A Birthday Memory

It’s Appa’s birthday today
And he is not here
To celebrate
I am left with memories
Of birthdays past:
This one from perhaps
Fifty years ago

Appa came home from work, early
Always a cause for celebration
And said
It’s my birthday, I say
Let’s go out for dinner

But Amma had already cooked
So a compromise solution:
Appa and I would walk down
To Kwality’s and buy
Naan and kaju-dhingri-matar
To supplement

I took his hand
And we walked down
Colaba Causeway:
At the signal
He let me cross
By myself: something Amma
Would never do

In the “aristocratic interior”
We sat at a table
Enjoying the a/c
Waiting for our order
To be packed

He hailed a passing waiter
And said
“Mera janamdin ke liye
Ek breadstick lao”
I got to chomp on a breadstick
What joy!
And one for the road

Back home
(Crossing the road
By myself, once more)
To a memorable dinner
Naan-sabji and
Thayir sadam with mendiya kozhambu
Happy Birthday indeed