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Note: This post is written and posted without proof reading, re-reading or a second reading of any kind, there is a huge possibility of typos, grammatical errors or other errors. Please pardon me for not rechecking and editing the post, and read it with the same passion with which I've written it. (In other words, please don't throw chappals and tomatoes at me for minor errors and spear me for this one time. Pretty please :P)
I looked up on the internet to check what the word superhero actually means and it said: a superhero is a type of character possessing extraordinary talents, supernatural phenomena, or superhuman powers and is dedicated to a moral goal or protecting the public.
Some superheroes wear masks, some have a capes around their necks, a shield on their chest and some even have a scar on their forehead and posses magical wand and magical powers, but mine was invisible. Literally. I could never see him or her, or may be I saw them every day and never actually knew that they were my superhero.
I call him a superhero, because he would get me out of my difficult situations, give a pat on my shoulder when I achieved something or may be make me laugh when I really want to cry. Of course, he would never do it in person, he would send me flowers and most of the times a message with them. So that is why I could never see him.
I first remember receiving these flowers on my fifth birthday. 32 red roses, with a note saying: Here's a big hi-five to a big girl on her fifth birthday! :) I hope you are enjoying getting older, and since then the story began. I would receive a bunch of exact 32 red roses, every year, on my birthday. Not a flower less not a flower more. I received a lot of gifts on my birthday, year after year, but the bunch 32 red roses was my most favourite. Year after year I waited for them to arrive and I wondered who would send them to me anonymously. At first I thought it was my class teacher, as I was her favourite student. "She's a devil and an angle" she would praise me in front of mum and dad at the PTA meetings, "for she is very notorious and talkative like a girl of her age but at the same time she would do well in her subjects too." caressing my hair fondly. But I kept on receiving the flowers even after I was promoted to higher classes. "May be it's Mr. Gupta. I help him in his garden sometimes. So this way he wants to thank me" I wondered aloud one day, when me and dad were having breakfast. "May be he is." Dad replied smiling over his newspaper.
But sooner, I started receiving flowers of other occasions too. Like when I stood first in class, he sent me a bunch of orange, white and yellow carnations, "Congratulations on passing with flying colours. Please do me a favour and give me an opportunity to send you the flowers next year too ;)" said the note accompanying the bunch of lovely flowers. Who ever it was, knew I really love his gesture and would work hard to give him another chance to send me flowers. I received a bunch of white tuberose, or rajnigandha as most of you might know them when I had my first period. "Don't worry dear, it's not a day to be sad, it's a day to celebrate! You've turned into a woman today. Today, I send these fragrant flowers to you, so that you understand that one day, you'll make someone else's life fragrant." "May be it's Shanti dadi" I asked mum, while she was arranging the flowers in a vase on my table. "You know that one time I helped her with all her shopping bags." "I think you guessed it right dear." mum replied. Funny things was till that day, I always wondered, nay, secretly wished it was some boy who sent me the flowers, but that day, I was really embarrassed to share such a detail of my life with a guy.
Years passed by, I kept on getting older and receiving flowers on various occasions, like that one time when I was made the head girl of the school a beautiful bouquet with a note "With great power comes great responsibility" or the other, when I made it to the college I always wanted to be in, and of course 32 red roses on my birthday every year. Some times I worried whether I have a stalker, "May be I should report it to the police." I told my parents. Who said, "But then they might ask you what took you all theses years to report?" my dad asked "Well I was young, naive and stupid. I didn't know stalkers exist." "But then he's never done any harm to you, has he?" mum questioned. "No but..." I tried to argue. "May be he's just a secret admirer" dad said with his ever comforting smile. "Well, to be honest, many times I wished that those flowers were sent to me by a secret admirer. But then why doesn't he come out of his hiding. How long do I wait for him?" I said. "Then why don't you try searching him?" dad suggested. I liked the idea and decided to take matters in my own hands.
"I'm quite sure it's Abeer." I told dad one day after college. "Why do you think so?" he asked. "Well he keeps on looking at me and smiles whenever I catch his eyes." I replied dreamily. "Tell us about this guy." mum teased. "Oh mum! There's nothing like that. We were on the same project once and he was very nice to me and everyone said we made a great team." I explained. "And what do you think about it?" Mum teased further. "What do I think about what?" I tried to act dumb. "About being a great team." dad added to mum's question. "Well I think we indeed make a good team." I replied confidently. "And what about the flowers? Do you think he's the one sending them to you." mum questioned. "May be!" I replied, still thinking about being a good team. "Then why don't you ask him?" dad suddenly suggested. "Yeah I think you are right. I should ask him. I'll ask him tomorrow." I declared my final words to my parents.
"Hey Abeer" I gathered all my courage next morning and went to ask him my question.
"Hi Ritu!" he replied, smiling confidently.
"Well, I wanted to ask you something." I told him, looking at his friends.
"Sure, go ahead, or do you want to go somewhere else?" he asked politely.
"No, here is fine." I said meekly. "Well, are you the one who sends me the flowers?" I asked him directly.
"No, sorry Ritu. But I don't know what flowers you are talking about." he replied.
"Oh! Sorry to bother you." I was a bit disappointed.
"What happened?" He asked me.
"Oh it's nothing. Forget it."
"Tell me about it. Please?"
"Well, I've been receiving flowers for my birthday and all the special occasions ever since my childhood. I don't know who is sending them but I'm really desperate to know who he is. You might think I'm some stupid freak, but it really matters to me." I said almost in tears.
"Hey! It's not stupid. Well I don't know who is sending these flowers, but may be I can help."
"How?" I questioned.
That evening I brought Abeer home, he met my parents, then we went to my room to see all the cards that I received with the flowers. They were all sent from the same florist. Abeer suggested that we go to the florist and ask them about the sender, but the florist denied our request. We did every possible thing to try and get the name out, we said we were worried, the sender might be some stalker to which the florist replied that the sender is a very nice person, we also said that in that case we wanted to thank him for his flowers to which they replied that they would deliver the message when the next time the sender visits. All our hard work went in vain but in the end the good thing was I and Abeer ended up together.
I was quite sure that the sender won't send me the flowers on my wedding day. For he must be heart broken, as he has ruined his chances to be with me. But when I was getting ready, there was a soft knock on my door and somebody left a giant bouquet, a bouquet as tall as me on the door and of course, a note with it which read: "Dear Ritu! For all these year, I saw you grow up from a little girl to a beautiful young lady. Year after year, season after season. Honestly, it breaks my heart to see you hold some other man's hand, but I guess that's the best for you. You girl, have chosen the best man in this entire world to be your groom and be your husband. I wish you all the happiness in the world. God bless you. :) Lots of love to you and Abeer." Reading the note I couldn't stop my tears and of course I had to get a round of touch up on my make up.
The birthday ritual continued even after I got married and then one day I received another huge bouquet, this time accompanying balloons along with a usual note, that was the day I became a mother. The note said, "Now begins the scariest part: Parenthood. Dear Ritu, I have seen you transform from a notorious little daughter to a responsible sister to a loving wife and I'm sure that you will be a very caring mother. People will tell you that this is yet another chapter in your life but nobody will tell you that this will be the best chapter of your life. From today, you will learn to love unconditionally, you'll cry more for other's pain than for your own, you'll spend sleepless nights but your child's cry won't irritate you. It's one thing living for oneself and another, living for others, and that's what you will be doing now onwards. Lot's of love to you Abeer and the baby! Congrats! :) PS, of course, I've borrowed the first line from one of your favourite movies, Lion King: Hakuna Matata. I hope I did not scare you for real, it was just to add some fun"
A few years later, it was my thirtyfifth birthday. I waited the whole day for my annual ritual but I did not receive the flowers. I was worried and anxious. Mum called to wish me in the evening. "Why don't you sound cheerful dear?" she asked. "It's nothing ma." I replied. "You know, you can't lie to me. Now tell me what's wrong." "I did not receive the flowers ma. That's making me anxious." I replied. "Oh I see, may be that person is a little busy, or something caught up the delivery boys." mum tired to comfort me. "But it had never happened to me before." I replied "There's always a first time dear." mum said, while hanging up the phone. Even though Abeer returned home early and took me out to dinner, my mind wandered somewhere else. Abeer understood my anxiety but there was nothing he could do to comfort me.
We had ice-cream and a long drive, with my baby girl on my lap. I tried to enjoy the evening but I couldn't help but think what really happened to my flower man. As I reached home, I found a bouquet of 32 red roses, only this time, instead of a note it had a letter attached to it: "Dearest Ritu, I had an amazing time with you, all these years. You were a wonderful wonderful person to be with. I had fun growing up with you. They say 'a child is a father of a man' which is true in all sense, I grew up with you. The first time I held you in my hands, I was a little scared, you were crying a lot. But then, with a couple swings in my arms I saw you smiling at me, a toothless but the best smile I had ever seen and that was the time I realised that now on, I'm responsible for all your smiles and tears. It was my duty to multiply your smiles and reduce your tears and I hope I did a good job. I know you and that is why I am sure you must be full of of questions, like why 32 red roses, why 32 why red and why roses. Well, the answer is I was 32 years old when you were born and I did not want to grow older, for I worried who will look after you if I leave you one day, red because it's the colour of love and you are the first love of my life and roses because they are our favourite flowers. 'But then why did you not tell me all these years?' you must be wondering. Because, I wanted you to know that there is someone watching over you. No matter what happens that person is always there for you. You may not see them, but they are there looking after you. They might be Mr. Gupta or Shanti dadi sometimes but most of the times he's your father. I suggested this idea to your mother on your fifth birthday and she loved it, I hope you loved and enjoyed the journey as much as we did. This is my last letter to you and probably the last flowers that I ever send, but remember, I am always watching over you. Lots of love, dad. :)"
After reading this letter tears rolled down my eyes, I knew it was late but still I decided to call mum, and I couldn't say anything for a couple minutes. "Ritu dear, are you okay?" mum sounded worried. "I received the flowers mum." I said before breaking down. "That's just good dear." I could sense mum smiling over the phone. "I wish I had known earlier. At least I could've thanked him." I said, still crying. "You need not thank him in words Ritu, your father knew how much you loved him." Mum tried to comfort me. "Your father had given me this letter a two years back, saying 'who know what might happen, which day? If something happens to me someday, send this letter to Ritu along with the flowers on her next birthday.'" she sounded composed.
Dad had passed away a few months ago, a very peaceful death, a cardiac arrest while he was asleep.I never got the opportunity to tell him how much I'll miss him if ever he leaves me. As I hung up the phone I saw Abeer read dad's letter. He had tears in his eyes and smile on his lips. As he read he caressed our daughter's hair, folded back the letter neatly and placing it on the side table he said, "It's our daughter's fifth birthday next month. What say? Should we continue the tradition?"
The end
***
Wishing a very happy father's day to all the fathers: every child's (super)hero :)
PS, the idea of this post is not original. I remember reading something similar a few years ago in a newspaper. I liked the story and decided to modify it a bit. This is a new series "Superhero next door" where I'll be writing about common people who might have acted like superheroes and saved somebody's day.
I looked up on the internet to check what the word superhero actually means and it said: a superhero is a type of character possessing extraordinary talents, supernatural phenomena, or superhuman powers and is dedicated to a moral goal or protecting the public.
Some superheroes wear masks, some have a capes around their necks, a shield on their chest and some even have a scar on their forehead and posses magical wand and magical powers, but mine was invisible. Literally. I could never see him or her, or may be I saw them every day and never actually knew that they were my superhero.
I call him a superhero, because he would get me out of my difficult situations, give a pat on my shoulder when I achieved something or may be make me laugh when I really want to cry. Of course, he would never do it in person, he would send me flowers and most of the times a message with them. So that is why I could never see him.
I first remember receiving these flowers on my fifth birthday. 32 red roses, with a note saying: Here's a big hi-five to a big girl on her fifth birthday! :) I hope you are enjoying getting older, and since then the story began. I would receive a bunch of exact 32 red roses, every year, on my birthday. Not a flower less not a flower more. I received a lot of gifts on my birthday, year after year, but the bunch 32 red roses was my most favourite. Year after year I waited for them to arrive and I wondered who would send them to me anonymously. At first I thought it was my class teacher, as I was her favourite student. "She's a devil and an angle" she would praise me in front of mum and dad at the PTA meetings, "for she is very notorious and talkative like a girl of her age but at the same time she would do well in her subjects too." caressing my hair fondly. But I kept on receiving the flowers even after I was promoted to higher classes. "May be it's Mr. Gupta. I help him in his garden sometimes. So this way he wants to thank me" I wondered aloud one day, when me and dad were having breakfast. "May be he is." Dad replied smiling over his newspaper.But sooner, I started receiving flowers of other occasions too. Like when I stood first in class, he sent me a bunch of orange, white and yellow carnations, "Congratulations on passing with flying colours. Please do me a favour and give me an opportunity to send you the flowers next year too ;)" said the note accompanying the bunch of lovely flowers. Who ever it was, knew I really love his gesture and would work hard to give him another chance to send me flowers. I received a bunch of white tuberose, or rajnigandha as most of you might know them when I had my first period. "Don't worry dear, it's not a day to be sad, it's a day to celebrate! You've turned into a woman today. Today, I send these fragrant flowers to you, so that you understand that one day, you'll make someone else's life fragrant." "May be it's Shanti dadi" I asked mum, while she was arranging the flowers in a vase on my table. "You know that one time I helped her with all her shopping bags." "I think you guessed it right dear." mum replied. Funny things was till that day, I always wondered, nay, secretly wished it was some boy who sent me the flowers, but that day, I was really embarrassed to share such a detail of my life with a guy.
Years passed by, I kept on getting older and receiving flowers on various occasions, like that one time when I was made the head girl of the school a beautiful bouquet with a note "With great power comes great responsibility" or the other, when I made it to the college I always wanted to be in, and of course 32 red roses on my birthday every year. Some times I worried whether I have a stalker, "May be I should report it to the police." I told my parents. Who said, "But then they might ask you what took you all theses years to report?" my dad asked "Well I was young, naive and stupid. I didn't know stalkers exist." "But then he's never done any harm to you, has he?" mum questioned. "No but..." I tried to argue. "May be he's just a secret admirer" dad said with his ever comforting smile. "Well, to be honest, many times I wished that those flowers were sent to me by a secret admirer. But then why doesn't he come out of his hiding. How long do I wait for him?" I said. "Then why don't you try searching him?" dad suggested. I liked the idea and decided to take matters in my own hands.
"I'm quite sure it's Abeer." I told dad one day after college. "Why do you think so?" he asked. "Well he keeps on looking at me and smiles whenever I catch his eyes." I replied dreamily. "Tell us about this guy." mum teased. "Oh mum! There's nothing like that. We were on the same project once and he was very nice to me and everyone said we made a great team." I explained. "And what do you think about it?" Mum teased further. "What do I think about what?" I tried to act dumb. "About being a great team." dad added to mum's question. "Well I think we indeed make a good team." I replied confidently. "And what about the flowers? Do you think he's the one sending them to you." mum questioned. "May be!" I replied, still thinking about being a good team. "Then why don't you ask him?" dad suddenly suggested. "Yeah I think you are right. I should ask him. I'll ask him tomorrow." I declared my final words to my parents.
"Hey Abeer" I gathered all my courage next morning and went to ask him my question.
"Hi Ritu!" he replied, smiling confidently.
"Well, I wanted to ask you something." I told him, looking at his friends.
"Sure, go ahead, or do you want to go somewhere else?" he asked politely.
"No, here is fine." I said meekly. "Well, are you the one who sends me the flowers?" I asked him directly.
"No, sorry Ritu. But I don't know what flowers you are talking about." he replied.
"Oh! Sorry to bother you." I was a bit disappointed.
"What happened?" He asked me.
"Oh it's nothing. Forget it."
"Tell me about it. Please?"
"Well, I've been receiving flowers for my birthday and all the special occasions ever since my childhood. I don't know who is sending them but I'm really desperate to know who he is. You might think I'm some stupid freak, but it really matters to me." I said almost in tears.
"Hey! It's not stupid. Well I don't know who is sending these flowers, but may be I can help."
"How?" I questioned.
That evening I brought Abeer home, he met my parents, then we went to my room to see all the cards that I received with the flowers. They were all sent from the same florist. Abeer suggested that we go to the florist and ask them about the sender, but the florist denied our request. We did every possible thing to try and get the name out, we said we were worried, the sender might be some stalker to which the florist replied that the sender is a very nice person, we also said that in that case we wanted to thank him for his flowers to which they replied that they would deliver the message when the next time the sender visits. All our hard work went in vain but in the end the good thing was I and Abeer ended up together.
I was quite sure that the sender won't send me the flowers on my wedding day. For he must be heart broken, as he has ruined his chances to be with me. But when I was getting ready, there was a soft knock on my door and somebody left a giant bouquet, a bouquet as tall as me on the door and of course, a note with it which read: "Dear Ritu! For all these year, I saw you grow up from a little girl to a beautiful young lady. Year after year, season after season. Honestly, it breaks my heart to see you hold some other man's hand, but I guess that's the best for you. You girl, have chosen the best man in this entire world to be your groom and be your husband. I wish you all the happiness in the world. God bless you. :) Lots of love to you and Abeer." Reading the note I couldn't stop my tears and of course I had to get a round of touch up on my make up.The birthday ritual continued even after I got married and then one day I received another huge bouquet, this time accompanying balloons along with a usual note, that was the day I became a mother. The note said, "Now begins the scariest part: Parenthood. Dear Ritu, I have seen you transform from a notorious little daughter to a responsible sister to a loving wife and I'm sure that you will be a very caring mother. People will tell you that this is yet another chapter in your life but nobody will tell you that this will be the best chapter of your life. From today, you will learn to love unconditionally, you'll cry more for other's pain than for your own, you'll spend sleepless nights but your child's cry won't irritate you. It's one thing living for oneself and another, living for others, and that's what you will be doing now onwards. Lot's of love to you Abeer and the baby! Congrats! :) PS, of course, I've borrowed the first line from one of your favourite movies, Lion King: Hakuna Matata. I hope I did not scare you for real, it was just to add some fun"
A few years later, it was my thirtyfifth birthday. I waited the whole day for my annual ritual but I did not receive the flowers. I was worried and anxious. Mum called to wish me in the evening. "Why don't you sound cheerful dear?" she asked. "It's nothing ma." I replied. "You know, you can't lie to me. Now tell me what's wrong." "I did not receive the flowers ma. That's making me anxious." I replied. "Oh I see, may be that person is a little busy, or something caught up the delivery boys." mum tired to comfort me. "But it had never happened to me before." I replied "There's always a first time dear." mum said, while hanging up the phone. Even though Abeer returned home early and took me out to dinner, my mind wandered somewhere else. Abeer understood my anxiety but there was nothing he could do to comfort me.
We had ice-cream and a long drive, with my baby girl on my lap. I tried to enjoy the evening but I couldn't help but think what really happened to my flower man. As I reached home, I found a bouquet of 32 red roses, only this time, instead of a note it had a letter attached to it: "Dearest Ritu, I had an amazing time with you, all these years. You were a wonderful wonderful person to be with. I had fun growing up with you. They say 'a child is a father of a man' which is true in all sense, I grew up with you. The first time I held you in my hands, I was a little scared, you were crying a lot. But then, with a couple swings in my arms I saw you smiling at me, a toothless but the best smile I had ever seen and that was the time I realised that now on, I'm responsible for all your smiles and tears. It was my duty to multiply your smiles and reduce your tears and I hope I did a good job. I know you and that is why I am sure you must be full of of questions, like why 32 red roses, why 32 why red and why roses. Well, the answer is I was 32 years old when you were born and I did not want to grow older, for I worried who will look after you if I leave you one day, red because it's the colour of love and you are the first love of my life and roses because they are our favourite flowers. 'But then why did you not tell me all these years?' you must be wondering. Because, I wanted you to know that there is someone watching over you. No matter what happens that person is always there for you. You may not see them, but they are there looking after you. They might be Mr. Gupta or Shanti dadi sometimes but most of the times he's your father. I suggested this idea to your mother on your fifth birthday and she loved it, I hope you loved and enjoyed the journey as much as we did. This is my last letter to you and probably the last flowers that I ever send, but remember, I am always watching over you. Lots of love, dad. :)"
After reading this letter tears rolled down my eyes, I knew it was late but still I decided to call mum, and I couldn't say anything for a couple minutes. "Ritu dear, are you okay?" mum sounded worried. "I received the flowers mum." I said before breaking down. "That's just good dear." I could sense mum smiling over the phone. "I wish I had known earlier. At least I could've thanked him." I said, still crying. "You need not thank him in words Ritu, your father knew how much you loved him." Mum tried to comfort me. "Your father had given me this letter a two years back, saying 'who know what might happen, which day? If something happens to me someday, send this letter to Ritu along with the flowers on her next birthday.'" she sounded composed.
Dad had passed away a few months ago, a very peaceful death, a cardiac arrest while he was asleep.I never got the opportunity to tell him how much I'll miss him if ever he leaves me. As I hung up the phone I saw Abeer read dad's letter. He had tears in his eyes and smile on his lips. As he read he caressed our daughter's hair, folded back the letter neatly and placing it on the side table he said, "It's our daughter's fifth birthday next month. What say? Should we continue the tradition?"
The end
***
Wishing a very happy father's day to all the fathers: every child's (super)hero :)
PS, the idea of this post is not original. I remember reading something similar a few years ago in a newspaper. I liked the story and decided to modify it a bit. This is a new series "Superhero next door" where I'll be writing about common people who might have acted like superheroes and saved somebody's day.
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