In Fond Memory Of - Mambu

Every family has their pet story. Some have more than one.Mine have loads. These have been told and re-told at all those family re-unions, where extended family get together to have biriyani and wash it down with Kawa. This is one of the all-time favs..

The Venue: "Mambu", Mamma's mayka
The cast:
Ikka @ 6 yrs - My brother, 9 years elder to me and the proud father of my 3 year old niece Ammu
Shameer Kaka @ 2 yrs- My most lovable cousin, who got engaged recently to an equally lovable girl
Baappa - My late grandfather, extremely loving but with a very short temper and a voice with a built-in amplifier.
Props - A dark green rotary dial telephone, on a wooden wall-mounted telephone stand

This story is set in the early 1980's when the family was still "joint". Long before cordless phones became a necessity, and phone numbers in Calicut were still in 5 digits, the single phone in Mambu was an object accorded great reverence by the residents. It was placed on a wooden wall-mounted telephone stand, high above the reach of mortals below 5 ft in height. It was a relatively calm evening, everyone was busy - Baappa in his office room, the ladies in the kitchen and the kids in the front yard. "CRASH"..!!

Time stood still, two tiny little hearts forgot their need of oxygen for a second and the entire family converged within seconds, to investigate the racket. Ikka, all of 6 yrs, was expecting a very important call from his friend Vijay at 5.00 pm sharp. In an effort to reach the phone, he had enlisted the services of Shameer kaka and the duo had dragged a chair in from the dining room. The phone being at a considerable height, they could not reach it and they ended up clinging to the stand. Out came the nails and thus the crash. Many a man has been surprised by the ingenuity shown by his offspring. So was Baappa, when he discovered his pet "potas" cowering in front of him, wishing the floor would split open and gobble them up.

Before Baappa could choose expletives suitable to their ages, tiny rivulets appreared on the floor. "Story" has it that no-one has heard Baappa laugh as loud and clear as he did that day. We still hear his laughter ring, whenever we recount stories, inspiring and challenging us to live life to its full, the way he did.

P.S: "Mambu" was sold and dismantled a few years ago, but the wooden telephone stand occupies place of honor in the prayer room of Ikka's new house, holding the Holy Quran.