Old is indeed Gold

“My grandfather was a very respected person. You know he got his job because of his good handwriting. He had an old bottle of wine which was gifted to him by his colleague. My grandfather did not drink, however the gift still remains today. He was an avid reader and had a huge collection of books. Even in those days, he fell in love with my grandmother and they got married. My grandmother was an epitome of beauty and even after years when I still saw her even I was awestruck by her beauty. Dadu loved her a lot.”

He was speaking of his ancestors. I had always loved listening of those golden old days. Even when my gharwalas used to describe about their childhood, I listened with great love. It is mesmerizing to listen to such stories. The beauty of those days is incomparable to anything. He was chirping with happiness as he said all this. I could imagine his joyful face and his dreamy eyes as he spoke of his grandparents. He kept on speaking and I listened. And not only did I listen I imagined. And my imagination knew no bounds.

Every time I listen to stories of the good old days, it always makes me want to fly away to those days. Those black and white days which had much more color than today’s ever busy society. Those days when children’s day just did not mean another school holiday. When there were no fake smiles and corrupted people. When lives were simple and good.

His voice brought me back from my dreamland. His voice was still dreamy like with a drop or two of honey. I seized the moment and expressed my desires.

“Let’s run away to some mountain where we can have a small hut and a cow”, I said. “We would have two or three kids. You would go to office and I would stay back at home and cook for you and our kids. In the evening you would read me poems and I would lay there in your lap listening to it. When you would have a day off we would cook together. Someday we would just be lazy and make hand painting. Giggle with our kids and help them with their school projects. When beauty would mean the twinkle in our lifeless eyes and the tease in the voice. Bake cakes together and decorate it with yellow sugar flowers.  Wouldn’t life be beautiful? I just want to live such a life so much……” and my voice trailed off.

He was giggling from the other side of the phone. Then he said,” Sob thik ache, but I doubt you can handle a cow on your own”.

And both of us burst out laughing.