A Coconut, A 70 year old woman and her Luggage

A coconut, A 70 yr old woman and her Luggage. It was a Saturday noon , I was dropping off my father who was travelling to coimbatore in a double decker train to wish an ailing aunt good health . As I sent him off , I was tempted to spend a few moments noticing life pass by. The bogies has been transformed into a billboard for the hit movie Vikram. Each bogie had Kamal Hassan’s face in various emotions and the colors were vivid . A coolie animatedly dashed with the passenger behind and aghast, wondering if they would make the train ., the coolie’s neck seemed to have vertebrae made of steel carrying bags seeming many a kilos heavy . They would haggle on the fare later but the coolie did help reach coach C9 on time ! A lady in a hoarse voice kept announcing arrivals of trains in various languages and none made sense. She needs training, I thought aloud. A sense of urgency came upon me and I couldn’t explain why but I started walking away . It was hot , humid , maybe london was callign and I was hung over . I stopped to shoot a few pictures of trains in their tracks, spent more time trying to edit and post it for many a Instagram likes and a few comments of ‘Hey that’s a nice shot’, to keep my photographers ego going high for a few days. Around the corner a lady unmistakably in her 70’s gingerly walked down the flight of stairs. A bag seemingly larger than her torso rested on her head and she carried another on her hand. My suspicions proved right when I offered to help and she replied with an accent striking of a village resident , "Please Son , do take it off" . I suddenly was transported back to my gym where I felt I was clasping an Olympic barbell in my hands with fancy weights on either side . This bag which was on her head weighed a mighty 20 kilos . I know the weight I carry very well, mind you ! I carried both her bags in either hands and set her free ., she felt relieved and I was happy at that sight. We made small talk and she said she hailed from Tiptur and was visiting her children here. She carried coconuts and coconut oil from her farm as a gift to her grandchildren . Now that! Was the 20 kilo culprit ! I had to pause every hundred metres to take a breather., while she earlier had carried it nonchalantly on her neck. It brought me shame thinking of our mutual levels of fitness . Her son who's hands were full walked a few metres ahead and seemed much older than his mother who was mostly a farmer from her younger years . She said they were taking a bus and I decided to carry her bags till the bus stop. We made small talk., she asked where I was from , I said Bangalore and then she said where in Bangalore ? I said Malleshwaram . She said oh okay., come home when you visit Tiptur! I don’t know if I’d ever go to Tiptur and if I ever did, I would never know her house nor her name but the Invitation sounded warm and I responded a , “Sure I will” We continued our chit chat while we walked out the rather unpleasantly maintained railway station into an underground which leads to the bus stand . We saw many a vendors selling bags, mobile covers and footwear at a steal of a price ! I was tempted to buy but kept walking , stopping , taking a break , a breather . The Majestic bus stop is large and after much enquiry we finally found her bus. A sigh of relief ! Yes! I could take off 35 kilos off my hands . I walked up the steps of a bus decades later and found them a seat at the far back. Having settled them all , I turned to leave . There she stood in the way , locking her gaze into my eyes . She didn’t thank me , nor did she say bye . She just took a large , perfectly round coconut out of the same bag I carried. It was from her farm ., she thrust it in my hands and said here son take this. I protested and said no please give it to your children . She did'nt reply but continued staring into my eyes with a warm smile with the coconut in her hands and a heart filled with gratitude. I bowed in respect and left , taking in the life around me and wondering why her children didn’t come in a cab to receive her . Why no one knew her pains. What parents do to their children out of innocent pure love . The love that children brush off and take for granted . I walked back the same way I came , this time spotting more life around me . Transgenders were around the corner posing as escorts to earn a living . All forms of labor have dignity. Each human being is special and unique . I kept staring at the big coconut in my hands. I had received a gift out of love . The coconut now sits in my drawing room next to my God. To the lady , I wish her a pleasant stay in Bangalore . That coconut , the 70 year old woman and her luggage. Brought me a smile as I drove back home . A short story by............ Arvind Dwarak