I don’t like living alone in my room. Sometimes, I want to talk with my wife. Every morning when my granddaughter brings tea for me, I take a sip from the cup and I ask her, “What is your grandmother doing?”

“She is enjoying her tea.”

“When she is free, send her here.”

“O. K. grandfather,” says my granddaughter.

While she is going out of the room, I stop her, “What will you tell your grandmother?”

“I will tell her that you are calling her.”

“Right, and tell her there is some urgent work.”

My granddaughter having gone out, I began to enjoy my tea. When the cup was empty, I placed it on the table. My granddaughter entered the room again to get the cup, “Grandmother is busy, and she can’t come now.”

“Why?”

“She is cutting vegetables.”

“Why is she cutting the vegetables? Where is your mother?”

“In the kitchen.”

“And where is your auntie?”

“She is kneading flour.”

“And where is my daughter, your auntie?”

“She is studying.”

“And you?”

“I am going to study now.”

I stopped asking her. There was nothing left to ask but I said, “Tell your grandmother to come here after she has finished cutting the vegetables.”

She picked the cup and left the room. I adjusted myself comfortably on my chair. I could see that there was sunshine on the terrace in front of my room but I did not go out. I have hundreds of books in my room. I tried to read something from a book but I could not concentrate. There was no interest. I placed the book back on the table.

Now the sun was shining brightly and it was past 11:00 in the morning. My wife had not come yet. I felt anger but I controlled myself. Of late, I had noticed that she listened to me but did not pay attention to me. She kept busy among her children and grandchildren. I think she has forgotten me because she does not remember me anymore. Earlier she used to rush to me after my call.

After some time, one of my grandsons brought a dish of pudding and a glass of milk. He placed the things on the table in front of me.

I said to him, “You are not studying?”

“I have been studying since morning?”

“Then why did you stop studying?”

“Grandmother has sent me here.”

“Why didn’t she come?”

He did not give any answer and he was about to cross the threshold to go out when I said, “Tell your grandmother to come here. I have an urgent work.”

“All right, grandfather.”

The grandson having gone out, I began to eat the pudding. After the breakfast, I occupied my comfortable once again.

After some time, he came back to collect the plate and glass and he informed me, “Grandmother can’t come now.”

“Why?”

“She is baking rotis.”

“How long is it going to take?”

“How can I say?”

I did not ask anything further. There was no desire left. However, I could not resist myself and said, “When she has finished baking rotis, tell her to come here.”

My grandson left the room and I remained seated silently.

In the afternoon, at about 1:30, I felt hungry. I took a bath. My youngest daughter-in-law entered the room, carrying my lunch on a tray. I said to her, “Has your mother-in-law finished baking rotis?”

She laughed and said, “Yes.”

“What is she doing now?”

“She is in the bathroom.”

When my daughter-in-law was about to leave the room, I said, “When she comes out of the shower, tell her to come here.”

“All right, father,” said she with a smile and left the room.

I took my lunch silently and after the lunch I decided to take a siesta. Soon I was napping.

Suddenly, my sleep was disturbed. My daughter-in-law had come to take the dishes. She said to me, “Mother can’t come at this time.”

“Why?”

“She is resting.”

I did not like it at all. My old wife had completely changed. Now she is happy with sending my breakfast, lunch, and dinner to my room but she never tries to come here to see how I am.

My daughter-in-law cleaned the table, and, carrying the tray, walked out of the room. I began to doze again.

When I opened my eyes, it was around 4:00 pm. I entered the bathroom and got fresh. After a while, my daughter entered the room. She was carrying my tea. I took the cup of tea and began to sip. She cleaned the room and arranged everything properly.

“Had you gone to college today?” I said to her, sipping my tea.

“Yes.”

“When did you come back?”

“A little while ago.”

“When are your exams beginning?”

“Still there is time.”

After this, I did not know what to ask, so I said to her, “What is your mother doing?”

“Mother is not at home.”

“Where has she gone?”

“I have no idea.”

“When will she come back?”

“She did not say anything.”

I finished my tea and took my seat. My daughter had already cleaned my room and arranged everything. When she was about to leave, I said to her, “When your mother is back home, send her to me. I have some work.”

“All right, father.”

Once again, I was alone in my room.

To keep myself busy, I began to write something but it was very difficult to produce ideas, for my mind was running to my wife. I was surprised why she was not paying any attention to me.

Evening was gradually approaching and darkness was descending.

My eldest son must have been back from his office. Even the youngest had to be back in a few minutes. Before his marriage, he used to come back home after midnight but now things have changed. However, neither of them came to meet me in my room.

I want to meet them and I want to sit with them but they have no time for me. They have time for their wives and very often they go out to watch movies.

When it was dark, I switched on the light. I wanted a hot cup of coffee and I called my daughters-in-law. They did not hear me. I called again but no reply emanated.

Finally, I called my daughter, and then my sons but there was no response. I called my grandchildren but the result was the same. Then I called my wife and she did not answer too.

At about 8:00 pm, my eldest son’s wife came in. She had brought dinner for me. She kept the tray on the table.

I said, “What have you been doing?”

“Why?”

“I called everyone in the house but no one answered?”

“We did not hear.”

There was nothing for me to say in that situation. There was no reply. Had it been a few years before, they must have heard me, when the strings of the money purse were in my hands but now they could ignore me. I knew the reality but I did not say anything.

My daughter-in-law said, “You were telling something?”

“I felt like having a cup of coffee.”

“Shall I bring it now?”

“No, now it is not necessary.”

When she was about to go, I said to her, “Was your mother-in-law very busy today?”

“Why?”

“She could not spare a few moments to visit me once in a day?”

“I will send her now.”

My daughter-in-law having gone out, I began to nibble at a roti. I was not enjoying the food.

My mind raced back to those years when everything was so nice. My wife and I used to eat together. She never ate alone. While eating, we conversed and shared jokes. In those days, my house had only one floor-ground floor (First Floor). We had one bedroom and that bedroom was our little world. After that our children were born. They grew up and reached the adulthood. A room was necessary for them. I added one floor to my house and I occupied the top floor. My wife did not come up; she began to live with her children in the floor below. But, we took dinner together at night.

A few years later, my sons got married. More rooms were required. I got a room constructed on third floor. They occupied the first and second floor. After that transformation, she stopped eating with me. She felt difficulty in ascending and descending the stairs. It was difficult for me too. If I went down, it would be an uphill task to climb back to my room.

Having finished my dinner, I washed my hands and got fresh. It was late at night. After some time, my elder daughter-in-law entered the room and she said, “Mother can’t come at this time.”

“Why?”

“She is having her dinner.”

I did not want to ask anything else. There was no need at all. She took the plates and left the room.

I lay on the bed and closed my eyes but sleep was away from me. I got up and switched off the light and bolted the door from inside.

At midnight, I heard a gentle tap on the door. I left my bed and opened the door. My old wife was standing in front of me. She was panting and sweating. I gave her the support of my arms and led her into the room. I seated her on the edge of my bed. I noticed that she was very weak. She could not speak. I embraced her and began to weep like a child. We had become like little children who needed love and care.