Wednesday 15 February 2012

Chocolate,choclate



Well friends,
Today,I got nostalgic about the magical moments of receiving chocolates from my dad,you must be wondering what can be magical in this,so,let me relate the magic to you.As a young girl,when I was old enough to know the craze of toffees and making a demand for them,these incidences go as far as back then.I remember holding my dad's little finger in his big palm with my tiny palm walking besides him accompanying him to a small shop nearby where while he smoked off he purchased a toffee for me,yes just one and always asked me which one do you want,coconut one or Eclairs or orange toffee and I always greedily asked for all but you see dad's are always there to discipline us,so was my dad and finally he purchased only one for me lest I should disease my teeth,and then time passed by slowly and I grew up to be an adolescent,wherein the receiving of a toffee changed to receiving a chocolate and that too the big one Dairy milk if I performed well at tests otherwise a Five star was always on the monthly list of my mom's list of items to be purchased from canteen which my dad purchased from and brought home.As soon as he laid the bag full of household items on the table we both sisters rushed to find our Five stars and immediately opened it up,gave a bit of each to our parents and then had it, but then you see,as I was not very good at maths,I used to usually fail my tests and as a result .....you must be expecting that my dad would not have brought the monthly chocolate for me but no, he still brought it as he always did,but having a sense of guilt to have failed in my exam,I wouldn't rush along with my sister to grab it.But, by the end of the day my mom would ask,Divya you must have forgotten(which she knew I didn't) to take your chocolate,so I have kept it in fridge,you can have it later only to let me know that look little girl,dad might be upset with you,but he still loves you and not punished you by not bringing your share of chocolate,my dad never would come and ask me :Divya,take your five star,as it was his favourite subject I failed in,but then I still rememeber one day overhearing my dad asking my mom while opening fridge,Divya dint have her chocolate still,tell her to eat it and do better next time,which I never did I guess.....this way he kept the tradition of getting us chocolates.Soon time passed by and we both sisters started earning salaries of their own,we could afford even bigger chocolates than what our dad brought us monthly, but no, till then we sisters were thrilled in  looking for our chocolates into a bag full of teabags,washing powder,hair oil etc.But yes, from a bit of a sharing our chocolates with our parents it became a block of half chocolate being shared.Time passed by and I got married to a boy of my choice,only with my parents permission which came to my rescue at the very last moment.This decision of mine always made me feel the fear of not getting the same amount or kind of love that I received when a daughter.With this fear I visited my home all  three years of my marriage and you know what,apart from all the greetings and watching and getting involved with my mom and dad in their daily routine activity at home,the first day of my visit made me feel all was the same and they haven't changed for me,but something was missing,I dint knew what but then all of a sudden there was my dad unexpectedly leaving from home be it night,scorching day or wintery nights every day and then he would be back in a span of 15 minutes at the home gate with a tiny little packet,handing it to me and saying:That's for you,and then when I wondered what was in it,he opened it and there I saw lying among a packed plate of noodles or samosas or cream roll (all my other favourites) was my chocolate........not the big one but still that Fivestar.Time seemed to have stopped for my dad who all these three years still thinks me as his little girl who craves for Fivestar,knowing the fact that I have all the brands of chocolate preserved in my fridge almost everyday.I told him one day,daddy,why do you bring one everyday for me,I eat many when back in Singapore(Swiss ones,turkey ones and what not)but then he would say,but not "This One" Divya,"This one"I knew what he meant : I can get all varieties I want to,but, what I need only my dad can give and has been giving : My Five star.Last year,at the end of my visit and bidding my family goodbye,I reached home along with my husband,but I was surprised to find only my mom.Where was my dad?My mom said,he has gone out on his routine walk will be back soon,but that annoyed me and I asked my mom, he knows I am leaving tonight and in an hour,he should have been here,couldn't he break his routine one day for me and I called up my dad and shouted at him : Daddy,when are you coming home,I want you right away,daddy,I am leaving,please comeback,I want to spend some time with you.He would say:I am coming in another 15 minutes and going by his word,he arrived at the end of 15 minutes,my husband opened door for him,I rushed to attack him with my complaints but then when I saw him,my dad,grey haired,frail still holding on to the same but new tiny little packet : I was speechless,but, I said,dad today also you have brought all my favorite eatables,I don't need them, I needed you,but,then he said : Divya,my child,this is what has kept me connected to you since you were a baby in my lap to a lady today standing before me:Giving you these each day,makes me feel you are still my little one,holding onto my little finger asking for a toffee.....and I was just left speechless with all the years of my receiving my share of chocolates from my childhood to womanhood pass by me in a flash.I still have Swiss,Turkish,almonds,peanuts and mostly all kinds of chocolates stacked up in my fridge,but,the thrill of looking for a chocolate in a bag filled with other items,the pride in receiving it,the happiness of opening the wrapper is missing.....and that has made Five star my favourite chocolate but only the one which my dad brings for me,you might feel it strange but it tastes better than other chocolates and I guess now you know why :)
"Dad, if I have ever asked for the greatest gift from God,I got it in form of you."Dad,I love you :)

3 comments:

  1. Loved it...I cried reading this. Touching....I shld say. Made me miss my DAD.

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  2. sorry ..... i read it now completely....

    ReplyDelete