The list - A short story

"Yes dad!"
"I want to go out for a walk."
"Are you sure dad?"
"Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"
"Its really chilly outside and I don't want you catching a cold."
"Let's go"
"OK dad."

He was surprised I could see that. A sure sign of his father slipping into senility? The question write largely on his face. I smiled.

"Why don't you wrap this around?"
"I don't need it!"
"Dad! Please!"
"All right"

We stepped out. Yes, it was cold. But nothing that I could not manage.

"Careful dad. The step is uneven."
"Its fine. I fixed it yesterday"

I knew he was staring at me incredously. I did not look at him. Did not want to increase his discomfiture.

"Oh! So you got the good-for-nothing caretaker finally got around to doing it then?"
"No, I did it myself."

Suddenly I was alone. My son had stopped. On the step I had fixed.

"You did all this yourself?"
"Yes..."
"But dad...I mean..why? when one of us could have gotten it done."
"Let's go."

"You want go go back dad?"
"No, I am fine"
"We have to walk all the way back you know"
"Yes, I know!"

Silence. All around. Just the shuffling of the feet. An unsure shuffle from my own and a more pronounced one from my son's. On and on and on.

"Dad what are you doing?"
"I am walking..."
"Why are you tiring yourself like this? You know you are going to ache all over for weeks.."
"Yes, I know"

Silence. Once again. All around. Just the shuffling of the feet. My son's unsure shuffle, a disgruntled one even, joining mine.


"Ok let's go back"
"Finally? Are you sure you can make it dad?"
"Yes, I am sure"
"I could call for my wife to come get us you know"
"Let's go"

The step came into view.
"I still cannot believe that you could get into all that trouble. The caretaker could have so easily fixed it...Dad where are you going?"
"Hello Mr. Mehta. How have you been?"


A pleasant 15 minute conversation with the neighbour.

"Let's go in."

"Good morning dad"
"Good morning"
"Breakfast's ready dad"
"Thank you dear."

Paratha and some vegetable curry. Laid out neatly on the table.

"Do you like it dad?"
"Its perfect" Finishing it all up.

"Dad's been acting weird today" I heard him saying to his wife. "Could you please keep a close watch over him. Do not like this sudden change in him."

*tring,tring*
"Hello..."
""
"Yes he is doing fine. He has been up in his room almost all day. I checked on him a couple of times. Nothing seems to be amiss."
""
"Don't worry I shall"
*click*

*tring,tring*
"Yes he's there. Yeah sure...let me check"
""
"He seems to be sleeping"
""
"I'll be sure too..."

*tring, tring*

I was too tired to even eavesdrop. I knew it had to be my daughter. I pretended to be asleep, yet again.


"Good evening dad."
"Hello son."
"So how was your day?"
"Uneventful. How was yours?"
"Wasn't bad. Hey listen dad, do you want me to take you out somewhere?"
"I am fine."

My son. Doing his best. My daughter-in-law doing her best. My other children doing their best. Everyone doing their best. Yet the emptiness remains. How could I forget that they had just carried her away not a fortnight ago? The woman who had lived and walked with me every step of the way. She had stopped breathing a couple of weeks back and my life, as I knew it ended abruptly. No longer was there a hot cup of coffee waiting for me early in the morning, as I emerged from the bathroom. No longer could I turn a deaf ear to her incessant nagging of what all remained to be done the day before and what all had been added to the list to be done for today as I would lurk behind the newspaper. No longer would I be able to taste the omelette she had perfected to my taste that she would prepare for breakfast. No longer could I grumble to her about the change in the breakfast menu when she would just get tired of repeating the same thing every single day. No longer could I glare at her as she would hand me the things to be done for the day. No longer could I pick up the phone knowing fully well who it was at the other end. No longer could I make an excuse for a thing not done that had featured on her to-do list. I clutched the list close to my heart...a hand written one. Her last.


1.Fix the step.
2.Take a long walk.
3.Welcome the new neighbours.
4.Finish your breakfast even if it is not omelette and toast.
5.Give me some peace.

Finally! For the first time in my life, I could rest assured that I had taken care of everything on her list.