Once again, the eight-year-old me is standing under the mantle staring up at that serious, soft-eyed person in the picture. Sometimes, when passing through this room, I glance up and smile. Other times, I fear he is watching me as if he is judging. When no one is around, I return his gaze and try ...

We returned to Chicago, and Mummy gave her consent to proceed with the wedding as planned. Everything is now rushed, but it turned out well. It’s a quiet affair, a simple ceremony with flowers, candles, and champagne at the Unitarian Church. Words by Dr. Gibbons from the Bible fall soft as petals. Kelly reads passages ...

Upon hearing of Daddy’s demise, John and I rush to call Mummy in Ottawa, Canada. Mummy reminds us to inform Kaushalya Aunty, Daddy’s older sister, of his passing. We drive to Oak Brook, where she lives with her daughter, Sucharita, and her family. Wailing and sobbing her heart out, my aunt insists on talking to ...

A HAWAIIAN MANICURE A week-long cruise around the Islands in Hawaii was decided by the Turkey group, a Bell Labs softball team. It is a non-stop fun time. On-board cultural classes are offered. I have opted for hula-dancing lessons, while others enrolled in ukulele classes, or the art of stringing leis. On the first day, ...

For months at a timeA child waits for the end of schoolMemories of the fun-filled summers of the pastIgnite the imaginationLetting them have something to look forward tooYearning for the fun that waits Vacations are memories used toAcquire hopes and dreamsCamping, fishing, hikingAlternate locationsTents and activities away from technologyIdeas of what is fun rethoughtbecause we ...

After a respectable passage of time, the Turkey crowd ribs John into dating again. They suggest a few possibilities at work, but John is not all that keen. His office mate, Dilish Adhikari, catches John tilting back in his chair to watch me walking down the hall. “Oh, you like Sunita, do you?” “Well, yes, ...

As I sat in dead Aunt Rosie’s parlor and waited for the coroner to show up, I glanced around the well-lived-in room. My eyes fell upon a sign I’d never seen. ‘In our family, we don’t hide crazy… we give it a cocktail and sit it on the porch.’ I chuckled despite the circumstances. This ...

After the initial shock of Rita’s cancer diagnosis, several meetings with doctors and specialists were scheduled. A treatment regimen is recommended, followed, and monitored closely. It includes surgeries, chemo, and radiation sessions, but not without difficulties. Rita loses her hair and wears a wig. She is not comfortable and hates the thought of wearing it. ...

My heart. My heart aches and I cry. My heart rejoices and I laugh. Today, I feel my heart aching and rejoicing.   Will it ever know its way to reconciliation?

In the meantime, ensconced in North Dakota, Johnny, and Rita are content. Establishing a routine in their new home takes a while. Johnny is enthusiastic about exploring engineering schools to commence his research. Employed at a junior level, he is eager to move up the ladder. Advanced learning, higher salary, and decision-making power are his ...