[ 7 Heaven ]

Now the house was a heaven for me.A rented house the owner was a Govt of Tamil Nadu, member of the legislative assembly.[ It was in this house that the Manager of a local textile mill lived,my friend's uncle].
He was a close relative of my friend who was working as a apprentice in a reputed local mill,while I was a floor level staff of another company which had the largest group of mills under it's control [ in the whole of India no company had such a large capacity for yarn production ].The house became vacant and as a bachelor I could not get any house in those days.Now this Manger of the local mills who was staying in the mills influenced the land lady to allot the house to me, as he was relocating to another place.She agreed in spite her doubts about me and my friends,though we looked decent enough and I took the house
But,had to share it with one of my friend.There was a catch in letting my friend to share the house,that if some one gets married he has the option to keep the house, the other's must quit.However another married friend joined us.His wife was in Ahmadabad and he had come to take training in my mill.I was his Guide appointed by my boss.He requested for a Bachelor accommodation information.Since we were only two and could take another guest I offered him our place and he joined.When his training was over he had his company's accommodation and moved out.We were again just the two of us.It so happened that both of us got married in a span of just 15 days and my wife Joined first,and my friend's wife came next.We were such good friends that we did not wanted to get separated and so we two were in one room and my friend in other.The cooking was shared by our wives on alternate days,meals being cooked for 4 of us including breakfast and snacks.However my friend left after a year as he took up a new job in Calcutta and got relocated.So I had he house all for myself when my son came with my wife and parents in law.
Oh !,what was I saying,yes the house was indeed a heaven.My son was fond of playing rather than taking his daily dose of pure cow's milk that we used to get in that house as the land lady was having lot of cow's and suppling us milk.
He prevented us also in taking our meals at night.In the day I was taking lunch in my place of work.I planed a game of making tea for him which would keep him busy till we finished our lunch.He would make the tea by using old used tea dust with water and filter it and keep transferring it from cup to cup like what they do in tea stalls which he had seen.
The sad part was,he would want me to drink it after I had my meals.A dirty black liquid called tea by him.I don't know how I managed to please him by drinking it.
In order to make him take his daily dose of milk,I had to carry him on my shoulders and move around the house whistling and saying that Kengeri Banthu,Bididi Bantu,Maddur Bantu ........ the Bantu in Kannada means "has come".The other earlier part is the names of railway stations from Bangalore to Mysore.Till he completes drinking his quota of milk I had to move around the house calling names of all the stations,no sooner he completes I would try to take a break telling him Bangaloe bantu in munde train hogolaa and bring him down from my shoulders.This was the only way we could make him drink his milk.In morning my wife would some how manage to make him drink from a glass.He never used to drink milk from the feeding bottle.
He starts eating Rice.
He was now nearing his tenth month after birth
My mother was waiting for this month.
I had to arrange a function which we call " Anna Prashana " again family gathering pooja and after few mantras by the pundit he was fed rice dipped in ghee,honey and sugar blessed by goddess "Annapurnaeswari " from my hand.Now he could eat from our plates,another Joy.