The imprint

   Sumit who was a very well placed and successful entrepreneur was on a tour to Bombay on a business trip. He was planning to set up a branch of his business in Mumbai which was near to his home state Gujarat. Sumit was placed in Ahmedabad and always had a great will to spread his business across different parts of India and Mumbai would be most suitable to spread his business wings. He even had a good support in the form of his junior in College and almost a good buddy and friend for over 20 odd years so far. His friend Harsh was glad to hear about Sumit's plans and was eagerly waiting for his arrival as he was aware about Sumit's plans and program. After a couple of days Sumit landed in Mumbai and was on his way to Harsh's house. He bought fresh fruits and chocolates for his kids and his mother Sumit was quite friendly with Harsh's family since their College days. He was fond of Harsh's mother who was so affectionate and caring.       

 As he reached Harsh's house, he was welcomed with a lot of affection by Harsh and his wife. As he sat comfortably, admiring his well kept house, Harsh excused himself as he had to attend an important phone call. Sumit was busy watching television while Harsh's wife was in the kitchen preparing tea for Sumit and Harsh. Suddenly Sumit heard a female voice from one of the bedroom whose door was left ajar. The female voice was heard talking rudely to someone calling her 'you old lady, don't get down, the floor is wet i mopped it just now and if you put your feet on the floor your foot print will be imprinted on the floor making it dirty and how many times should I mop the floor don't you understand this much?Just then Harsh finished speaking on the phone 📱 and he came near to Sumit calling out for his wife to serve tea 🍵🍵 to both of them. As they were sipping tea and talking casually Sumit asked Harsh is your mummy with you and is she there in that Room from where I heard your maid bhavi saying something like 'you crone don't stamp the floor, it will get dirty etc. How can the maid talk to your mother like that?'ne questioned Harsh with a puzzled look on his face. Sumit continued saying 'let me meet your mother, it has been a very long time since I have seen her a lovely person:saying that he gets up from the sofa chair only to be stopped by Harsh who said 'Sumit, please wait for some time the maid mopped the floor just a while ago.

Let it dry or else your feet will leave a mark on the wet floor which has to be cleaned again. You see my wife doesn't like it that way. She prefers shining tiles and floor. I too feel that looks good. So, we ask mother to sit still until the floor is thoroughly dry'. But, Sumit was adamant and he said 'so what if the floor gets dirty with my foot steps on the wet floor the maid can clean 🪥 it again it is not a big problem anyway'. saying so he walked upto Harsh's mother's Room leaving a tensed Harsh on the Sofa. As Sumit entered the Room where Harsh's mother was sitting. He found her almost crawled up on the bed looking tensed and listless. She tried to recognise him as he wished her with a namaste aunty and touching her feet, but in vain. Sumit went closer to her and introduced himself by name and then she was able to recognise him. Sumit gently held her hand and asked her to walk to the drawing where they were seated sipping tea. But, she was damn reluctant saying if she walks the floor will become dirty with her footsteps. Harsh too joined Sumit in the Room and pestered him to walk up to the dining and have another cup of tea and some snacks as well. Sumit sort of adamantly insisted that if aunty, that is Harsh's mother does not join him he would prefer to have tea along with her in her Room. Harsh immediately said that his mother already had finished having tea and breakfast as well and does not prefer to have it again. Just then Harsh noticed that the mopped and cleaned tiles had patches of Sumit's footprints that were imprinted as the floor was not yet dry fully by that time. Harsh was wondering as to why Sumit was doing so. He called out for his maid who came running with a mop in her hand and she cleaned the floor briskly and left the place. Sumit got up from the bed where he was seated with aunty that is Harsh's mother and started walking back to the drawing room again leaving a lot of foot prints on the wet floor. .

Sumit noticed the puzzled look of Harsh and the maid also. Just then Sarita(Harsh's wife)came inside the Room and asked Sumit to come to the dining room to have tea and snacks. Sumit immediately said yes, I'll come but let us serve some tea to Crone as well. let her also have tea. I think you call this old lady your mother as Crone as a nick name as I heard your maid calling her so, and what a name to call your mother it is so special. I heard your maid bhavi calling your mother by that name and she was comfy calling your mother by that name, may be she has heard you and your wife calling your mother by that name and would have taken a liking for that name. You see , it seems fashionable to address someone with strange names Right?. Hearing these words Harsh was stunned, so was his wife and the maid was almost frozen out of guilt and fear. Harsh and his wife were almost teary eyed. It was evident they were feeling guilty for had been happening with their mother at their hands. Just then Sumit said 'look at the floor it is wet and untidy with the marks of tiny little feet, that are trampling the floor and running here and there and behind those feet are two more feet a bit bigger that of your mother who is addressed as Crone by you all. She is not getting irritated with you soiling the floor infact she is very happy that you are running around and exploring the place that is the first step towards walking into the big bad world. She does not admonish you for the dirt that you spread with your feet, nor she bothers the number of times she has to clean the floor lest you fall sick because of the dirty floor. But, you are so concerned about the floor and the tiles that are lifeless and you are tresspassing into the emotions of your dear mother who is a Crone to you now as she is old and dependent on you' No doubt clean surroundings and flooring look good but definitely not at the cost of making your mother a bonded person who is scared of moving as anyways she is unable to run due to her age. '.               

 Harsh and his wife were feeling sorry and guilty as well . Sumit was about to leave the place and before leaving he said' I advise you to clean your eyes from tears and guilt and correct your attitude and floor cleaning is a routine job which can be done by your maid, but your conscience can be cleaned only by you. Make moments of togetherness memorable and precious so that you don't repent latter'. Saying so Sumit left the place with a short phrase that came to his mind 'It is okay if your parents don't understand chat gpt and artificial intelligence or they don't know beautiful interiors and luxury living but do remember the time when you did not know how to walk and run it was they who happily guided you to do so as many times as needed without grumbling '.