Nisha

Nisha held the heating pad against her body and pressed it hard to feel the heat. It was biting cold and the heating device was not that easy to use. Nisha had to keep the switch of the gadget pressed for the current to flow uninterrupted.It was ordered by her shopaholic daughter through some on-line sky-shopping outlet which fascinated her to no end.Nisha's protestations always went over deaf ears.It petered into a sort of persistent nagging which finally got reduced to low whimpering by her daughter's one loud outburst which challenged her to try any trick to stop her from making forays into the enchanting world of merchandise.she would back out seeing her daughter's throbbing temple veins and her fiery looks.She was her only child much much pampered and precious, therefore she let it be. But then it was a big problem to make use of all the assorted items.This one gadget she was using now was one such item.The winter was turning unbearable for her. She wanted some heating device which made her warm effortlessly.Her maid who shared the morning tea with her ,noticing her discomfort ,told her to buy a blower from the market.''But what about the electricity bill'' she mumbled .She imagined the hassle free gadget sending hot air and making her warm and cozy.

To-day her daughter had promised her that she would drive her to her uncle's place.Nisha had a soft corner for her uncle.He was a very successful entrepreneur who rose in life by dint of his hard work and mental acumen.She sought him out to experience the exhuberance of a consummate life which had passed through the turbulence of a struggling yet insanely ambitious man.And thus she would also spend some time in the aura of an intellectual sophistry.Her daughter was sharp at finding ways and remembering the routes.She could navigate through any labyrinths without any fear or hitch.Her driving was effortless and without any hullabaloo.Nisha felt relaxed and flowed with the smooth flow of her daughter's steering the vehicle.She never broached a subject which could pique her daughter,especially regarding her health or overspending.Otherwise she was cool and collected and enabled her to feel so.

They reached her uncle's house in time.It was quite sunny outside.But inside it was mortally cold.The big living -room with its multi-layered settings could not yield some warm niche to her.She could not find any heating device too.Her daughter was quite chirpy with her cousin.She could feel her mother's discomfiture but she did not let it show.The food was great-to her taste as she was telling them.But uncle was nowhere to be seen.He had taken up some new project as they said.Her spirits fell.she left the dining table while her daughter was busy discussing with her cousin.She huddled in the corner of the sofa and tried to squeeze some warmth from her clothing and asked her aunt to give her a cup of hot tea,meanwhile she happened to look at the metallic statue of the laughing Buddha which was placed on the side table.She touched it and tried to pick it up in her hand.It was quite heavy and while doing so ,suddenly, she saw the maid lurking nearby and looking at her suspiciously.She made her feel like a thief.It was a thrilling situation for Nisha.She put the statue back in its place giving the maid an assuring look that she was not to steal it.The absurdity of the situation became the only reality of the moment.

She could hear her daughter still contending her point of view.She tried to listen.

''But Bhaiya how can you say that the poor are less poor than they were before the globilization took place?''

''well,well I can see the change all over.''

He was waxing eloquent but was a little incoherent.He was pulling at the luscious fleshy chicken leg feverishly to let the whole chunk go into his mouth.His eyes were half closed and cheeks flushed.He tried to make his point but Nisha's daughter was enumerating the innumerable examples from the real life situations which proved that the poor were worse off than before.That very point of time the servant came to remove some dishes which he thought were done with.But she saw her cousin flashing him a red eye and with a steely voice he told him to stop.The servant felt shaky and withdrew quietly.Their conversation continued without this interlude affecting the flow.But Nisha felt disturbed.She gave the servant a deep concerned look.He looked shabby ,as if he had not bathed since long.He remained away from her cousin's sight but very much in the vicinty as not to miss his call.His gnarled fingers and knotty hand remained skewed to one side.He was quite elderly but his demeanour corroded on the respect which is due to any elderly person.She could wait no longer and it was getting dark.She called her daughter who was finding it difficult to get disengaged from the discussion and who seemed to be adamant to prove her point.Nisha put a break to it and they left in the cold breeze of wintry evening.