Was my last day at my apartment in kakkanad. My roommates were already gone.., and i had my stuff to pack and set off early next morning with a train to catch at 9:40 am.
Though I had stayed at apartments in different places and shifted numerous times, this time I was the one who was left behind. In all other places, I had my roommates to help me with the packing.., and to give me farewells and share a hug.. I was kept busy with talking and planning and action.. Now, I had an entire night to myself with a yawning hall.. void of the TV, shoe rack and all the familiar furniture.
I had time to do the packing and a lot of time to think. Our walls are painted with the pale shade of apple green, but it was the first time I noticed the brighter fern green trimmed wall edges after having lived in it for almost 2 yrs. I had always ranted about the apartment..,starting from the low-quality electric wiring done bcoz of which we had numerous short circuit instances.. Once it ruined a handy electric lamp given to be by my thoughtful aunt who knew my late-night reading habits. Then there was the rat problem.., from the fear of which I always kept my room door closed. There were so many many things about the apartment that I cribbed about.
But here I was feeling heavy-hearted.. running my hand over the bare walls of my room. I realized I had been happy in that apartment.. it was my home away from home. All along when I consciously ranted about its problems, subconsciously I was enjoying my moments there.. And now I was leaving.., undecided as to where I would be shifting to when I get back to ernakulam after a 1-week home visit.
And there lay my table with an assortment of my worldly possessions.. a small wooden jack-in-a-box thing I got from Delhi on a family trip, a Calvin & Hobbes gifted by an old friend, a painting of Calvin & Hobbes done by an old colleague when she got to know how much I enjoyed the comic strip.. This painting was stuck on my wall to cheer me up when I wake up in the morning.. and which now lay as a roll of paper after i detached it from the wall...Then a cheap plastic pink ball at the end of a string that lights up when u fling it around.., which I had got from the beach.. A lavender Tupperware tall glass which had some urukku velichenna prepared for me by my mom.. I had already shifted most of my stuff in periodical home visits done earlier.. Now with the remaining stuff, I had a tough time sorting out what things to leave behind and what to carry with me.. And as I sifted through it all.., I realized there was not a thing I could lay aside. Everything meant something.., every object had memories attached..
I dint get to sleep that night.. packing away.. resting.. thinking.. and packing away.. The next day I rolled out on an autorickshaw.. Every memory was taken care of, safe in my baggage.. weighing me down but safe and cherished.
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