“Please copy those songs to the computer”.. I heard the kids pleading.. I could see Nasra’s face, after an exhaustive journey to her aunt’s place, I am sure her body said, do it later.. Looks like her heart stood with the kids. The music files were brought by one set of her maternal first cousins in a device which I have not seen before, for the kids at her paternal aunt’s place, which is my home too. Family and relationship building really happens digitally too!!
As idle as she can, she stood up and awakened me. It took some time to identify my vital chords and give me enough power. She pushed the flat stuff (I am used to seeing only floppy disk and CD drive ) through one of the few slots I have. I was booting through the usual light blue screen with the typical microsoft icon etched in full screen, which is the only one I have (which evoked some obvious long lost rememberance in her memory, and she stood with a nostalgic look).
The device (I heard she mentioning it as thumb drive once and pen drive at another time) was new to me. I had to tell her, “A new device detected – USB drive. Please install driver for it”. Oh My God!! A computer which doesn’t detect USB drives.. “Cancel”, Cancel, Cancel.. I saw the flicker of irritation on Nasra’s face.. A machine without USB driver!! Oops its windows 98!! She walked off without turning back..
What next!! Looks like her patience has started melting away.. Kids are all around me already, to see the new treasure of stories being loaded into me. Nasra has her very usual expression, the miserable look, which she wears whenever she is into a not-so-familiar situation. A call to her cousin, my real master, for obtaining a USB driver from somewhere.. I overheard her conversation, “The kids are all waiting for this stupid computer to work. Why do you keep this stupid windows 98 still?” He says, why waste time, I will copy it to my XP machine and write it into a CD :-(
What next.. I don’t know when she is going to send me back to my long sleep.. While waiting for it, memories started flooded in..
The days, where there were songs around me, and people.. the endless array, with curious faces.. My mistress, the proud owner, Nasra’s cousin, spending endless hours with me.. Time flew, so also interests.. The curiosity was lost.. My mistress left in pursuit of her new life.. The important corner I was in, no longer looked vast, it started getting narrower each day..
I heard the foot steps again. My face lit up with expectation.. I badly wanted to be of some use to someone.. It’s Nasra again.. I looked up at her. Oh no, she is going to switch me off..
I expected some gratitude, a gesture of courtesy, my eyes were slowly shutting down.. and as usual, I told them that I am going to sleep, “It is now safe to turn off your computer now”.. The last thing I heard before sinking to my sleep was that horrible sarcastic loud laugh from Nasra… She really has that ability to place people in an awkward situation with her laugh!!
I have never seen an XP, and now I want to see one.. I am sure he is far more handsome and modern.. May be modern etiquettes doesn’t need words of courtesy..
Time really flies!!
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