Tag Archives: Nathiagali

Cringe – Worthy

  

What will make me squirm?

Getting caught in somebody’s quarrel. It’s totally embarrassing. It has happened to me. I try to disappear at the first whiff of trouble brewing.

My (late) husband, and I had invited my cousin Z, and her family for Skiing in Nathiagali. We were staying for a night there. We had driven from Abbotabad where we were (at that time) living. Z had come on a week visit from Islamabad.

After the day was over, we were gathered in the living room of the lodge where we were staying, having tea. Z got up, and went for a minute to her room. She brought out some knitting with her. She had barely knitted a few stitches, when her husband told her to stop. She didn’t, and in a few minutes there was turmoil in our midst. We were so taken aback, and didn’t know what to say.

I never knew her husband was so hot headed. Thankfully they retired to their room, and we were spared the rest of their heated words. They came out for dinner, but the rest of the evening wasn’t the same.
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Cringe – Worthy

Do you feel uncomfortable when you see someone else being embarrassed? What’s most likely to make you squirm?

Make It Anywhere

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere,” goes the famous song about New York City. Is there a place — a city, a school, a company — about which you think (or thought) the same? Tell us why, and if you ever tried to prove that claim.

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They wanted a together trip. No one else with them — not even a driver. They made their plans, and left accordingly.

They thoroughly enjoyed their stay at Murree. Then they went onwards to Nathiagali. The misty pine trees, the scenic route brought joy to their hearts. They took photographs, sometimes asking a passerby to take their picture together.

A week had gone by. They felt fresh, and revived, as they headed back to Peshawar. Two huge buses passed by, tooting their horns at great speed. The shrill sound was so annoying in H’s ears. It sort of ripped his heart.

He slowed, and turned into a gas station. J asked worriedly, “Are you okay?”

“I feel a bit nauseous.”

J looked at her husband’s pale face, and phoned her eldest son to come for them. It took the son an hour to reach them. He rushed them to the nearest hospital which was in Wah.

The doctors restarted H’s heart. They kept him alive on a respirator. J, and her sons’ thought everything will turn out right, once H wakes up.

In the end H came in his eldest son’s dreams, and told him, “Why are you putting me through so much discomfort? Let me go.”

The last trip turned out to be J, and H’s last moments together.

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Best Friends Forever

My closest friend is my daughter. You can call her my very best friend. I was a stay at home mom. Being motherless myself from an early stage I used to be worried that it shouldn’t happen to my children. I loved my children with an intensity, always worried that I may kick the bucket way too soon leaving my kids to life’s vagaries. My whole world revolved around them and still do.

My husband being in the army the children and I were alone at home most of the time. As the children grew up and we faced the many transfers of my husband, we would be posted to such places where education was not up to the standard we liked. We didn’t like leaving our children with relatives. The one option left was hostels. My husband didn’t like leaving Nola in a hostel, but he was okay with our son being left. His thinking was that a boy can take care of himself better than a girl.

Wherever we were posted, Nola and I used to be alone at home and would keep each other company. We enjoyed each other but Nola would forget that I was the mother and would boss me. We had many fights too as she would question my decisions about her.

With her I never needed to talk to other people, as my own chatterbox kept me entertained with her talking and singing all the time. As a small child she was highly protective. Once we went to Nathiagali in winter for skiing. We had invited my cousin and her family for the trip with us. We had gone for a walk. My cousin Z playfully pelted me with snow balls when she suddenly called for help. My daughter had pushed her because she thought I was being attacked by Z.

It’s funny really even my granddaughter M 1 thought when she was four years old that Nola was my mother. She asked M 1 how old was Nano (that’s me) and her reply was that I was six and younger than her. Nowadays Nola’s son TJ is quite confused. He has heard her many times saying that Nano is her eldest child. The last time I visited he was trying to find out what his relationship was with me.

When she came to USA with her husband she was a student on a scholarship. We helped with money as much as we could but still life was hard for her. Years before when looking at an Epilady in Woman’s Weekly I remarked that I was going to get it for myself if I went abroad. At that time it was not available in our country. Can you imagine she had remembered that. She sent me that on my birthday. She knows my penchant for crockery. I have told you the story previously how she made her children carry a set of five dishes and a Lazy Susan. They had to change various airlines along the route. Her children were fed up on hand carrying Nano’s gift and wanted to throw it away.

During my various operations, she was the one looking after me. I won’t bore you with the details. She would nurse me to health and recovery. She would do whatever I asked her with unfailing good spirits. She was truly God’s Blessing for me and still is. I am glad that we are friends more than mother and daughter. Hope we remain so.😌. Amen.

A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same. (Elbert Hubbard)

Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead
Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow
Just walk beside me and be my friend
(Albert Camus)

And here is a poem which sums it up.

When we first talked to each other
I knew we would always be friends
Our friendship has kept on growing
And I’ll be here for you to the end.

You listen when I have a problem
And help dry the tears from my face
You take away my sorrow
And put happiness in it’s place

We can’t forget the fun we’ve had
Laughing ’til our faces turn blue
Talking of things only we find funny
People think we’re insane- if they only knew

I guess this is my way of saying thanks
For catching me when I fall
Thanks once again for being such a good friend
And being here with me through it all

(Anonymous)

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