The Lunch Box With A Twist

Usha, a well cultured middle-aged widow, has adapted herself to the hustle and bustle terrains of Panji, Goa's largest urban agglomeration city. On the contrary, she once enjoyed the solitude of her confines in the remote districts of Chennai, approximately a thousand kilometers away. She is one of the saleswoman at the only fish stall in one the biggest malls in Panji. Not that she is in need of earning her daily bread, Usha is already rich in her coffers. She is here to forget her dismal past and seems to be happy now, selling fishes to the regular customers, having built a strong acquaintance with the ilk.

  And while she had almost succeeded in doing so, Noel, an able seaman at the merchant navy in his early thirties, had come into her life with a jolt of thunder that dented her grey cells and reopened a forgotten past. Noel, a well built and a charming personality had walked up to Usha for the first time and was keen on buying these huge pomfrets, some shrimp and prawns for his Sunday brunch. With his unstoppable gift of gab and talking etiquettes, Noel had enchanted Usha and the conversation went on pretty long. This gentleman was a striking resemblance to her son, ditto his overwhelming mannerisms to the tee. Addressing her as 'aai‘ (mom), added to her dilemma. Gathering her agitated emotions, she saw him walk away with his buy and that indelible smile.

           It’s the third Sunday and here she was treating Noel with a cappuccino at the coffee shop followed by their endless conversations that included his experiences at the sea and traits of her customers. The following week, Usha had carried an extra lunch box that contained appetizers which included pomfrets, shrimp and prawns. No sooner had Noel finished this scrumptious and delicious meal than he went down on his knees and with folded hands had words of admiration for this delectable treat. Then and there, Noel promised to be a part of Usha's lunch partner on Sundays. At least, until he stayed in Goa during his six month layoff from the sea.

          Many Sundays had gone by and yet again, on that day he had eagerly anticipated to satiate himself with aai's assorted delights. It's past lunch time and Usha was not to be seen. Tina, Usha's co-worker at the stall, walked up to Noel, "Mr. Vaz, how are you doing? Usha asked me to deliver this note and the lunch box to you." 

         “Noel, by the time you receive this letter, I will be in Chennai. I had to leave immediately” and the letter began to unfold the untold story of his aai. “Six months back when I got the news from the army that they could not trace my son Dev, who was one of the assumed victims of the war at the borders, I was totally devastated and shattered. Living with Dev's memories was becoming unbearable. I left Chennai for Goa with my lock stock and barrel. I did not lose Dev because I found Noel! I don't know if it was God's will or nature's wish. Noel, you are a carbon copy of my son and all the time that I spent with you, my son Dev was there with me.

       On Tuesday, I got to know that the army men had traced Dev. The local villagers had found Dev lying unconscious in the dense forest, clothes torn to tatters. Months had gone by, and all these days, they were running helter-skelter to locate his roots through the little details they could gather from his ID card that had blurred out due to the rains.

       Dev is in coma, Noel. But I am not worried a bit. And while I am attending on Dev, I will be narrating tales to him about you, your stories and all the good times we had together. I am sure, the unseen God up there in the sky has still stored some good surprises for me and that my son will someday rise like a Phoenix from the ashes.

       Noel, I know you will get yourself busy once you get back to the sea. I just want to thank you for being a good Samaritan when I revisited my dismal past. And even though you are far away, my son's presence will always echo our good times together.

       And someday, in the hope that we shall meet once again, Noel, I would love to cook your favorite dishes. Just like the ones that I am leaving this lunch box now for you to relish”.