Who had ever thought that Tea would be a meet in the pantry and the Coffee/Tea machine would do the job, at the press of a button? I had, seriously, never even had slightest of idea of a life – that makes you dead before you die.
Tea was a concept – wherein we would stand in front of the fire, and let ‘the sugar and tea and milk and water’ boil for minutes. And there was a time, when cups were a sign of social well being. (Remember, La Opala!). So the families (the middle class, in this context) would buy the best cups what they could, as per their gross salary structure. And occasionally, the neighboring ‘aunties ‘would take times out of their lives to talk about the newly purchased cups. “Mrs. Dubey, achcha cup hai”. So actually it mattered. My family never had so much money that we would buy the best of the porcelain cups available in the market. But we somehow, had enough to present our social ‘status’ (now replaced by ‘facebook’ statuses) in an ‘okay’ cup.
I remember how my mother and my sister would decide, discussing those trivial details – colors, phool and patti, about the dead cups which is so important in India’s context. Tea wakes us up, tea drives us, and tea is what we serve to guests: to friends as well as foes. Tea is a synonym for United States of India. I generally used to have 3 teas in a day. I have never been able to decide on the taste, till date. Is it all that good? Does it actually keep you awake? I was never bothered. I still am not bothered.
What I knew was – my mother is about to serve love to me. And that we would all – my family – sit together, for at least 30 minutes and that very idea delighted me to the core. In the journey of life, I lost my father, some ten years back. What I still remember is his words, that he would share with me – in those Tea sessions – just him and me alone. I give credit to him, for the goodness I have. Remember your parents never teach you anything bad, ever!
My father, I loved him so much, perhaps!
How quickly time changed – I would say, it was a nuclear explosion and the word is a ‘flash’. I am a professional now. I work with a multinational firm. I have tea more than thrice for sure, everyday! It’s not the taste, but the moments, I still enjoy. It gives me an opportunity to go out, into an open world, which is great. The cups are not porcelain anymore; they are made of paper, generally. It is easy to dispose them. So are the people around, the professionals. We do not have any strings attached. Pantry is static – people they come and go. People are machines now.
Coming to my family – we are three people now at three different places. We still have tea, but not together. This is the life, I created for myself. I am not sure about your story. The paths that we have taken are so irreversible.
I feel like crying. The only missing element in my cup of tea is ‘Love’ ( that humans deserved more than anything).
PS: Let’s meet for a cup of tea.
