Sweetness of coffee- coffee tales
Sunday afternoon stretched
With silence of the afternoon siesta
Baby finally asleep
A lull between meals ,
A pause in the hustle,bustle
Of a joint family
So different from afternoons at home
As a only child,a nuclear family
And yet,she loved belonging to this large,loving clan
A bride, few months old
Though she may be
Siblings,sharing,teasing
Longing of a childhood,fulfilled
Nearly three, put down her book, yawned
Soon her mother in law would carry
Steaming coffee to Thatha, the family patriarch
Tiffin time in the Iyer household
Never began without serving him first
A frugal, religious, reserved man
Intimidating, for the respect he commanded
Afternoon coffee was his one indulgence
He looked forward to
She could hear him shuffling in his room
She peeked into her mother in law's room
Who was lost to the world, in deep sleep
She had been up with her sister-in-law
And the baby most of the night
Something in the kindly face
Reminded her of her own mother
Quietly resolved to make Thata's coffee
Entered the kitchen with some trepidation
Through her many degrees,
Cooking had always come second
Filter kaapi , an art form
In many South Indian households
Was not her forte
A couple of tablespoons coffee powder
Heaped ,packed but not too tight
Came a vague memory in her mother's voice
Add the hot water and wait
For it to percolate
Heat the milk ,watch that one
Came the memory of her grandma's laughing voice
It is very naughty, likes to boil over
When your back is turned
Filter Kaapi finally ready
She went quietly to Thata's room
Amma is tired , still sleeping
She murmured to a surprised Thatha
Sunday afternoon stretched
With silence of the afternoon siesta
Baby finally asleep
A lull between meals ,
A pause in the hustle,bustle
Of a joint family
So different from afternoons at home
As a only child,a nuclear family
And yet,she loved belonging to this large,loving clan
A bride, few months old
Though she may be
Siblings,sharing,teasing
Longing of a childhood,fulfilled
Nearly three, put down her book, yawned
Soon her mother in law would carry
Steaming coffee to Thatha, the family patriarch
Tiffin time in the Iyer household
Never began without serving him first
A frugal, religious, reserved man
Intimidating, for the respect he commanded
Afternoon coffee was his one indulgence
He looked forward to
She could hear him shuffling in his room
She peeked into her mother in law's room
Who was lost to the world, in deep sleep
She had been up with her sister-in-law
And the baby most of the night
Something in the kindly face
Reminded her of her own mother
Quietly resolved to make Thata's coffee
Entered the kitchen with some trepidation
Through her many degrees,
Cooking had always come second
Filter kaapi , an art form
In many South Indian households
Was not her forte
A couple of tablespoons coffee powder
Heaped ,packed but not too tight
Came a vague memory in her mother's voice
Add the hot water and wait
For it to percolate
Heat the milk ,watch that one
Came the memory of her grandma's laughing voice
It is very naughty, likes to boil over
When your back is turned
Filter Kaapi finally ready
She went quietly to Thata's room
Amma is tired , still sleeping
She murmured to a surprised Thatha
With a small,shy smile
Appa,I am so sorry, I don't know how I overslept
Her mother in law came in quickly
It is all right, the child has already taken very good care of me
You rest, you have a lot on your hands
With a grateful smile,a quick caress
Her mother in law bustled out
To get tiffin ready
For her large, hungry brood
Thatha finished his Kaapi with a smile
Was it all right ?, she asked
I have never made kaapi before
Tumbled out the confession
Very good, very good for first time
Next time,sweeten it with some sugar
As well as your smile
He replied quietly
Twinkling at his granddaughter in law's aghast face .
--shubha
Appa,I am so sorry, I don't know how I overslept
Her mother in law came in quickly
It is all right, the child has already taken very good care of me
You rest, you have a lot on your hands
With a grateful smile,a quick caress
Her mother in law bustled out
To get tiffin ready
For her large, hungry brood
Thatha finished his Kaapi with a smile
Was it all right ?, she asked
I have never made kaapi before
Tumbled out the confession
Very good, very good for first time
Next time,sweeten it with some sugar
As well as your smile
He replied quietly
Twinkling at his granddaughter in law's aghast face .
--shubha
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