Appa....

My Appa was probably the fittest I have ever known, seen and if you met him you would never have imagined that he would be sick.....he was this tall, strong and a person with abundance of energy. But it happened...one Thursday afternoon.. he was dead.. as cold as ice and as rigid as wood...he was goneeee. He was in his 40's only. It was THE darkest day of my life. I remember amma trying to wake him up as my bro and I were standing next to her not knowing if this was really true, so eager was our eyes to see him wake up...but he didn't and never did he wake up.....by that time he was far far away...flying with the beautiful angels...gone with a 1-way ticket to heaven. I remember my mum collapsing...we were scared and we were crying as if the skies fell upon us... neighbors were the only solace at that time, having family back in canada.......one by one many came in...but appa wasn't waking up...someone called up the emergency and they came by and took him away...that was the last time he slept in that bed oh his, in our house... I was still having hopes that he would come back alive...I never thought he was dead...state of denial....I thought he was in some coma and that he will come back all smiles telling us that it was just a micro-sleep...instead later that night.. he came back but in a coffin...I remember not being able to comprehend that he was actually no more... he was gone, never to come back...just like that.

All I have now is his memory..they are more than beautiful memories...I remember my father's beautiful grin...his 1 sided dimples that i inherited..the fair skin...the tall handsome guy that everyone used to admire...the smile that warmed many hearts...the hands that helped a thousands...the heart that was made of gold...how he never said No to anyone who came in search of his help...the way everyone respected him...the social animal he was...the times when he would come in his bike to pick us up from school...the way he patted my shoulders every now and then...the way he used to encourage me to help people...the way he used to sit on the sofa between me and my bro and hugged us both with his strong arms...the way he used to sing with his beautiful deep voice...his signature...the talented artist he was..his incredible sketches and paintings he did.......the way he used to be so proud of me when I did well in exams... how he encouraged me in singing....the way he used to attend every Prize Giving in school, sit there and clap not only when I got on stage but for every other prize winner...the beautiful dresses he bought me on my bdays...when he used to laugh aloud even the watchman can hear....his sense of humor....how we used to watch war movies together...how he admired Clint Eastwood and Sean Connery.....biggest Micheal Jackson fan he was( think he had most of his records) how he used to take our dog and us for a nice walk every morning to the beach.... the arugambul juice..tennicoit....times when he used to go ballistic with mum...the way he drove me to my friends' bday parties...the way he asked what's for dinner...how he combed my hair.....the way he beamed at me when I came home from school...how he always looked good...his fav Crocodile t-shrits (as i call his Polo shirts coz they had this small crocodile thingy in them)...how he chilled with his friends over a beer or two...how he always wanted to know what we did and if everything was ok...his love for good music...times he played cricket with us...how games we played when there was a powercut.. the entire colony wud land up at our house for his entertainment....how he used to bring yummy take-away especially for my mum since she was a restaurant junkie...the way he really enjoyed life no matter what till his last day on Earth...the way he used to be there...just be there...what happened to you that afternoon appa?