The Pendulum Clock

There used to be an old pendulum clock in my house. It stood tall in the hall, wooden body with a white dial and two large hands to show the time, of course one smaller to the other. My Father used to say that it was as old as himself. The clocks face had two key holes and a key. I used to imagine the key as a butterfly. My Father used to lift me on his shoulders so that I could wind the keys to keep the clock ticking. Though I never knew the purpose of this, my self-esteem used to get boosted to the level of having conquered the Everest once. My Mother used to be feel afraid and shriek at my father to take care of me during this exercise. My Mothers fear used to augment my Heroic feeling.

One of my favorite past time was to count the oscillations of the pendulum comparing it to the movement of the Hands. The oscillating long pendulum was always a puzzle to me. How could this oscillating thing move the hands of the clock? Why doesn’t it stop swinging after some time? Where does the sound come from?

I still remember that our clock was always ahead of the Indian standard Time by 15 Minutes. I never understood this logic.  But many times I used to feel good when I reached my school thinking I am late and the school bell is yet to go.

This friendly clock always became an object of fear at night. I always felt that it used to increase its volume of “Tick Tock” at night. The chime usually melodious at day time used to be a horror at night.   Some nights the chime would wake me up and I used to imagine this fellow walking to me and stretch his hands as if to strangle me. At those moments I used to hold my Mom tight and she in her sleep would embrace me. Feeling cozy I would fall asleep again. Probably he felt I was into the hands of a much stronger being?!!...(Love you Amma)

Today I lead a very sophisticated life or I should say I am suffocating with sophistication. I am surrounded by technology and fascinating devices. But still I am feeling void. When I look back I see that I have missed them all. It is not about them alone but a lot more like Love, Care, Togetherness and Confidence and so on.

I now wear a superfluous gadget to show me the time with utmost precision compared to that old pendulum fellow. But during those days of the old pendulum fellow I had a lot of time to do many things which my heart desired…."a lot of time"

But with these superfluous gadgets…"I do not have Time"?....Ironical isn't it.