It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. The sun was not that scorchy as a mild shower of rain had just dressed the earth. I was returning home from my daughter’s school as she had half a day. The smell of wet earth was still fresh. Jammy, my best friend, was also with us. His health had been in bad shape since morning and so I had decided to take him to a specialist on my way back from school. I felt bad that I had delayed this from my side for a long time, as he had been showing signs of bad health for months. I had postponed this activity for several weekends as I was busy with my job and other chores. Despite his ill health, he was always giving me company when I wanted to and that made me feel guilty too. I shared this feeling with my daughter while driving back home and she laughed. I was sure anyways that she would not be able to understand my relationship with Jammy.
In a few minutes we met a specialist. He made Jammy rest on a long inspection table and inspected him in detail. He told me that one of Jammy's precious body parts had to be replaced through an operation. It was just not possible to continue anymore with the old part. The specialist wanted my decision. I watched Jammy with all empathy as he lay there. A small surgery had to be done to put the new part in place. I felt that Jammy was trying to tell me silently that he wanted to live with whatever defect that was there in him, as changing those parts would give him an odd look and would also give him pain. I thought for a while, looked at him for some time and then decided to go ahead with the operation. The specialist took him with him. It was a difficult decision to make, but I thought that it would be good for Jammy's life in this world, to remain as someone worth.
My daughter and I waited with patience for the operation to get over. After a while the specialist showed me, Jammy lying on a distant table in a corner. He lay there with the new part in place. I felt sad for him as the new part on him looked a little odd. I could sense that he was upset. But life had to move on. I patted him and consoled him. Soon I took him and got into my car. I directed my daughter to take the front seat next to our car driver, while I sat alone on the back seat with Jammy on my lap. I wanted him to be with me as I felt that that would console him. We started our journey back home and thoughts of our good old days while together ran through my mind. My daughter soon got engrossed in a book that she had and was totally oblivious of what was running through my mind.
I met Jammy first in the month of May 2003 in Kolkata, where I was on a work deputation. We have been together ever since. Jammy has seen me cry aloud while being alone at home and filled with heavy emotions. I had cried like that earlier, only when I was a little kid and that too when my father punished me and I found it difficult to take that punishment emotionally. But sometimes it’s so refreshing to cry like a kid when you are old too. And Jammy had given me good company during those tense periods of tears, even though he would be quiet right through. And after that, together we would make music, and he would submit himself to me and we would delve into a different world. There were times when Jammy was my only company, when no one around could understand what I was going through. It is because every human encounters situations that only he alone will understand in its full gravity. There will be no one else who will be able to understand the same matter in that same breadth and depth. Jammy has seen me in my most vulnerable moments. Even today he gives me company in such times. It is true that he is a kind of dumb partner, but when we work together, he ensures that my mind is alleviated of all burdens and hate.
Yes, Jammy, my guitar, was not in good shape and I had to attend to him. He may appear to be a little odd in his looks now with the new tuning key in place. One of those beautiful old tuning keys has gone. But he is going to give me fine music again, when I start playing him. He has endured this surgery of changing the old tuning key at the music store quietly for my sake. I could have always left him in that old state, but we wouldn't have been able to make music together. We make a great team. Jammy!!! My stringed friend!!! My musical breath for life!!!
POEMS OF LOST LOVE
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2 comments:
Is Jammy your cat chetan? Is she still alive chetan?
Thusant Verghese
ഹലോ തുഷാന്ത്, കഥയുടെ അവസാന ഭാഗത്ത് ജാമി ആരാണെന്നതിന്റെ വിശദാംശങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ട്.
ആശംസകൾ
റോയ്
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