The ringing phone
What happens when you hear about a tragedy on television
The woman kept calling her daughter’s phone while everyone around her had their eyes glued to the screen.
They kept switching channels, looking for helpline numbers. The digits for airline, airport, state police, state hospitals, the numbers were more than the people in the room.
More came with words and sympathetic looks.
Plans were being made to reach the city as soon as possible. With certain hesitations, flight were booked and bags packed with two men of the house leaving without a word.
The woman kept trying, getting the voicemail her daughter had recorded, “It’s how they do it abroad, Amma!” she had told her.
“Hi! I can’t pick up your phone right now, please don’t call later, leave a message after the beep.” She had laughed right after recording it, making her mother shake her head with a smile.
The woman took a glance at the screen, showing the blast again and again, then cutting to the building she had seen hundreds of times on the video call.
The walls, now half down, the charred trees and a part of plane sticking out of the building where her daughter ate. She shut her eyes and turned away to stand in the balcony.
She kept getting looks, and glasses of water thrust in her other hand in the room.
The chatter didn’t reach beyond the ringing in her ear. Who had talked to the girl last? If anyone had her friend’s number? When had she put up that Instagram story? She had such a bright future ahead of her.
“Amma…” The soft voice broke through the repetitive message and the woman had to sit down, leaning against a dry plant pot. She couldn’t speak through the heavy breaths she took.
“Amma, are you okay?” The question was met with sobs that racked the mother’s body till her hand shook around the phone.
A tragedy has struck with a plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. My thoughts are with the family of affected ones. I hope and pray that the injured ones make a speedy recovery.