Time flies. Known fact. But we never look at ourselves and say - I'm 26, time flew. Or I'm married time flew. We mostly end up looking at time passing in relation with someone else.
A and i are 5 years apart. He's a total kid and still is one even though he's 21. The last one week has been a sort of reality check for me. The same kid who yanked me by my hair and broke every toy i had was packing his bags to leave for Australia, for higher studies. Time really had flown by.
A and i have never really been at logger heads. We've always gotten along like a house on fire and of course together played pranks on people, Amma being the target for most of them. He's been a role model for his friends and even his profs in college depended on for various things. At home he's been the extended shoulder for mum. Someone who was always there, her shadow.
He left yesterday. From Sunday, i was hoping against hope that time would stand still and that thursday night would never come. I never thought I'd miss him so much but i guess its only when a person is away from you do you realise their worth. At several instances i normally think, "damn i wish i had just one minute more" - probably for finishing an assignment, or a call, or just beginning a long journey. Many instances.
Yesterday on our way to the airport as the minute and seconds hand moved, i hoped for just one minute more. One minute more for A to be with mum, One minute more for him to whine with Buddy and cuddle Candy, one minute more for him to chit chat with dad, one minute more for him to fondly call me Arthropoda and yank me by my nose (he loves doing that) one minute more for him to climb and sit on Mohee's shoulder.
We reached the airport. I did not get my one minute more.
Time flew faster than i thought. In minutes he was done checking in, waving goodbye, and walking through customs to security check. My last sight of him was of him lugging his backpack (weighing 11 kilos!) and making his way to his destiny. Standing at 6'4, he still looked like the curly haired kid zooming around the house in his walker scribbling on every wall around, occasionally stopping to bite my hand.
A journey to the airport and back with one person less. And for the first time, my head did not automatically turn at the BMW showroom!
