Memories

 

Memories 

During the year 1969, while we were staying at Army Cantonment Deolali Nasik Maharashtra, the summers were setting in. My father Late Colonel Joginder Singh Rattan who was Subhedar in Indian Army at that time came home a bit late that day. He seemed a bit excited and after a while he announced that we are buying a brand-new 165litres refrigerator (fridge). We threesome ( myself and my two younger sisters) jumped.  We didn’t know how to celebrate so we just keep jumping and yelling. Then my father informed it is Alwyn a popular brand that time. We always longed to have ice cubes with every glass of water and make ice creams. Frankly, we had never dreamt of having a fridge in our home and drink ice cold water every now and then. We talked till late trying to plan and ways to break this great news to our primary school friends. After all, having a fridge is no small and mean achievement. Our standard have rising up in our own eyes. None of us could sleep well through the night and first thing we wanted to know, in the morning when will the fridge come? My father assured us to get the fridge by the time we return from school. Individual responsibilities were charted out by my meticulous mother. My father had to arrange for the glass water bottles as colourful plastic bottles were not heard of in those days. My mother’s idea of bringing some saline water   bottles from dispensary was turned down by my father as he opined that * they don’t suit the elite taste of a fridge owner.* My responsibility was, to fill the water bottles, my sister had to do the cleaning of the fridge. At school, we had a tough time. Due to excitement three of us couldn’t focus on studies. Selectively, each one of us informed some of our friends and some of them even smiled sarcastically and retorted to ‘what’s the big deal.’ Candidly we enjoyed the jealousy of some and greetings of some. We had waited the whole day to hear the final school Bell and finally we walked back home in a great hurry. We had disappointment of our life when we didn’t see the fridge at home. My mother who is a housewife had to face the ire of all three of us. She calmed us down to inform that your father had  not been able to arrange for the full amount of money for the purchase, so we have to wait. We didn’t go for the play in the evening as we were angry with our father. Even didn’t want to go to school next day, imagine the curiosity of friends and what to answer them, but had to go and face the world. It was so embrassing him to tell friends that our father wasn’t able to arrange for the money. Somehow, the day passed off. Tears swelled in our eyes and we couldn’t look at each other as the fridge was still not visible. We had to learn to face friends in the school next day again and then again as our father told us rudely to not to quiz him all the time. The whole week passed over over and over excitement too vanished. We can’t afford it had sunk in our heads by now. After the school, with no hopes of seeing the fridge in our lives walked back home in silence, only to find a white coloured Almira like fridge, on top of a wooden pedestal. We yelled with joy and hugged our father  clinging on to him. With a smile he told us to get ready as mother has kept ice cream in the freezer. With smiles switched on, all three of us rushed to open the fridge and ohh! That beautiful light green colour interior of the fridge was so comforting and mesmerising. We were gleaming with Delight and Ultimate Happiness as our mother has already kept some vegetables and fruits inside. Wonder if our children would ever enjoy such simple joys of life.