Lift

The cooker let out the last whistle. The vapor coming out of it disappeared in the air, leaving the aroma of sambar. The wrinkled hands filled every box in the lunch carrier with her scrupulously prepared meal. She finally packed the boxes in the hot pack so it does not get cold prior to reaching the receiver. Before leaving the house, she checked herself one last time in the mirror. The once-new pink chiffon saree was now faded. Very few black hairs peeped out from her head. The time has crushed her skin with lines all over her body. Yet she still smiled and hid the little hole in her saree over the shoulder by fleeting it inside.

The corridor was the same as it was all the years, Empty! With hundreds of homes in this high-raised tower and thousands of souls residing inside them, she felt alone. She wanted her companion back. A few months before, this time of the day, her routine was to make herbal tea and drink it with her mate. She missed the little conversations they used to have, the silly fights over nothing and the never-ending love they shared. She punched the circle and patiently looked at the numbers until they descended to 20.

This was the favorite part of her day in recent times. She eagerly waited for someone to greet her with a warm smile. She neither knows them nor tries to make acquittances. All she wanted to do was exchange smiles just to be their known stranger for a few minutes. But the box kept moving down past 5 numbers without stopping anywhere. She got a little sad about her luck today. Looking at the floor she thought about the long ride she had to take in this hot weather. It was then the doors opened and the little feet walked into it. She abruptly gleamed at the little creature. But the creature never looked back. Its eyes were stuck down to the bat it was holding. She wasn’t disappointed but rather felt the warmth of sharing the space with someone. She smiled and continued staring at the floor. The box resumed its process of moving down. She thought about the evening ride back home amidst the busy streets. She always liked crowded places with mortals busy walking across the streets. Her glimpses of crowded visions diffused in the air by the squeaky voice.

“Didn’t you notice?” The little creature started talking in its soft voice.

She answered baffled, “What?”

“The lift, it is not moving. It is on the same floor for the past few seconds.”

“Oh really?” She looked confused at the screen. The number was pinned to 7. “Oh yes, it is not changing.”

“Uffff…. I know that” The tiny one answered annoyed.

“Let me call the watchman for help”, she neatly took out her Nokia 105 from the phone holder in her lunch bag and a pocket phonebook. After a little search by flipping the brown pages, she finally found the number. Each time she pressed a key the device beeped.

“Do the companies even manufacture these phones still?” The creature's eyes looked both surprised and confused. But definitely, it still looked annoyed.

The lady gave an embarrassing smile and continued to dial looking from the phonebook.

“The is no network” She finally declared after a few unsuccessful attempts.

“I know the phones go to an emergency inside the lift,” The creature said proudly with a smirk.

“What do we do now?” The lady asked confused.

“We wait. The same happened last week when I was getting down with Krish. After a few minutes, it automatically resumed.”

“Oh, did you talk about the incident to the watchman or your mom about this?” The lady now looked at the little boy wholly. He was tiny wearing an oversized white t-shirt and blue track pants. He was holding an MRF cricket bat half of his size.

“No” The little boy sighed. He seemed like a proud creature.

“Why? What if it doesn’t move and we get stuck here?” She was a little worried now.

“Then we remain here until someone finds us. That’s all.”

“No Kanna, this is very wrong. Think of your mom, wouldn’t she be worried if you went missing or something happens to you?”

“She would be fine with it, I guess” He spoke softly.

“Why do you even say something like that? Whatever your mom says or does it is for your good.” She looked at his pride etched for the first time since he walked in.

“Ugh, the dialog doesn’t change even a bit. You moms are all the same.” He seemed irritated.

She was, first of all, happy that someone after a long time in this gigantic tower was talking to her. She was having a real conversation with someone after many months besides the ones she has with the watchman, driver, and the nurses at the hospital. So, she did not want him to dislike her. She pumped up some energy and spoke.

“Well, I guess so. I agree we are boring sometimes. But you know we cannot help it. I think this is the way you will also behave when you become an adult.”

“Come on, another repeated one” He rolled his eyes at her and continued, “When you become a father, you will also do the same to your kid. What do you guys even think of me? Do you think I am an evil-hearted person like you all are? I would never scold him for his grades and get him all the toys in the world. Why would I even think of hurting such an innocent little one?” He ranted.

“So does your mom scolds you for scoring low grades in exams?” She was finally getting some hints about the tiny creature’s sullen face.

“Ufff! Yeah. You know the guy Steve Jobs???” the boy raised his head pointing his eyes right at hers.

“Well… I think I have heard his name somewhere?” she asked puzzled.

“He founded Apple. Do you know iPhone? He made them.” The boy was showing off his literacy skills to the old woman who stood looking at him as it was all Greek and Latin.

“Anyways, they showed us a film of him last week at school. Do you know that he dropped out of school and founded Apple?”

Now she knows where the smart little head was taking the conversation. She immediately responded, “But there are so many great people who did well in their school. If you take like our APJ Abdul Kalam…”

“There it goes… AAA PPP JJJ Abduull Kaalaam… I know, I know, Ok. That he didn’t have proper food to eat, enough space to study, blah, blah… I have heard this story a hundred times from my mom and dad. Don’t you adults have any other example” He huffed and looked elsewhere.

“Whatever you may say Kanna, whatever your mom does for you is always good.” She actually liked his annoying reactions. He looked very cute especially when he rolled his eyes at her now.

“Do you think making me write the wrong word 25 times is for my good? It is torture. She always makes me do hard things.” He ranted and punched the down-arrowed button on the wall.

“Ok let me ask you something. Do you know songbirds?” she looked at his still annoyed face.

“Songbirds???” He asked uninterestingly.

“Yes, once they give birth to their little birdies they take care of them so well. They feed them excellent food and pamper them all the time. But do you know what they do when the little birdies grow a little?” She used her storytelling skills of pitch and tone to give it a little dramatic effect.

“What do they do?” The boy asked intrigued.

“They push their babies out of the nest.” She said it strongly and quickly.

“What? Why would they do that?” The boy’s eyes were fixed on hers.

She said in a proud tone realizing finally she got his attention, “Because you know when the birdies grow bigger there is a chance that wild birds might spot them and eat. So, the mother bird pushes the little ones to go find themselves a hiding spot. She always wanted her kids to be safe. The mother just does everything because she loves her children.”

“And what would the little birds do after that?” he asked innocently.

“They will learn to survive in the real world. That is why the mother birds be hard on them.” She finished triumphantly.

“Hey look the numbers are moving” he pointed at the screen with his little fingers.

Both looked at the numbers scrolling and eagerly waiting to part ways. She was so excited that she had an amazing conversation to share with her fellow housemate currently lying numb in the hospital. She smiled to herself about this beautiful conversation and ironed the fleets of saree on her shoulder ready to pop out of the machine.

“Do you also have kids?” the little voice squeaked again.

“Yes, of course!” She answered with pride and sadness. “He was a topper at school too. I used to scold him as your mom does. But now you know, because of that, he is working in a very big company in the United States.”

“He is not here?” the boy now wiped his sweaty fingers on his pants.

“No, as I said, mothers love their children and be hard on them to bring them up well. But the little birdies never realize that.” Her tone was soft and half swallowed.

The lift doors slid opposite to open. The woman took out a small purse from her lunch bag and was ready to move out to start her day after the boy. The little creature lifted the bat with little pressure and said, “So do you mean mother birds want their little birds to come back to them after they become strong?”

She didn’t expect this coming. She slightly opened her mouth with no words to utter when the call distracted both of them.

“Hey Madur!!!” the voice echoed in the parking. “We are waiting for you to start the match.”

The little creature slowly moved away from here with his tiny steps tagging along the heavy bat with him. All she heard was a “Byeeeee” as she stood there motionless for a minute. Then slowly she resumed her recent routine by first smiling at the watchman at the gate.