what I had. This philosophy, invested in my activities helped solve the odds in my path of progress. But the same when applied to my mother's case, amounted to confusion, quarrel and family chaos.
Twice or thrice every day, she abruptly emerged into my room reiterating the usual thing that I should marry soon, yielding to what she desired her dream to have been complete. I argued long with her, I rejected to come to her terms.
To my embarrassment, at times from her room, notes of silent sobbing came to be recorded on my ears, breaking the stillness of late hours of the night. I dragged my presence close to her and then summoning courage, begged of her not to behave like that of a girl, until her sobbing died down. I endeavoured to arrange myself on bed but sleep had departed; I took to recoil amidst the puzzle seeking an answer. One afternoon I was seen off in the aerodrome by my mother from whom I took leave of for a few months to be spent outside. I had come out with some urgent work in Delhi. I soon finished it and was just starting back.
* * * * * *
I slept a little in the train. Eyes opening, I found the train came to a halt in a junction, my present destination. I alighted and advanced towards the waiting room. It was full. I approachd an officer to afford me a room to spend the night. He pointed me to the nearest lady's room which was empty. I prepared myself to sleep, all alone. I was just closing my eyes ; a lady also entered there. She was alone, a bag on her hand. A window was open through which fog diffused inside with occasional gusts of cold wind penetrating my whole body. She closed it, of course, silently, as if, so doing was imperative on her part. I thanked her work, buried my face with blanket.
A few minutes later as I released my face outside, I saw the lady, her whole body outstretched on the armchair. She was shivering. She attempted to coil herself up to ease the situation. I felt a bit irritated to think what made her expose to the cold night, all alone. In the next moment I helped her with an extra blanket I possessed and then she retired.
