When the Honda minivan pulled into entrance of Sea-Tac International Airport, Nandan glanced at his watch and registered that he had three hours before his flight to India departed. An arduous couple months of graduate school warranted a much deserved spring break away from the sprawling campus of University of Washington. He was eagerly looking forward to spending quality time with his paternal grandparents in Bangalore.
“Nandu, don’t’ forget to give the shortbread cookies to your grandma and do give them our regards” Kavitha gently reminded. Kavitha was Nandan’s aunt and, along with her husband Dev, only immediate family after he lost his parents while in middle school.
Dev, a brilliant engineer himself, was instrumental in shaping Nandan’s engineering mindset. “Hey buddy, after you check-in you might want to try this new puzzle game I have downloaded. It’s very interesting!” Dev chuckled as he scrambled to launch the game on Nandan’s tablet. While Dev continued to brief on the nuances of the new game, the words of wisdom faded in the background as Nandan had an undeterred focus on his destination, spring break, and more importantly his grandparents. His last trip was four years ago, a visit that was firmly etched in memory. Two months split between two loved ones – caring for his ailing grandfather, and supporting his close friend Nitya who was then passing through pressing times of a rough marriage and terminally ill mother.
The blossoming splendor of spring had cast its spell on Cubbon Park – a sprawling landscape of greenery in central Bangalore. Despite the greenhouse gases wreaking havoc in the atmosphere, for a moment, the park – a gardener’s dream – stood firm like a citadel. The bright red flowers of Gulmohar trees lining the roads soaked up the sunshine and ushered in the warmth of spring.
Nandan flicked the gray and burnt-orange messenger-bag to his back and tiptoed through the rose garden climbing the dusty stone steps of the State Central Library, an impressive bright red building with gables. The cooing pigeons perched on center gable sprung up in the air and dotted the crisp blue skyline.
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