated and married them both to the best partners they would have got themselves” Iyer spoke highly of their friend while walking alongside Desai on the dry paved pathways of the park.“Yes, he always suppressed his grief, used to open up to me once a while over a few pegs when you were not around. He broke down like a child on hearing about my cancer relapse, that sense he is” Desai shared those emotional moments with Iyer.“Ashwin is also as sensitive as him, more possessive maybe, no wonder has an ever-watchful eye on him. Mine was still sleeping when I sneaked out” Iyer winked looking at Desai.“Yeah, I realised that, you need to be the first always in everything, don’t you?” Desai smiled back. The blades of dry grass stood still over the expanse of the ground, some coming out of the crevices of the parched benches kept at even distance to one another across the park. Five-year-old Priya was swinging with abandon and laughing aloud on the

Advertisement

children’s swing, her favorite area in the Park.“Can nature be so cruel to leave a big hole in that tiny heart of small little Priya and pain to her dear ones” Desai was waving to the cute girl while talking to Iyer.“Hmm..would you blame nature in his case too..?”

Iyer was pointing to Rahul, a young boy immersed in his school textbook, quickly adjusting his collar to cover his neck when he realised the uncles passing through were talking about him.“Ohh…him, stupid boy, Iyer, can’t kids remain as innocent like little Priya and stop growing old with insecurities and fear,” Desai thought very low about Rahul.“Desai, the world around is getting very competitive and one can’t blame the younger lot, the challenge is getting tougher, not many have a calm and composed nature. Look at Amit over there, have you seen such a dedicated doctor during these times, he never wore a watch so that he doesn’t realise the time.” Both were looking at Dr.Amit Raghuvanshi, a regular at the Park, sitting at the corner smiling back at them. “Wait a second Iyer. Dattu is here...!!”.

Both of them turn back and see Dattu standing at the gate.“Finally, our friend is here…took you some time huh…welcome to the Park” Iyer greeted Dattu with a big hug.“Iyer, Ashwin was inconsolable, he was pleading with folded hands, asking the doctors not to unplug the ventilator, he kept on saying ‘Baba will come back, Baba will come back’, my poor Ashwin had to relent when he was told that other Covid patients who could be saved, needed it” Dattu recounted what both of his friends knew already.“Look over there Dattu, see who has been waiting for you all these years” Desai asked Dattu to turn around.“Subhadra….!!!”