Yesterday Evening

We put up the star yesterday. Lots of excited banter as I pointed it out to Y and sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Pictures were taken from different angles. Out came the Santa cap. Some more fussing around to get a good shot of Y with it on. Seven-thirty in the evening. Time for Sunanda to leave. I stand at the door as she says bye to Y. Sunanda and I continue to talk even as she gets her footwear on which was left outside our door. Another regular weeknight.

That's when a small girl comes out of the blue and literally barges in to our home. She might be between 7 and 10 years old. No eye contact...she just walks in and seats herself on the chair. I put on the best 'happy' voice ever and say "Hi". No response and no eye contact. "What's your name?". No response. Hubby and I have never seen her before. She's well dressed and is obviously one of the kids who stay in our apartment complex. Y looks at her fondly and moves closer. He likes children. That's when she almost pushes him away.

Sunanda realises that the girl is from D-Block. She also cautions us that she is not "normal". So, Hubby gets Y out of her way. All of a sudden she makes a dash towards the balcony. Hubby shouts out to me to secure the sliding glass panels. I keep talking all the while hoping to elicit a response. As she stands in the balcony, I try one more time in the same happy voice ..."Look at the star". That's when she looks up and says "Amma". Suddenly, she blurts out something in English...and it's a huge a relief. Atleast we can communicate! All of us were as disoriented as the girl. Soon enough the concerned people were alerted and her mother came along relief writ large on her face. The little girl's name is Spurthi.

This incident shook us out of our senses. How many Spurthis out there who go missing and are never found. I shudder at the very thought of the million what-ifs that go through my mind. We're all thankful none of those what-ifs came true.