A taste of heaven

On those rare occasions
When Appa came home early
We, my sister and I
Would walk down to
The Gateway of India
With him
In the evening

We would pass by
La Patisserie
(Pronunciation and meaning
Years in the future)
The Cake Shop at the Taj
Always, ever, only
Window-shopping.
The large fancy cake on display
Changed every week
(Who buys them?
We would wonder)
The small pastries
And what-nots
With French names:
Unpronounceable

We would then cross over
To the sea-side
Of the road
And Appa would buy us
Ten paise paper cones of
Sheng-daana
And one to carry home
To Amma

When Amma was debriefed
On our doings
She would ask
Why take us kids
To the cake shop
Where everything was
Priced out of reach

Appa would quote Browning
In reply
‘Ah, but a man’s reach
Should exceed his grasp,
Or what’s a heaven for?’

Suddenly, one evening
We returned early
Surprising Amma
Not with
A sheng-daana paper cone
But rather
Four fancy pastries
And Appa announcing:
Today, a taste of Heaven, I say