Many who have personally known Devika and me, have requested me to share some anecdotes from our life. Given the close proximity which both of us lived in over a period of 15 years, and thereafter in subtle consciousness over the last 10 years, there are many experiences in life which touch a chord with the soul. Some are exciting, some adventurous, some humorous, some tearful. Given that I am now beginning to write aspects about my life, I thought I will begin and share a personal anecdote, which was quite amusing between us.
I think it was a weekend or a holiday sometime in 2008/09, since I was at home that day. Devika was in the kitchen and I was sitting on the sofa in the living room. The kitchen and the living room are adjacent at our home and actually one can look into the kitchen while sitting in the living room, and one can also directly observe the kitchen platform from the living room sofa.
It was mid-morning and Devika was cooking, and I think I was either watching TV or probably just busy with something on my laptop. Then Devika walked out of the kitchen to go into one of the rooms on the inside, and as she walked out, she instructed me to switch off the burner once I hear 3 whistles go off on the pressure cooker. She instructed me, not once but twice π. I guess she thought that twice is good enough, because I was always a diligent student when it came to doing such small bits of kitchen work for her, and I had never previously faltered π, particularly in switching off the cooker.
So, I think she was assured that instructing me twice was good enough. But I suppose fate had something different written on that day π, particularly for myself π. So here I began very carefully listening to the whistles, while still more than half engrossed in whatever it is that I was doing. The first one went off, I increased my attention, then the second one, and now I was ready for the third, and … what β¦ did you think I would have forgotten β¦ he-he β¦ I am not that stupid π. I got up as soon as I hear the third whistle and rush into the kitchen, switch off the burner and come back to the sofa all gloating in my accomplishment π.
Not only that I loudly shouted out to Devika that I have completed the task on hand, and in return I get to hear a lovely compliment from her βΊ. Now I am once again completely engrossed in whatever that I was doing π, and then β¦ the fourth whistle goes off π² which I do not hear at all π. Devika thought that it must be one of those βafter whistlesβ which go off once the burner is switched off. And then β¦ the fifth whistle goes off, again which I do not hear at all π. By then Devika has suspected something is wrong and shouts out asking if I had actually switched off the burner and I answer in the affirmative. Just then the sixth whistle goes off π and she tells me that the whistles are still going off. It is only then I realise that something is wrong, and I rush into the kitchen and as I am moving the seventh one goes off. I quickly look and realise that I had switched off the wrong burner π€¦ββοΈ and so look for the right one and switch it off.
I come and plonk myself back on the sofa and tell her what had happened. I do not hear anything back from her π, but I was glad that I switched it off in time and breathed a sigh of relief π. And just then the eighth whistle went off, which made me jump right on the sofa, proportionately far higher than the whistle on the pressure cooker π€£.
I did not know what was happening; by then Devika having lost complete confidence and faith in me rushed out and ran to the kitchen. As I saw her running into the kitchen, I also wanted to run, but in the completely opposite direction π. But there is nothing in the living room where I could either hide into or below, and at that time our attached terrace balcony was completely empty. I would have been easily noticed and going over the balcony is not an option while living on the 5th floor π.
So, I did the next best thing, feigned complete ignorance, made an innocent face and went into the kitchen and realised that I had even on the second attempt switched off an incorrect burner. Devika in her usual way was giving me a stern look and I thought I will now have to take her out for a pacifying meal π. But I could not help but think of the funnier side of what had just transpired and giggled like a child who had been mischievous but ignorant, which also made her laugh π.
But then we had to settle for an extremely well boiled meal of βdal riceβ which we ever had π. Later in the evening I did try and tell her that she had 3 burners on at the same time and that kind of put me off track, but do not think that cut any ice with her π¬.
Thereafter she was always circumspect about assigning me pressure cooker duty π.
Our journey is full of such small, simple yet profound memories, and which get etched in a way to keep playing a significant role in our life. Life is a big unknown and one never knows what and who will stay or move on. So, please keep printing such memories on your soul with the ones you love and cherish them in a big way. And always please keep smiling! π
God bless you π