Astatine

A Funeral

An apple struck on my head when I was sleeping peacefully on my recliner. When would people understand the worth of other's sleep? "Hey! You good for nothing lazy idiot! Wake up!" A dog's bark would be much pleasant than my wife's commands. "Take the trash out!" Opening those heavy eyes was sure a challenge. I saw the big black polythene of trash and the dump collection place I have to throw it to, through a window. Pointed two fingers groggily towards the black polybag while getting a glare from her I swept my fingers across towards the collection site. The door opened, the bag went flying out landing on the site.

Never have I ever stood up so fast. Eyes wide open. The book which I was reading yesterday fell down with a thud. There was a silence across the whole house. Two eyes staring back at me unable to comprehend what exactly happened. In the back of my head, I could say well I made a mechanism to take the trash out without getting up. But, even I couldn't utter a single word.

My sister, Jeane, started to come down the stairs, oblivious to what happened as usual. She was staying with us for a few days. One of her school friends passed away recently and she was here to attend her funeral. She came down and gave us a smile. None of us spoke a word of what happened. She sat down to have her breakfast "go get changed Dave, we have a funeral to attend" 'lazy idiot! Wake up' she mouthed. I rolled my eyes and went away.

I didn't know her friends well. Neither did I know how close she was to her. But, being not very sad about it, she might be just acquaintance. But, driving all the way to here is a huge surprise for someone not that well known to her. We generally visit her in the college which is only 100 km far. Yet, here she is, blithering idiot. After dressing up, I went down to get my breakfast. They were chatting as soon as they saw me they pointed me to the fallen apple next to the recliner. "Where on earth do you have food thrown at you which you are supposed to have?" My wife, Kyra, wanted to open a restaurant of hers, I can see the plan working marvellously.

Though we have a modest house, being a car connoisseur I have a huge underground garage. Simple living exuberant spending. The latest addition being a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. Whose keys I got yesterday only. Man! I was waiting for it for so long after giving the order. Anyways seeing I was eyeing the jet black bull. She shouted and pointed me towards a black Audi Q5. How much ever lazy I might be, I am never tired of driving.

While driving I asked her "you don't look seemingly sad about the loss of your dear friend." She gave me a cross-eyed look. "she was just an acquaintance". We reached the cemetery. Many people were there grieving for Georgia. We stood there for quite some while. She met some of her school friends and planned to meet up with them later. Soon guests start to leave some sobbing some discussing. Holding hands and giving hugs to console themselves and their friends and relatives. The reminder that all of us are mortals and we only have a limited time here on our planet.

I eyed my sis to leave from a distance and insisted on it. She bid goodbyes to her friend and came up to me with a scorning look "Wait." It's not that she was going anywhere or had to talk to someone. But, we were just standing there looking at the casket. "She isn't dead yet." I gave her a hug to console.