I don't ask for much this coming year, just to wake each morning, eyes still heavy with sleep, and see you there. I want us to finish our morning tea ritual together again...that business of three cups...let it happen once more! Yes, yes, tell everyone how I finish my tea then drink from your cup too, and that's why you deliberately make three cups! Hmm...fine. Go ahead...tell them all...I only drink from your cup, not anyone else's! Darling, will you give me a few more mornings this coming year?
Getting all worked up, are you? What if I spill your secrets one by one...? What if I blurt out how you eat jalebi mixed with jhalmuri? Should I tell everyone you eat yogurt with pulao? Or puffed rice soaked in Sprite with fried khichuri and chomchom? Hmm...?
Hey you...hey...stop making that fish-face at me like a vetki! I won't say anything more today...go on!
Oh yes, I was telling you my New Year wishes! You just keep changing the subject...such a pest! I don't like it! Today I'll say everything in one go...whatever happens! I want to lie wrapped around you for a while even after waking up each morning. Every day I want such moments from you, where only touch will speak endlessly or now and then...while we stay quietly...in the soft lap of those silent gestures!
I want to sit in class and fight with you endlessly on Messenger with patient persistence, I want want want to hear detailed accounts of how that Atwar saheb from your office bothers you every single day this year too...! I want to see you becoming even more responsible than last year; I want to see another sparkling birthday of yours unfold before my eyes, and along with that...hmm....your growing paunch too...I teased you about your belly last year, I'll tease you again this year...ha ha hi hi ho ho he he! Let your paunch grow bigger, just don't ever become someone else's!
I want to watch your wild dancing to the drum beats on Ashtami again this Puja, want to watch so intently as if seeing it for the first time! How you get all flustered trying to manage your dhoti each time—I want to see that once more with my eyes full...want to laugh till my eyes twinkle! I want to die while living...want to live while dying...everything with you!
When you're angry with me and don't speak for ages, I want to see that silly face of yours several more times this year. When I create chaos at the market unable to match sari colors, I desperately want to see that poor, long-suffering look in your eyes again...
At night when sleeping I want to keep throwing my leg over you. I want to wake you from your snoring sleep at midnight and demand you tell me endless stories... I want to become even more demanding, more pampered...want to burst into sky-wide rage through tears. I want your boundless indulgence, want to torment you, make you angry; want to dissolve that anger...with affection, love, playfulness...in carefree refuge!
I want you beside me, I want to be beside you. Throughout this whole year I want you again. I want you in everything, I want us exactly as we are, in my own way.
And yes... Last year you moved from formal 'you' to intimate 'you', this year move from 'you' to 'thou'...hmm?