One very fine morning, actually a fine Valentine’s day morning…. Vamsi gets up early, sneaks into kitchen and starts searching something. His 20-year old son, Teja, working in early hours comes looking for the source of noise. He is surprised to find his father. He asks his father what’s this all about?
Vamsi replies “A small gift for your mother on this valentine’s day.”
“Are you gonna fix breakfast today?” he asks skeptically.
“Not actually I’m trying to make coffee. Do you know where coffee powder is?”
“What!! Just coffee…. I didn’t expect your gift to me soooo small”, Teja Tsk-Tsks his father shaking his head. He hands over the sachet.
“You never know how big a coffee could be. If I write my story I will dedicate a chapter to coffee.” he says reading instructions on the instant coffee powder sachet.
“A chapter just for coffee as if its your first girlfriend”
Vamsi opens his mouth to say something and then backs off muttering “you won’t understand”, emptying the contents of sachet into mug.
“Try me”, his son challenges.
Vamsi lets out a sigh and continues, “I met your mom for the first time in her house carrying a coffee tray shyly. She is just like freshly roasted coffee beans…… ok just kidding. The first coffee by her hand … wonderful. The very first meeting coffee
“After marriage she made me another, the first in my house. It tasted a bit different and slightly immature. Then she confessed the previous coffee was by her mother. This is her first time making one….. Genuine wali coffee
“She soon became a pro. Every morning its her coffee I wake up for…. Good Morning wali coffee
“I come in the evening totally put off by the work and then she brings the aromatic coffee…. Stress Relief wali coffee
“Whenever we get a free time we sit together with fresh coffee in our hands and speak our hearts out…. Chit Chat wali coffee
“On any occassion, if we quarrel upon something, she brings me coffee places it silently before me and leaves. We drink our respective coffees individually and think over the quarrel. That lets us end up in compromise almost every time…. silence breaking wali coffee
“My achievement gets treated by her delicious coffee…. success wali coffee
“For every good happened in this family, a bunch of friends and relatives will be invited over…. celebration wali coffee
“Moving out to new place, welcoming neighbors, making friends…. bonding wali coffee
“Not just these, this coffee has become
Support wali coffee
Romantic wali coffee
Caring wali coffee
Sharing wali coffee…. and what not? That’s why I want to cherish this special moment with this mug of coffee. Now do you understand?”
Teja wearing an impressive smile on his face, says, “From now on, I will view coffee in a new light. Thanks for enlightening me coffee baba. Now the matter on greeting card for my valentine is ready.”
Having completed making coffee, Vamsi gave a thumbs up and takes out the mug for his wife. Just before he leaves the kitchen, Teja asks, “So, is this coffee proposal wali?”
“No, promise wali.” he answers.
Teja follows his father to their room and stays outside listening while his father says to his mother who just woke up, “All these years, your hands made the coffee of my life. Every time i look forward to one I actually look for your hands which remained soft despite carrying all the responsibility of house. Due to all my work I couldn’t find time to love you enough. That’s why I took retirement. Now that I am retired, this is a promise I make you to cherish every moment with you. To take care of you. To become that hot coffee in your mug which brings a smile on your face and become peace of your mind.” With that he blows the coffee in the spoon and takes it to her mouth. She sips it happily as a tear falls on her paralyzed hand which went unnoticed .
–END–
