Member-only story
Empty Nest Series — 21 — I am proud of you.
Nonmembers please read here.
My offspring turns 21. The legal age for many things.
As his apooppa would have urged him, now you can marry and give him his great-grandkids. And we know your response to it.
You have taken the good and the bad from many of the people around you. Actually, you have been raised by many around, just as they say, a kid is raised by the village. I would attribute a lot to many of those helps who had been around you, Aji, from whom you learned the first words of Malayalam, saramilla .. which you used to say after getting hurt to self. Kanchana Chechi, whose softness was unparalleled, was so relieving to have her around.
Your Maami, for whom you are the apple of her eyes. She is still your greatest cheerleader and admirer. She still remembers more of your young age stuff than most of us. In my frenzy to be at work and being there for you, I did miss out a lot in those times, which she gladly filled in, and I was so relieved she was around. And your Mamma for your evening fun.
Your Apooppa, who was retired by then and most times was around you for your rides to early school days. Your Dadu was very excited to see his grandson, but couldn’t make it; his presence was felt from your papa’s reminiscence of his eminent ways to being a parent. But…
