I still remember that particular snap in my photo album,It was taken when I was some seven or eight months old.I will be standing with a support of one wooden bench,behind me will be my grandpa,standing,looking after me.He is no more now,passed away when I was in my tenth grade.He was one tall gigantic figure,with boldness in tone and sharpness in thinking.The way he use to call me,"jillu","jillumma"..those words are still echoing in my ears..may be that is why I hate,people calling me by that name,nowadays.I can read in those eyes both his childlike nature,when he usually fight with my grandma for silly reasons and also his care and love for each and everyone of us in the family.especially towards me and Gowtham.Our House was built in such a way that,there will be one tiny gap at the entrance where a single person can sit comfortably, He,my grandpa always use to sit there.Whoever passing our home just stop for a while at the entrance and ask.."ayya!! how are you?".He will buy many different kinds of fruits and eatables for us, especially for me and he will keep it safe in his rack untill we both arrive from school. How many of us here know of something called "wood apple (or) elephant apple(or)Vilaampazham",A tasty fruit i ever came across,he is one reason why am fond of that particular fruit.He,one cutest grandpa .I remember,a particular incident happened during his last days,me and gowtham were both playing carrom and my grandpa was lying nearby as he was not feeling well.This is what he was telling both of us,"Your periappa..is a kinda settled now,but am really worried about your dad..I am really feeling bad that am going to leave my family without doing anything for it..I have to do something for your dad before i die!!".I was literally at the verge of tears that time.Because I had never seen my grandpa talking in such a way to anyone, before.I replied,"thatha!! nothing gonna happen like that ,get up come and play with us I need some good experienced hand to beat this gowtham..see you sure gonna be all right after playing with us..".But I didnt continue playing,I left that place with tears.I always loved to help him.Whenever he wanted to have some tablets..He will call,"jillu!!get some water for me,and take that tablet from the kit."..I will be there the next second..I had never been so much into anyone,even to my parents.He actually had one childlike habit,which all of us in our family laugh at.He had one age old radio he got from nagpur in his early 30s,but one can never notice him listening to a proper station,he loves to keep on tuning it,He often will, check his pulse rate..I love to see the way he does it.Well,i was doing the same when i was listening to hilary duff's "Someone is watching over me..".. a sudden chillness i felt in my palm.Can wipe out tears but not those lovable memories.miss you grandpa.
