Short Story: The perfect table

 It was 930AM- the shipping agency had notified that their service van is on the way to delivery. Anne had taken the day off. She called up the courier service to check on the exact delivery time. This is the 1000th time she's looking in the mirror, beaming with excitement and joy. How would the table look like- would it have a glass top? What pattern would it's legs have? Would the table have two layers or just one? She cannot wait enough to touch the surface- will it have a matte finish or a glossy look. She didn't have any expectations- she was just waiting to touch the surface with her hands- the table that will be the thread connecting her present to her fond memorable childhood.

Her thoughts are flooded with her journey thus far. It was not a smooth ride from her childhood home in Nagercoil to her current home in Nashville. But, she had pulled along so elegantly, treading carefully where she must, learning the lessons when she slipped and making firm strides later. She is so proud of the family she has built, one connection at a time- a beautiful family with her 3 kids and her husband who adore her. She couldn't ask for a better life. Over the years, she has also learnt to appreciate and find joy in the goodness around her- she had fewer complaints and so a peaceful, joyful life.

 But, she missed her parents and her birth home. The pandemic has made the longing worser. She had a very blessed childhood that she enjoyed with her lovely sisters. Her entire birth family is in India. Phone calls and WhatsApp chats keep the connections stronger. although virtual, they have helped to live together, sharing snippets of life very regularly- sharing pictures, sharing cooking recipes and having all the fun that is only possible with people who know so well from your self- forming years, inside out.

 A few months ago, while she was on a call with her dad, the call was abruptly disconnected. Repeated follow on calls dod not go through. She got anxious. 4hours later, her dad called to say that there was a powercut, thanks to the huge teak tree that stood infront of their house. Apparently, there was a huge gust of wind, and the thicker stems interrupted with the power line, cutting down the weakest link. The TNEB guys were very puzzled to diagnose the cause of powercut. When they found the reason after a long struggle, they complained and suggested about cutting the teak tree. Her father joked that while squirrels running over power lines can disrupt power, why not a majestic teak tree. They laughed heartily. 

Then he asked, ' Anne dear, do you remember this teak tree?'. Anne was blank- 'which teak tree are you referring to, dad?'. Dad replied, "Oh, it's the tree you planted 30 years ago!" Anne was elated with joy, as her father drew her memory to the blur image in her mind, of 30 years ago. 

She was 12 years old and was in her sixth grade. Her sister and she had refreshed themselves after returning from school. They were served the perfectly brittle, layered vegetable puff and a piece of honey cake for a snack. They were competing on who peels the layers of the puff perfectly, and had fun poking into each others layers. They also detested the vegetable stuffing, but mom was always strict about completing ones plate- so there was no escape. 

 As they were goofing around on the snack, dad arrived on his Honda. He was carrying two bags with a few leaves popping up through the top. Running to receive dad was a great opportunity to escape the blandness of the vegetables in the puff. They hurriedly stuffed the layers into their mouth and ran to dad, peeping into the bags. After dad refreshed himself, he asked for a shovel and a bucket of water. The girls got excited about a gardening activity with dad. While Anne's sister laboriously carried a bucket of water, Anne ran with a shovel.

 Dad dug two pits on either side of the house, wetted the ground  and pulled out the bags. There were two tiny saplings- with the freshness and hope only a little baby sapling can spread. Each of them got to plant a sapling into the pit that dad just dug. After they placed them into the pits, dad closed the pits with more wet soil.

 Ever since then, it became a regular habit for the duo to water their saplings, paying close attention to its growth. They saw it grow from a tiny baby sapling to leafing broad leaves to branching out several shoots, until their barks firmed up and grew into a tree. By this time, they were old enough to go to university, which required them to stay in hostels. Their visits home were spaced in regular intervals. Whenever they did, they compared their tree with each others and had fun teasing each other about it.

 Slowly, the banalities of life took on, and they were each on their way to earn livelihoods, and later build their own families. Their parents looked after the trees very fondly, as they continued to grow wide and firm. Afterall, the trees were now gentle reminders of their daughters.

 After this detour into memory lane, her father took a deep sigh and  suggested something unusual on the phone call 'Anne dear, now that TNEB employees have began complaining, I don't think they will let the trees stand in for long. I would like to partake of them, and transfer them to you and your sister'. Anne was perplexed- how could he transfer a huge tree across oceans? That's when he chuckled and proposed his brilliant idea- 'Its an old tree, and can make good furnishing. Why don't we use it to furnish your new home?'. This got Anne thinking. She replied that she will give a careful thought and revert a few hours later. 

 After a few hours she called up dad and said, rather sullenly, " Dad! It's so sad to cut down a tree that had such life to it, giving us joyful memories and teaching us valuable lessons on not withering with strong winds. But, I guess it is eventually inevitable-if not now, then some other time. I have been looking for a dining table all over my town, and couldn't find an impressive, comfortable one. Can we use the tree to make a strong dining table". Dad consoled her, comforting her back from her sadness and agreed to her proposal. 

 He called out for the woodcutter, and stood beside him, as the woodcutter cut down the tree ever so carefully. Then he invited the carpenter to carve the dining table, within their house premises. He ensured that the table was perfect, with no blemishes, no scratches. Finally, he sought the help of a shipping agency to ship the table across to his lovely daughter. 

 As she was relishing on this memory, a van arrived at her gate. They verified the address, and handed over the receipts along with the letter to her from her dad. He had signed: "Dear Anne, this is by far the best of my gifts to you- it is a part of your childhood, and a treasure that you can take pride in passing over to your kids. I hope all the meals that you eat from this table fill you with energy, bring you good health and unbounded joy. It's such a huge blessing to touch a part of your childhood everyday as you go along with your monotonous life. Isn't that beautiful- just like you are to me? Pass this favour on- allow your kids to nurture their own trees. It will enamour them and will be great reminders of their childhood home. It will also teach them valuable skills. Pass my love to them! You are loved immensely."