The shrinking blackhole
The other day, Dad called and said, "Appu, Pathare kaka is no more." The tremble in his voice clear yet it was unclear to me who was Pathare Kaka? Any of my father's cousins? His friends? Our old or new neighbors? None. My RAM seemed in no mood to answer. Before I could conjure the identity of this dead and offer a sensitive condolence to my Dad, he hurriedly hang up saying someone was calling. God bless that someone else! Going about my futile, mundane activities, my mind went through various images of aging, old men but none accepted the tag of Pathare Kaka. He must be really important that Dad had called me on a sultry afternoon amidst no where. These are his post retirement snoozing times! Empty as a gas balloon my thoughts soared higher and higher to get an eagle's view of my social circle. The mind encircled numerous rounds of childhood memories to locate Pathare Kaka. Five year old me-Nah! 10yr old me- no, no! Twenty year old me- this was only about Chavas an...