Thursday, April 30, 2020

Zeenia

Z is for Zeenia

Pappa has been gone for a week now. Silloo called from Toronto last night.

"Zeenia go and check the old house. See if you find the property papers there.We will need to settle . Did you find a will ?"

"No I don`t think he made a will Silloo.  He didn`t even know who he was , where he was. How would he make a will?"

"I have no option but to trust you.Check his cupboard will you ? I will call you next week again," said Silloo.

Zeenia opened Pappa`s rickety wooden cupboard. His faded white shirts were folded neatly next to a few old stained Payjamas.  She yearned for his presence when the sweet sickly smell of Ponds Talcum powder that he kept at the top shelf , hidden from plain sight, filled her entire being.She rummaged through the drawer, pushing aside a few rusted coins, dirty crumpled notes till she found the small wooden box. It creaked softly as she opened it and found what she was looking for. A huge big rusted key. The key to their house in the old mohalla.

She clasped the key and held it close to her heart as she slipped back to that terrifying day 30 years back. Mummy had collapsed and then Pappa had gone with her to the hospital in an ambulance. Silloo had shut the door and both the sisters sat huddled in a corner.Waiting. Soon it was dark and the lone bulb could do little to dispel the darkness in the house. 

"Silloo, I am hungry," Zeenia had whispered.

"There is milk." 

"Nothing to eat?"

"Maybe a slice of bread. Let me check."

"No bread also. There is a packet of parle-g. We can share."

Zeenia lips trembled as she tried to suppress the hunger gnawing her stomach.

"Dolly," Silloo whispered, Pappa will be home soon."

Tears ran down her cheeks. Silloo never called her Dolly. Only Pappa did. She knew right then that  something terrible was going to happen.

Silloo gave her 6 biscuits and a full cup of milk. But it was not enough. Never enough. She was always hungry.She wanted so much more.She finally fell off to sleep on the lumpy mattress, clutching Siloo`s hand for comfort.

It was still dark when the sweet sickly smell of Ponds talcum filled her whole body. She squinted her sleepy eyes as Pappa picked her up. She heard Silloo ask him, "Mummy is gone forever?"

"Shhshh we need to go Silloo. Hold my hand, "he whispered.

She could feel her body flap across Pappa`s shoulders as he locked the main door. 

30 years and not once did they go back. And now Silloo wanted her to go there for some property papers. How dare she ask me to face it all alone? But there was not much she could do. She shut the cupboard and walked to the window. She needed to breathe. And then she spotted Pappa`s rocking chair. She sat on it holding the key close to her heart and finally wept as she realised she was no longer Dolly. Only Zeenia.




You can read more about this family in my A2Z Challenge posts Aala and Eddie





Dear Readers..It has been a fun ride this month.I resumed blogging after a long hiatus and  enjoyed the challenge. Thank you for reading and appreciating. I will be seeing you all around. Take Care


15 comments:

Nisha said...

We are better off as children when we think we have everything. When we grow up, even if we have everything, we feel we have nothing!! No wonder everyone wants to go back to childhood.

A Lady Lawyer said...

A beautiful beautiful piece Arti.
You are a gifted storyteller and I really hope you write more.
Congratulations on successfully completing the A to Z Challenge!
www.nooranandchawla.com

my space said...

@ Nisha yes thats true

@ Noor Thanks much Noor

Sonia Dogra said...

Ah... Thank you Arti for your emotionally spun pieces. I've had a most enriching experience on your blog.

Ira Mishra said...

I just love your narrations so much... I really hope you don't stop writing and put a break to it again... You write so beautifully.. You should just keep writing more. I am glad I found your narrations in this challenge.. Will keep visiting for more :) Congratulations on successful completion of the A2Z challenge

Durga Prasad Dash said...

Interesting story. Congratulations for completing the challenge.

Cook with sweetannu said...

Loved your story and could relate to it. And my daughname is Zenia, moved to Toronto almost a year back.

my space said...

@ Ira Thank you so much Ira..I hope so too ;-) Its been a great journey..thanks to fellow bloggers like you...congrats to you too

@ Durga Thank you..Congrats to you too

@ Cook with sweetannu Really ? What a coincidence..Thank you for stopping by

Arti said...

Heartbreaking Arti.
That last line got me.

Thank you for your deeply exploratory stories. They've touched upon those aspects of our society which lay hidden under wraps for they aren't pretty or pleasant. But, more than the fluffy things, it's these that need to be aired often to shake off the centuries' old cob webs.
Well done and hope to read your words more often.
Be safe and enjoy reading those old letters in that box:)

my space said...

@Sonia Thank you so much for dropping by regularly and encouraging me

@ Arti Thanks Arti for being so encouraging. Yes we need to speak a lot more about these issues..I am glad some of these resonated with you...Oh! I love that box of letters :-)

Shweta said...

Beautifully written as always! Congratulations on finishing the A2Z challenge! Kudos to you, AtoZ survivor. :)

my space said...

@ Shweta Thank you for dropping by regularly and encouraging :-) congrats to you too!

How do we know said...

What a beautiful, beautiful piece of writing! So glad you are back!

Srivalli Rekha said...

I'm glad to have found you (or rather you found me) and even more glad that you got back to writing after a break. Congratulations on completing the challenge.
This is yet another emotionally charged story, that too in just a few words. Hope you will compile them into a book.

my space said...

@HWWK Thank you :-) happy to be back

@ Srivalli Thank you Srivalli I am glad too..Thanks so much for encouraging...maybe one day I will