My ‘Moving’ Story
“Tut, tut……” Lulu said, “You look so hassled. What’s the matter?”
“Well…..we have just moved to our new house; it is an apartment in a good condominium. And my wife cries every day!”
“Yes, I think I understand. Two things happen when you move to a new place: First, you do not find objects quickly in the new house, and second, you find many objects which were considered ‘lost’ in the old house!” Lulu, my parrot, said laughing.
‘I wonder how parrots get this insight! I have never seen parrots shifting their nests.” I said, “But if you ever shift out of your nest, you will understand my feelings.”
“But why is your wife unhappy?” Lulu enquired.
“Can’t say she is unhappy” I clarified, “But certainly she is certainly not comfortable.”
“Really? What’s the matter? You have such a nice view from your drawing room. One doesn’t get to see a bush in Mumbai; you can see a farm!”
“Oh yes, and that is so refreshing. I have my morning tea sitting near the window.” I said.
“The evening breeze storms through your house, the entire house is oriented westwards so it is sure to bring cheer” Lulu said.
“Indeed it is so! In Mumbai’s wind lashed monsoon or semblance of a winter, all you need is a nice book in hand and a drink to uplift your spirit further. Masala Chai [tea] or a whisky and soda depending on the mood.”
“Your apartment is on the 12th floor! That will make it immensely enjoyable.” Lulu said.
“Actually that’s where the problem is.” I said.
“? ? ?”
“She is hates this high rise building. The closed elevators make her extremely uncomfortable.” I explained.
“I am sorry, but I won’t be able to understand this problem” Lulu said, “We birds do not require an elevator to reach the top of any building.”
“That reminds me. When we entered our new house, there were three pigeons sitting on a window grill and looking at us curiously.”
“Not curiously, my friend!” Lulu said angrily, “They were unhappy and sad. They had realized that your housekeeping staff had removed their nest from your window and placed in on the terrace of the building.”
“Did they do that? I didn’t know. They lost their home and what even if the nest is kept on terrace, it does not make things better.”
“Was that any different for your wife? Wasn’t moving out of old home painful for her? And you thought it was all about fear of high places and elevators! What rubbish!!”
“Ok, ok. I see your point. Hmmmm…..now that you have mentioned it, I am actually able to see how true your point is.” I said. “But Lulu, why this smirk?”
“Tut, tut, tut, tut…”Lulu laughed, and said rubbing his head on my neck, “You actually understood pigeons better than your wife! Do you get me?”
Vivek
Y2 r love-birds….so how does it matter…as regards your understanding….it is a universal issue….helps in improving our LISTENING capacity…
Ah! This is a wonderful surprise from U. Its the beginning of a short story…without the shortness or the story element in it (in the proper sense of the terms). The dialogues seem quite simple, but they hint at something else, which make them quite poetic…like Alice in Wonderland. But i m afraid it misses the sharp content, which is why its just the beginning. So pl keep on enhancing it, until it is truly meaningful in itself and enlightens the reader in a pleasant manner, i wud urge U. Any way, congrats for this wonderful beginning! Let us hve the more of it.
Lulu seems to have some insights indeed !
From the 'stomach for nonsense' to very tall thoughts on heights !
🙂
I could relate to your wife so completely. I took time to adjust to a new place on 15th floor when we shifted to AD , close elevators and alien place.
I was cross with my husband b/c none of it bothered him.
and yeah packing unpacking is like delving in a lost treasure trove.
The closed elevators bother me too, given the unannounced power outages that we have.
But everytime the moving/shifting/leaving-behind thing happens, I always wonder how it must be for babies, suddenly emerging from a totally cocooned floating secure world, into a world where from minute-1, you are on your own physically; no rehearsals, no practice. And the environment is even worse….we are so much better trained ….
Congratulations on a wonderful house with a wonderful view….
I can more than empathize with you. I have lived in 4 houses, moved across continents once and across cities once within a apan of 18 months. It uproots you every time you do it.
Lulu is one perceptive parrot! Hope your wife is feeling more comfortable by now.
Brilliant!! Actually we are going to move in a month or so and this will come in handy. I love the view from your window. All the best in your new flat. Look forward to having a cup of tea with you by your window one day.
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Nice piece and good insight. All the best in your new home.
I can so completely undestand what Sulu kaku is going through… I have always hated the closed elevators as well!!
And its been 3 months now that I have shifted to my new house (with my new family as well, thanks to the Indian institution of marriage) I am still coming to terms with it…fitting my old belongings into new surroundings, trying not to fit old memories into new spaces…it sure aint that easy!!
A lot goes in before you can start referring to your house as home…
It was just last week that my husband and I helped a friend to move to her new home. Moving is a chore, but depending upon the memories…. it changes what reactions follow. For my friend, she was happy to leave the duplex home that had reminant Katrina reminders and go to a newly renovated house. I remember as a child, moving from the home on Green Acres… sitting in the back of the car and crying as I waved goodbye to my friends. We didn't move much further away and I loved the new childhood home. But it was the memories of the old home, good memories 🙂
Lulu is such a perceptive bird..I especially identify with the line that says many old things are found and new things get lost. But at times when one moves into a new home, there is the excitement of discovering which might assuage the pain of leaving old nests.