I Don't Like Tea

Every morning papa makes tea for ma and amma. Ma loves it. Amma not so much. I think amma likes the tea but she doesn't like the fact that papa makes it. This time when I went home for vacation, papa used to wake me up too for morning tea. I wondered why because I don't like tea. We used to sit and chat about random stuff. On some good mornings, he would tease amma till she has a giggly fit. After this morning dose of tea and chit-chat, papa would rush to get ready for work. Ma would be off to the kitchen and amma would go out to get flowers for "pooja". And I would slowly tiptoe my way back to the room to get some more sleep.

"Shaam ki chai" is the time when all three of them sit together and discuss chores and errands. On most evenings, the discussion is interrupted when amma starts rushing towards the gate hearing the call of the vegetable vendor. I follow her too for the conversations that happen among the vegetable vendor, amma and neighborhood aunties are far too interesting to be missed. The vegetable vendor is a young man and he is very fond of amma. He calls her "aiyya". I remember when amma got ill, he used to bring her radish leaves every day. 

I don't like tea but I have it sometimes for it reminds me of home. It often brings back the melancholy, and I enjoy it. So the next time your mom calls you downstairs for tea, don't tell her you are busy. Go have tea. She misses your company and you miss it too.

PS: I don't like people who assume that I like coffee when I tell them I don't like tea. Please don't be one of them.