A little 4 year old Apsara finished her school and waited for her grandfather to pick her up. Chandrajja who was in his 60s, a tall man with a slim figure, salt and pepper beard, head full of grey hair, always wore fresh white shirt and dhotis. Chandrajja at his age was strong and full of vigour for life. He started running towards the school as he didn’t want to make his Apsara wait.
Apsara, in her white and navy blue uniform and two tiny pony tails stood there with a broad smile on her face. Chandrajja picked her up and started walking to their shop nearby. He first gave her favourite alcova white sweet from the glass jar and gave a glass of warm milk from the flask.
After Apsara felt strong drinking milk, they started walking further to catch the bus to home. They had to take a private bus Vishal at 1 o clock to reach their home which was 6 kms away. Bus conductor Sunil was their friend who enjoyed pulling Apsara’s pony tails. She was shy and hid behind her Ajja’s white shirt.
As the bus started to move, the cool breeze had started to blow. The bus was slowly moving on the uphill exiting the blocks of identical pink company quarters spread across hills. With another right turn, the bus had entered into the highway. Whenever the bus went over the bridge, people sitting at the back of the bus would jump at least 4 feet and come back. The ride from here was smooth. There was a sight of beautiful Bhadra on one side and a dam on the other. Tall green mountains on the left to thick dense forests on the right. Stretches of paddy fields through her window to bushes of pink roses on the other. Though she took the same road everyday, she waited to get a glimpse of them with same amount of joy. After going through several criss crossed roads, their stop had come.
It was almost a km walk from the bus stop to the house. Apsara by this time would be thirsty and cry for water. Chandrajja knowing her well would carry a water flask with him. But she would not drink water from the flask. On their way home, with a small detour, there was a small water stream. She would cry to drink water directly from the stream. Poor Chandrajja would carry her on his head and take her there. She would not just agree to leave after drinking water. She had to sit and play there without bothering about scorching heat.
When she was done playing, she would look at Ajja’s face. Him with his innocent smile would pick her up and start walking towards home. A walk of 5 mins would take them at least 20 to reach home. Stopping by every flower and every guava tree;
Chandrajja never complained. Apsara too loved annoying her grand father so much. He was a sweet human being who used to give medicines selflessly to hundreds of people never asking for any money. He was a good storyteller who loved telling stories of Kaagakka Gubbakka to his grandkids. Apsara was only 6 when he passed away. It’s 23 years now without him, but never goes a day without remembering him, when Apsara looks at the little water stream!