“Feeling happy” was the status update of Saakshi Mishra at 5 p.m. as she has been eagerly waiting for this day. Immediately after updating her status, her display picture too was updated with a dimpled picture of her five year old Ahaan. She couldn’t stop grinning as the day after was Ahaan’s fifth birthday and she was in a mood to celebrate.
For last two years they have been only doing the puja followed by a small cake cutting for the little one at home. Though Saakshi was keen to celebrate her husband Nishant was averse to it. Saakshi couldn’t oppose as she was pretty much aware of the new home loan EMI and the impact it was having on their monthly budget. Moreover for Nishant pooja has always been primary and celebrations secondary hardly leaving any scope for Saakshi to argue with him on the same.
But this time Saakshi showed her true mettle when she confronted Nishant and decided to go ahead with Ahaan’s birthday celebrations. All thanks to the new kitty group she had joined in the beginning of the year.
In their kitty they have a compulsory contribution per month followed by a chosen winner who gets the full amount for that particular month. It was a win – win situation for Saakshi and her friends as along with the money they used to relish on homemade yum delicacies and spend time gossiping and chitchatting.
Every month Nishant used to hand over a certain amount of ready money to Saakshi for grocery and other daily household expenses. Saakshi used to spend the same judiciously enough ensuring that she is left with Rs.2000 at the end which she can contribute towards her kitty.
From the time she joined Saakshi has been secretly pinning hope for Ahaan’s birthday month as she wanted to be the lucky one to grab the yellow packet by any chance. She was euphoric as her name was picked and finally jumped with joy when the packet was placed in her hand.
It was as if she was at the top of the world. She immediately rushed home as she had to call her guests, finalize on food not ignoring her kiddo’s choice for sure and last but not the least birthday cake, decorations and gifts.
It’s less than 24hours for the party ,she thought as she went on to prepare the guest list. Though anxious she preferred to stay calm as she took her cell and started making calls to her friends. Some said ‘Yes’, some ‘No’ and finally Saakshi got a clear picture of how many invitees are going to make it for the evening.
Next was food for obvious reasons. Immediately she finalized the menu and was about to call the caterer when she was interrupted by the breaking news flashing on her TV set. `Discontinuation of thousand rupees currency notes…………….What a great change, she wondered………but suddenly a chill ran down her spine as she anticipated the worst.
`What am I going to do? My yellow packet and its contents the thousand rupee notes will be of no use now, It was this money on which I had pinned my hope, now when I need them the most how can they be futile “she thought. She can’t speak to Nishant too as he was on a tour to Delhi and was about to reach the next day.
Moreover she had already informed her friends and didn’t have the courage to call up and say that the party stands cancelled. Above all little Ahaan is so excited today and she can’t choose to break his heart. She had never felt this way in her entire life………….. so helpless and inert. She knew that the family caterer was a man of principles and it will be difficult to convince him to take the order against the so called thousand rupee notes she was having.
Finally putting her inhibitions aside and holding herself together she once again glanced on the guest list to have a head count. “OK,30 people including me, Nishant and Ahaan ,What if I cook myself” she thought. Keeping her composure she made a menu that boasted all of her little one’s favorite dishes……..Dahi bhalle, Chhole puri ,veg pulao and kheer.
All set she rang her local grocer. Joshi Ji was a kind hearted elderly man who loved kids. Whenever Ahaan used to accompany his parents to the store he was more than happy to take him in his arms and give him whatever he eyed on.
When Saakshi explained her situation to Joshi uncle he ensured immediate delivery of the goods at her doorstep. Once she got her stuff she started off with the soaking of the chickpeas and the split de husked black gram lentils in water with the aim of wrapping up the rest next day. She was highly confused regarding the return gifts.
Somewhere after knowing about the ongoing chaos she was pretty sure that gift stores won’t be accepting the thousand rupee notes and she cannot afford to wait till tomorrow. Immediately something stuck her, Ahaan and his friends had some group photographs which they had taken together.
She took out the prints of the same from the printer and pasted it on the craft sheet. Each piece was subsequently colored and highlighted with some decorative material. In this way Saakshi was able to complete nine pieces including one for Ahaan as she knew seeing his friends he too would cry to grab one. By the time she was done with her work it was 11 in the night.
With each passing hour her tension was increasing two fold. She was apprehensive of the party and many unanswered questions started popping into her mind. `How will be the food, is everyone going to like it or not? The gifts, will they appeal the kids or not?
What will Nishant say hearing to all this? And so on” Finally hesitantly though she tried to close her eyes and in no time she was in deep slumber. She woke up when her phone rang and it was none other than Nishant on the other side. Nishant called to inform that his flight was late due to fog and he will be reaching somewhere around 4.
Her heart sank as she recollected all of yesterday’s events and realizing today is her sweetheart’s big day she planted a kiss on his forehead hugging him tightly in her arms. Rubbing her eyes and taking her hair in form of a poofy pony she marched on to the kitchen.
She started assembling things in her mind and with the same vigor went on completing the dishes one after another. Within no time her house was filled with the aromatic smell of the spices and kitchen platform with the big bowls some with lids, some without making it obvious that a sumptuous meal is on its way. In between calls were popping in for Ahaan and the little fellow seemed extremely elated expressing his thanks to each caller.
Finally Saakshi felt bit relieved as she thought she is done with most of her work and its only the decoration part that’s need to be taken care of. `Oh…that can be done by Nishant, once he is here’ she thought. Suddenly she realized that the principal component has been ignored, undoubtedly it was the cake which she had missed out on. `Oh. My God, what am I going to do now, how could I be so silly ’. All her happiness evaporated within no time giving way to stress and tension.
No time left for ordering customized cake, Let me take a regular one from the shop………she thought. she developed a cold feet and didn’t know how to tide over the situation. Suddenly the doorbell rang and it was her kitty friends who were standing in front of her.
She was so much engulfed in her own thought that she couldn’t notice the white box they were carrying. Ahaan was delighted and with immense curiosity rushed to open the box. Oh…………Mamma ‘such a nice cake, it’s the Spidey’ he screamed at the top of his voice’. That very moment Saakshi rushed to look into the box and was taken aback seeing a birthday cake which seemed enough for 30 people.
As she looked up she found her friends smiling and taking a high fi with cute Ahaan. She didn’t know what to say. She looked highly confused and puzzled thinking that she had not invited some of them to the party which she was hosting.
But for her friends it was a surprise visit for little Ahaan and they wanted to make it special with this cake. Immediately Saakshi rushed to get coffee and snacks for her friends and in no time the group got busy clicking pics with the evercheerful lad. By the time they left it was 5.pm. and Nishant too was back with lot of gifts for his beloved boy.
Within no time Father son duo went ahead with the decorations marking the end of the preparatory stage and the beginning of the real event. Friends started pouring in and finally birthday boy got to celebrate his big day in style. Ahaan was elated and so was his mom.
By the time party ended Saakshi was tired and exhausted and at the same time happy and content. She couldn’t have asked for more. When Nishant patted Saakshi for her unceasing effort and undying spirit that went on to make the party a success, she just gave a sly smile as she knew how difficult it would have been without the help of her kitty friends and joshi uncle who at the nick of the time helped her when she was in utter despair.
Looking at the untouched yellow envelope she thought how unpredictable life is and how adaptable we are to its everchanging challenges, may be this is what that makes it so beautiful………………
Published in Urmi 2018
