Some memories fade away, while others stay much longer. Either way, keep the inner child in you alive.
It had been a couple of years since Mehr had returned to Delhi. Sitting with her windows rolled down in a cab she had hailed to get home she looked out mindlessly. Crossing the lush green lanes around Lutyens, the air filled with the intoxicating fragrance Shiuli and Saptaparni flowers brought back memories of childhood. It was that time of the year again when festivities painted the city with colors of joy and sparkles of light. Mehr took a deep breathe and sighed peacefully in the cab. It had been a beautiful day.
Early morning, it was the last working day before Diwali long break. Mehr rushed around to get dressed as it was going to be ethnic day; everyone at work was going to wear traditional Indian clothes and engage in festivities while pretending to work. HR had sent out the mails per usual of Rangoli competitions and work desk decoration. The usual hubub of any average corporate office of north India. Over the years, Mehr had experienced it enough times to know what to expect from which age group of the office.
The senior troops came in with the big guns, dawning heavy sherwanis and kanjivaram sarees which are otherwise sitting in the back of their cupboards all year round.
The new joinees would be decked up in all the latest fashion from webstores, just to be chic, and there would always be that one guy who shows up in basic formals, uninterested and complaining of the shenanigans all through and through.
Yes future zuckerburg we get it, dressing up is such a waste of your oh so precious time. But does fun have to be efficient, optimised or compressed? not for me, not around Diwali, No, nada.
Getting off of her last work call before lunch, Mehr smiled with joy. Signing off with pleasantries and wishes for the upcoming week long break, Mehr wished them all.
Gayatri, Mehr's associate walked in with a gentle knock at her door.
"Hi Ma'am, so nice to see you" Gayatri beamed with joy as she passed on a small decorative Dia to Mehr.
Gayatri was one of the most shy members on Mehr's team when she joined three years ago. With constant support and client facing tasks, she had found her confidence and her voice. Painting little things over weekends with her now two year old, Gayatri made it a point that all her company gifts carried the little spark of whimsicle which she had spent cherishing all these years.
"Oh my my my, such a lovely gift Gayatri" Mehr lit up.
Corporate gift boxes lined up a plenty for someone in her position, but it was these heartfelt gestures that would catch her off gaurd.
"Ready to roll Gayatri? brought your little bundle of joy to celebrate?" Mehr enquired.
"Not really, his dad would bring him in shortly and we shall leave soon after" Gayatri stated matter-of-factly. Becoming a mother had its own responsibilities, and kids that young can get fussy. Gayatri would not have wanted to put Aman, her toddler in a position where the entire office wants to hold him and coo at his adorable little smile. Enjoying the grand celebrations of his 2nd bday recently had been an uphill task for the poor lad.
"Just make sure you say high to Mr. and Mrs. Keith, they are coming in specially for the event. You know how important they feel giving out their blessings" Mehr and Gayatri giggled.
The Keiths were the elderly couple, and part of the board of trustees, with advanced age and a gentle heart. Often forgetting their work role, but never their kindness of heart. A mixed race couple, the choco -milk as their peers often called them.
Mrs. Keith was a generous woman with a warm comforting smile. Anyone who had ever worked with her, described her energy as that of an Indian grandma wrapped in the fierce business acumen of the 21st century Iron lady she was. She could solve your problems while making you feel heard and seen, no matter your role. She would treat all her staff with equal dignity.
The humbleness one holds with people who cannot be of benefit to them is the true character. Everything else is charade.
As Mehr was about to leave for the day, she ran into Mr. Keith, who was warmly greeting all the staff members and presenting them with their gifts for the festivities. Mehr nodded in greeting and was about to leave, her arms holding onto her handbag, laptopbag and phone, with Gayatri's dia in her hand.
Mr. and Mrs. Keith saw her, and smiled pleasantries, exchanging a few words, Mehr was about to leave, when her phone slipped out of her hands and landed on the floor.
Mr. Keith helped pick it up and noticed an Indian currency note jammed in the clear frame neatly. A little surprised by the choice of aesthetic he looked at it puzzled. Sensing his surprise, Mehr offered an explaination, "Shagun hai" realizing her arror, as milk won't understand chocolate concepts, she corrected hersel right away, "It's a gifted bill so I keep it in my phone case out of gratitude".
This was the same note, Mr. Kharbanda another elderly work senior had given to Mehr many Diwali's ago, when she was a fresher and had absentmindedly acted in a childlike manner and asked for Diwali presents on occasion. An act limited to close family members. Thinking of the long lost naivety with which she would be all childlike, Mehr sighed.
"I do understand what a Shagun is Mehr. I may not show it, but I do know chocolate culture enough by now" Mehr went pale for a second, the chocolate milk slang that the office used was known to them all along. OMG!! Mr. Keith only chuckled a little while Mrs. Keith gave a know-it-all smile. "When you are as old as we have become, things slip by unnoticed on purpose only" he winked.
Mehr could not help but laugh, this felt like a little inside moment, where the two had shed their office demeanor and let their fun side out. She was embarrsed and overjoyed, both. Setting down her bags, she talked a bit more, and shared her story with the two. How as a young, naive girl in the working world, she had shown childlike resolve and unknowingly treated a feared senior feel like family for a moment where they interacted like grandpa and child. How that one currency note had gone half way around the world with her and come back to Delhi, sitting in different phone cases just to serve a gentle reminder.
Mr. Keith shared his stories of Christmases and his love for all things Indian, his wife topping the charts with her radiant smile. There is something about festivities in India, they both marvelled with joy.
As Mehr got up to leave for home, Mr. Keith pulled out a dollar bill from his pocket, and gave it to Mehr. "Thank you for staying a little longer, and lighting our day a little brighter".
Mehr looked a little dumfounded, but before she could say anything, Mrs. Keith said, "No. You keep it. It is Diwali, and I get to spoil kids the way I like". She then moved on to Gayatri and handed two envelops to her.
On her way back home, Mehr looked at the dollar bill. Thinking of the day, the conversations and the memories. She folded it neatlly and took out her phone cover, folding the other one too. Making space for both to fit and sit, she thought of the momentary childlike warmth that had spread in her heart, she missed her grandparents. And these two instances had made her feel like a granddaughter, even if momentarily.
Unknown to her, the two elderly people who had at different occasions presented her with the two notes now sitting in her phone case, (which she refused to spend) also thought of her right before the big festival. To them she was not an employee but the young child who had reminded them of being someone more than their work titles, and actually offered them childlike love. Sometimes little gestures leave a lasting impression.
Let there be room for child like naivety, a bit of real warmth and wonder. The world is full of smartness, fill it with a little love and shared laughter from time to time.
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