The day I took him out

There were cockroaches everywhere in our house

Inside the kitchen……

Inside the wardrobe……

Under the cot…….

Even inside the refrigerator.

There were cockroaches everywhere……..

His world was also full of cockroaches………

That was the word he uttered first.

He kept calling them out affectionately

He turned them upside down as they moved along the floor

Swallowed them at times

Even his dreams were full of cockroaches

I heard him calling out cockroaches while in deep sleep

His mother wanted me to show him the world outside

The world beyond cockroaches...

But, I always had one or the other excuse,

For not taking him out.

Meetings....

Presentations……

Targets……..

Field trips.... etc. etc.

Finally on the last Christmas day,

I took the one-year-old to the park nearby

Probably the first time a sunny day out for him

He ran along the lawn,

Whistled at the birds,

Admired the beauty of flowers,

Smiled at those on morning walk.

He did not want to return to home.

………………………………………………………….

Back home, I sent an email to my boss,

Extending my leaves for one week.

And, I waited for the next morning....