Sitting near the window in the adjacent room, I could hear my mother work in her favourite space. She spent all her time in that small converted balcony which was now her kitchen. She fiercely guarded it. She was not the kind to allow anyone else to cook here.
I tried asking her to allow me to cut some of the tomatoes I saw her wash. "Not needed," she said. "Let me see what you're doing," I pleaded. "You will be in my way," she replied. It was true that the work area was very small. I gave up and went to play with my dolls.
Ammini washed the tomatoes one by one. She cut them without using a chopping board. She was so good at cutting a vegetable while holding it in one hand and the knife in the other that she could look around, dream and reminisce about things while doing these tasks.
She looked outside the window and saw the jackfruit and drumstick trees that had grown tall enough to reach the third floor view. She could hear the 206 bus pass somewhere in the distance. She was at home here, standing in front of the kitchen sink, preparing the meal for her family.
Her daughter Lekha was now playing in the front room. The birth of that little girl had forced her to stay active despite her advancing years. Lekha was her last child and neither Ammini nor her husband Ramchandra had been prepared for the little girl's arrival.
#thechroniclesoftheyoungestchild #amotherslove #noonelikemom #southindianamma
You can hear this story on Spotify or Apple on my channel 'Lekha writes, then reads' here
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2lUshNh7vVw8GGOzdDNDlM?si=lhLETrWyQsGN3-jgmG4QMA
Like this story? You will probably like to read the next chapters too.
Ammini Amma - Chapter 2 - The Chronicles of the Youngest Child
You will surely like this one from my childhood
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