CMH Road

Busy Day. Afternoon Time. Entrance of the Chinmaya Mission Hospital on the CMH Road. A man parks his bike. Receding hairline. Thick moustache. On the bike is his little daughter. Probably two... maximum three. Not cute but certainly precocious. An I-know-everything look. Kind of amusing to watch that on the kid. No slippers. Flowery frock. He puts the centrestand. Tells the kid to stay where she is till he comes back. Starts to move. A shrill cry. She wouldn't let him leave her. Clutches his shirt tightly. He tries to explain that it's only for short while. His fingers nimbly relieving her grasp on the shirt as he talks. She takes her hand off. But only for a little while. The cry is louder this time. He looks around at the blank faces staring at both of them. Gives her a pen asks her to play with it till he comes back. Doesn't satisfy her.  He then offers a compromise. He'll just look from the other end of the road. Crosses the road keeping his sight on her. A mischievious smile in his face. His favor is returned. A mischievious smile spreads across her face. Probably I think she took the clue. He looks and tells her to stay where she is and he'll be returning in a jiffy. Two steps. Turns Back. Repeats the same. I think he wanted to drill the fact that she is not to move from her place. I think he was wasting his time. There was no way she could have climb down from the bike. That too the bike parked in an ascent. He walks in. She looks for a moment. And suddenly slides down the bike with an elegance. My eyebrows raise. Smooth as silk. Thats how it was. Looks at the road. Takes a step. Very cautious. As though not to make noise. Two..three..Same caution mixed with fear,excitement and naughtiness. Looked like a dance rather than steps. I'm in a trance by now. Beautiful. She's midway in the road now. Another apprehensive look to the sides. Sprints off. As chirpy like a little sparrow. A beautiful poem got misplaced in a boring page of my book.