Page 153 - Musings 2021

“Sahib, the tea is served... Would you like me to take it upstairs?” Ram’s yelling interrupted
my siesta. I came down to see him patiently waiting for me with a cup of famous
“Darjeeling” tea. Of Course, it’s just tea here! I inhaled the aroma before taking a sip. Then, I
rang Daisy to say everything was alright. The day was drawing to a close and the setting sun
drenched everything in evanescing vermilion hue. I told Ram not to make supper and retired
to my bedroom. As it had been a long day, I laid down and closed my eyes. The husky
rustling of the leaves and the soft whistling of the chilly wind lulled me to sleep.

The following day I woke up to see everything covered in snow. The weather was
unpredictable. Yesterday the place was sun-soaked and now it’s snow-clad! Ram brought me
tea and said, “I shouted and screamed to show you the snowfall, but you didn’t wake up.”

“I hit the bed early, Ram. I was dog-tired. Be sure to call me if it snows tonight.”

“Sure, Sahib”, and he withdrew to the kitchen.

Having finished my tea, I decided to explore the home a bit. It was at least 25 year old and
was generous with windows and off-white curtains, which allowed an incessant flow of fresh
air and natural light. But most of the time, it remained closed due to the freezing cold. A
latched door beside the stairs caught my eye, which led to a cellar, not a wine cellar though as
one might expect! It was filled with some old chairs, piles of books with thick layers of dust,
moth-eaten sacks, worn-out clothes, and every odds and end. An ornate trunk grabbed my
attention, and in it were some colour pencils, ribbons, tattered frocks and a diary. I paused,
looking at it and thought for a moment. I wanted to sneak a peek but reading it would be
ruining the privacy of whoever had written it. So I left it untouched and carefully closed the
lid of the box. I went for a leisurely stroll through the garden. Harley was there, ankle-deep in
snow, clearing it with a shovel. The garden was home to a wide variety of flowers. The early
morning snow had added an extra charm to the pristine white lilies, crimson red roses, yellow
chrysanthemums, and the frosty deodar tree in the middle blushed like a bride in a wedding
gown. Harley Waved at me and gestured to join him.

“Did you sleep well yesterday?”

“Yes, like a baby!”

“Tell me, how do you find the place?”

“I’ve barely ventured out, you know.”

“Well, you have ample time. Let me know if you need company.”

“Never mind. I prefer my own company. You’ll find me a terrible bore.”

“Ha..Ha... that’s funny.”

“Oh Harley, I remembered something. I gotta go. Catch you later.”

“Yeah, sure.”

I couldn’t keep my mind off the diary. Even though I felt that it was not a decent thing to go
through someone’s diary, some invisible force dragged me towards it. I rushed to the cellar
and took the diary. It was leather-bound with a fading brown colour. I ran my fingers through

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