The Summer Flight

Where was Kumar standing and what was he doing?
He was standing near the window  and staring out.
Where was he? In New York , in a very comfortable ,fully furnished apartment.
What was he? An intelligent and enterprising young man.
How old was he? He was in his late twenties.
How did he own the flat? By his hard earned earnings.
What did he feel in his heart? An emptiness.
Where did his thoughts drift? To a place with its continuous honking of water tankers, a babble of voices,,Men and women jostling  their way towards the tanker,racing after it.
Why did they do this? They never knew where it would stop.
Describe his family in India:
They all lived in a cramped flat ,two flight of stairs upwards and that too in a narrow congested street.
There was no study room and the door was always ajar.The reason his family members went out and came in.
What was his grand pa doing? sat on the armchair watching T.V.
What was grand ma doing?  ever serving coffee, pakodas, dosas, snacks etc.,
What was his dad doing? had a serious face striding to work.
What were his brother and sister doing? busy with their school activities.
Why he called his mother,"OH!Ma! How I miss you!"
Because she was the soft,sweet creature ,ever loving and caring.She was attending endlessly to all members of the family,cooking,cleaning and running errands.
What did he recall then pensively?His preparations for his trip to the United States Of America.
How was he able to get a wonderful career in an MNC?
His outstanding performance at college.
Where was he deputed on? Deputed on an assignment to the States.
What was he assured of? a promising career there.
How was he able to do that? His dad squeezed out funds from every possible source.He had put in a lot of efforts.Scheming and cajoling convincing mother was a great ordeal.
His brother ans sister had also to sacrifice their needs.
What did he witness in the airport? Tear stricken faces at the time of farewell.
What was Kumar's condition then? His mind was engrossed in the glorious career in States.
What did he obtain  after some time?  The Green Card.
What is it? it is the preliminary requirement for gaining citizenship of America.
How did he enjoy his new country? A full purse and a lavish lifestyle.
What was he doing when he arrived there? He used to talk to his mummy on the phone for half-an-hour,pacifying her and waiting for sobs to subside.
What happened then? He drifted from  her because of the work and lifestyle. 
What made him to talk to his mother less and less?
Because she was calling him to come back to India to her.
He made calls daily , then weekly, then monthly and then rarely
making his mother  waiting anxiously for his calls.
Why was he having a wave of guilt? His mother sitting near the telephone till night waiting for his calls.
What did he do then? With a shudder(changing of mood,disgust) he again turned to the window.
What did he see? the birds flying in a streamlined "V" shape.
How were the birds flying? hurrying,with one mind,with an important goal to pursue.
What was the time of the year? When the migratory birds returned to their homes after a five month warm sojourn.(temporary stay)
What did it remind him? His childhood picnic days with his parents to Vedanthangal.
What did he see there? Flocks of birds nestled among the trees.
What did Kumar's father give him? A telescope.
What closer view did Kumar have? tiny little nestlings of  5 of them.
What did his father tell him?Those birds would soon go back to their homes  far in the cold regions of the planet.
Which words of his father ring clear in his ears?"You see Kumar,Though they have stayed here for almost a year and enjoyed our climate and food available,they know that their home is in the Arctic. And there's no place like home,is there?"
"Home is where heart is." why did Kumar think like that?
After gazing at the birds flying until they looked like specks on the distant horizon, his vision blurred(became unclear or indistinct)as tears filled his eyes.
Then what did Kumar do? left the room with a sure stride(walked with long steps) and a strong determination writ on his countenance(face).
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Blurred: became uncleared or indistinct.
cajoling: persuading  by flattery or deceit.( Remember the Fox and the Crow story)
congested: overcrowded.
countenance: face
 enterprising: courageous, willing to take reasonable risks and venture.
lavish: rich, extravagant
pacifying:soothing,consoling
rang clear in his ears: sounded heavily
Remorse: bitter regret for having done something wrong.
scheming:Planning secretly
sojourn: Short stay
Utopia:An imaginary land of permanent happiness.
vivacious:enthusiastic, cheerful
writ:very obvious, clearly recognisable
Zoomed: made larger.

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