30th September

I haven’t a clue why I am so tender towards Button. I put him on a different pedestal this morning and saw him smiling from ear to ear.
“What makes you so happy this morning, Button?”

“I am happiest seeing you every morning. I also realize it’s the beginning of a new day even though I can’t look outside.”

“It’s just a matter of a month or less when they will remove the ply boarding the windows and you will be able to look outside. You know they are repairing the exterior of the building.”

“But they’ve taken ages. I feel slightly low sometimes because this room is so dark and I can’t see the sky and the twinkling stars at night.”

“Don’t complain. It’ll all be over soon. Think positive. All the rooms in this wing including ours and Rangita’s and Ishita’s have been sealed or you could have moved in with one of us.”

“Think positive! How?”

“Like how heavenly it will be when the ply is removed. Like seeing birds fly. Like having the breeze caress your face. Like seeing day break. I can name a hundred things.”

“You make me feel good already.”

29th September

I entered Button’s room (it’s really become Button’s room) singing – “My Button lies over the ocean. My Button lies over the sea. My Button lies over the ocean, oh bring back my Button to me…”
“I am right here. Who said I’m over the ocean and over the sea?

“That’s the way this song goes, Button. I am merely singing a song for you.”

“Oh. That’s nice.”

I sang the song again dancing the waltz with Button in my arms and felt as if heaven had come down to earth…

28th September

“Good morning, Button. How are you this morning?”
“Good. And you?”

“I’m doing fine. Today is Dasshera and everybody’s going to be at home. It’s going to be very noisy this evening with all those fire crackers being lit. I would imagine you don’t like noise.”

“I hate noise. Are you going to be at home too?”

“I’ll go to Moksh for a bit.”

“Don’t stay out too late.”

“You do care about me.”

“I am here because you spotted me and gave me a life. How can I not care?”

27th September

“Today is the 9th day of Navratri. Tomorrow is the day when Goddess Durga will be immersed and Durga Puja will end?”
“I know. I also hope the immersions go off smoothly and there are no mishaps. I get scared whenever I see human gatherings. It’s not safe anymore.”

“These days, even going to a puja pandal is dangerous. One has to be cautious with every step one takes. How can you live in fear all the time?”

“Did you go to Shivaji Park?”

“We did. All four of us. Like every other year. In fact, we just got back and brought back home delicious mughlai parathas. Reminds me of good old Kolkata where both sir and I come from.”

“Bengali cuisine is divine, I am told.”

“Bongs live to eat. They love their food and love feeding others. Visit a Bengali home and you’ll have to eat the food that’s served. They feel insulted if you don’t!”

26th September

“Button, remember the rats in the study especially in the room you now occupy? That must have been very scary, unpleasant and disgusting!”
“Not at all. In fact there were 3 of them and I made friends with all three. The problem is that you are all scared of rats when, actually, it should be the other way around. One rat told me how he sat atop the cupboard in my room and kept peering at you from his perch, contemplating whether he should jump on you and scare the living daylights out of you so he could escape. The other turned around and asked me how giant-sized human beings can be scared of tiny little rats and had a hearty laugh showing his buck teeth. He even had a dimple.”

“But you know how city people are. They are scared even of a tiny ant! My own daughters are scared of the tiniest moths and centipedes!”

“At least with them around, I had company when you’re not there.”

25th September

“How is it that you are here an hour earlier than usual? Were you missing me?”
“I miss you all the time, Button, and you must believe me. I wish I could take you along with me everywhere. Do you like the name Button?”

“It’s unusual. Yes, I must say I like it. How did you come up with this name for me?”

“Well—I had quite a few names in mind. So I drew chits and Button was the name that came up. By the way, I think your button nose is very cute.”

“Are you making fun of my nose?”

“Not at all. That’s one of the things that make you really cute…”

“What were the other names you had in mind for me?”

“Let’s see—one was Brownie, the others were Smiley, Cuddly, Lovely. I must say I like Button the most too.”

24th September

Make the World A Little Younger,
bring the laughter in…

Yesterday was full of magic

Bring it back again…

“You seem very happy!”

“I am, Button. I feel on cloud 9 today.”

“I know that song. Shirley Bassey sang a version or was it the original!”

“How do you know that?”

“I’ve heard you play the disc Rangita cut for you with all your favourite numbers and sing alongside. I love the song too. I also heard you sing after a very long time.”

“I used to sing a lot once upon a time. This is one of my favourite songs. And Bassey sings it so soulfully. This song is magical.”

“But why don’t you sing anymore?”

‘There’s no reason as such. You get hooked on to different things that fascinate you at different times so some get sidelined. It’s like playing the piano. My fingers itch to touch those keys again but I just don’t find the time!”

“However, that was one of the best things you did.”

“How can you say that? You’ve not heard me play the piano!”

“Of-course I have. I also remember the Parsi lady—I think her name was Maharouk—who used to come here twice a week to tutor you.”

“I first learnt to play the instrument from Nergis Cowasjee, another Parsi lady in Geetanjali, not Usha Kiran. You weren’t around then.”

23rd September

“Button, your ears are rather small in comparison to your body! Are bear ears so tiny!”
“I’m not talking unless I get my hug.”

This ritual usually happens around 9 every morning give or take 10 or 15 minutes. I distinctly saw a grin on his face.

 “Do you like being hugged, Button?”

“I do and you know that. Hug me one more time please. I am so lonely out here. Can’t I come out sometimes and play with Rani and Mowgli (The two strays we rescued off the streets)? I’d like that so much.”

“I’ll remember that. Let me see how I can get them to play with you. I need to introduce them to you first.”

22nd September

“Button, have you ever wondered why some men have hair growing out of their ears?”

“I have seen elderly men with hairy ears. That will also apply to me as I grow older. What a gross thought.”

“There is one man who comes to mind when I think of hairy ears: Kaloo, our friendly neighbour. You can actually tie up his ear hair into small ponytails or make plaits! Can’t understand why Babri, his wife, can’t trim the hair growing out of her husband’s ears!”

“Does the hair turn grey as the man ages?”

“It does. I had an uncle back in Kolkata who had tufts of grey hair coming out of his ears. And every time we tickled his ears, he thought it was a tic or a mosquito that had lost its way in the  hairy jungle and slap his ears really hard but still refused to trim the hair . Thank god women don’t have that problem!”

21st September

It’s become a habit. This habit of going inside the tiny room attached with the study and planting a kiss on Button’s black nose.
I did the same this morning and found him staring at me straight in the eyes.

“Why are you staring at me, Button?”

“Just. Thank you for coming by. Will you be my friend?”

“I am your friend.”

“Then give me a hi-five.”

“Here you go. Where did you learn this hi-five thing from? Ishita does it very often.”

“I learnt from watching the two of you do it. In fact, she taught you to give hi-fives correctly. I remember her in splits and almost falling off her chair every time both of you gave each other hi-fives and your hand would slip and slap air instead.”

“We’ve just become friends and you’re already poking fun at me?”

“That’s the best way to live life. Haven’t you heard of—laugh and the world laughs with you?”

“Just wait and watch! My turn will come shortly.”

“Sure. Look forward.