The Man at the Window – Choices – 7


I never could imagine Poppy as a romantic. Well, I guess I was in for a lot of surprises. He blushed and his eyes gleamed as he spoke about her. He spoke about her as if she was right there with him. So many questions passed through my mind but I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to interrupt him.

Mary finished school and immediately took up a secretarial course at the YWCA. She may have wanted to study further but had to get to work soon, to support her family. Her mother was the only earning member. Her father used to work too but of late it seemed he just wasn’t himself. Poppy described him as a wonderful man and an even better human being. Sadly though, the doctors had diagnosed him with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Poppy recalled all the wonderful times they spent when he went to visit Mary. “It was sad to watch him losing himself”, he said. Mary finished her secretarial course and immediately started working.

Poppy had finished his Senior Cambridge Exams and joined a very reputed college in Calcutta, to study commerce. To support himself, Poppy did a number of odd jobs. “I worked as a daily laborer carrying gunny sacks on my back” he said. I was shocked at this revelation, Poppy; the fair, sophisticated, polished man carrying gunny sacks was just unfathomable. “You have to do what you have to do “he said seriously. At this point I wondered how ungrateful we are as a generation for all the things we have, the more we have the more we complain and here was a man who carried gunny sacks to ensure he could study and be supportive to his family (or at least not a burden on them). A few months into college, Poppy got a call from his school. Being the school topper, they wanted to offer him a part-time teaching job. Poppy accepted immediately. There was a special pride in going back to your old school to teach. Poppy went to college at 6:30 am and then school at 11:00 am. The evenings were reserved for Mary. A cup of tea, eating pakoras or just a simple walk back home, meant so much. There was love in every little thing. “Love” seemed so beautiful, the way he spoke of it.

Mary was happy with her job. Poppy was happy with the way things were going, work and college. Poppy was enjoying his teaching sessions. It gave him a high. He loved being around children, he loved teaching. He loved Wordsworth and Shakespeare. Gradually, he realized, commerce was no longer an option for him. Poppy was an academician by spirit. He had found his calling. Teaching was his mission. Now, he had to make the very difficult decision of leaving Commerce College. His family was not too happy about it, given it was the best college for boys in the city but Poppy had made up his mind. “You have to make your own decisions” he said. Poppy informed his school of his decision; the Principal who had hired him was elated. “Welcome to the family” he told Poppy. He went on to refer Poppy to one of the best Teachers Training Colleges in the state of West Bengal. In no time, Poppy was all packed and left for the beautiful hill city of Darjeeling , o do his Teachers Training Course.

It was about lunch time now and I had gotten really hungry. The aromas were only making it worse. We sat down for an amazing Anglo lunch of pork vindaloo and the famous ball curry & yellow rice. It was a Sunday to remember.


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