A Gathering of Family

I wake up and the room is filled with light. A cool breeze flows in through the open window and gently teases the clothes on the chair. It takes me a moment to realise that I'm not at home, that this is not my bed and that the sounds coming in from outside are not my shy neighbour who apparently is incapable of producing any sound beyond that of his own unavoidable breathing but my young cousin banging on the bathroom door for her stupid brother to come out. No, I am in my uncle's house and on vacation and the trouble fast brewing over the conquest of the washroom is music to my ears.

I get up and brush my teeth in the small bathroom at the entrance. The house is swirling in early morning chaos as everybody rushes to get to their classes on time. I wander about lazily and end up on the couch in front of the TV. Chachu is sitting there with his morning tea and the newspaper spread open out in front of him. Chachi is busy in the kitchen making lunches for the children. They are not children any more but their mother still gets up early to pack food for them. I turn on the TV and mindlessly flick through the channels. Chachi hands me a hot plate with breakfast on it: buttered toast and jam and a hardboiled egg, lightly salted and heavily peppered. The perfect meal. The weatherman is saying something about clear skies and sunshine. A beautiful day has just begun.