Tēburugāden , easy... is it?

 All of a sudden, an idea floated into the mind, like a breeze enriched with oxygen. All day long, or most part of it anyways, stuck inside an apartment and looking out at other apartments that dotted the skyline, was becoming an eye sore. The tall glass pans, to let in sunlight and allow a peek in to the neighbouring apartments, did not help much as the apartment was a wall-to-wall rectangle, without a sit out. Of course, a safety grill, behind the glass pane, prevented anyone from getting down to the ground floor, avoiding the lift.

Like all fingers on a hand are different, the members of a family have opinions that refuses to get into the same page. Sometimes, it is the earning capacity, sometimes it is the vocal capacity and sometimes it is the obdurate adamancy that gets the upper hand, in settling an issue. From this moment onwards, it is testing time for this project leader. He wonders, “why such an ado about having some potted, indoor plants and what will he do with the 'self-caring, non-hungry and non-crying' plants he had already ordered for home delivery? What will he do with the downloaded files with colourful images, kept like hidden away in some obscure named sub-folders, like squirrel hoarding nuts? What is the meaning of guaranteed individual's freedom?" 

It made him sad to realise that the so-called euhemerism of enjoying freedom did not exist even when he was an earning member. All these thoughts racing through his mind made him go nuts.

To settle his disturbed nerves, he glanced through the list that came highly recommended (his own reasoning on web-based sales pitch).The baby-like qualities of the chosen plants - Aloe vera, golden pothos, snake plant, spider plant, ZZ plant, held his expectations locked (crooned by the seller). Notwithstanding the sales pitch, he wondered why in this world, plants are to be named after an insect or a reptile? It worried him a little that, from among the ordered plants, only a single plant appeared familiar to him. He believed, for the rest of them, on the say so of the vendor.

He kicked the hindsight into action (should have done it in the pre-order phase) and Googled the biodata of the ordered plants. Better late than after the arrival, seemed a tad little consoling. After noting down salient characteristics, do's and don'ts, he obliterated the telltale electronic crumbs of clues from the system. He was sure that his grandson would ferret out the search history - password protected or not. At least, he has not lost his touch with dealing the ticking time bomb called search history. The laptop remained his only window of opportunity and freedom of action. With a chuckle, he remembered the laptop came loaded with Windows operating system.  

The waiting, literally at the front door or nearby, period started earning him glances and icy glares from the family members. He sensed their growing intolerance, sitting like a rock on his shoulders. When the courier delivered the plants, he experienced joy side by side with a low frequency anxiety. The anxiety part reminded him with two questions, "Where in this apartment you are going to keep these plants. What is the scheme to hang, to place or to clump them together?" 

Deserted by hindsight again, he had no clue on what to do. Little did he realise the stock of shocks waiting for him.  He decided to take the package and leave it on his table for the time being. He knew it is a ruse to postpone the facetime with the plants, inside the package. The suspense was stronger than his tepid enthusiasm. The first shock hit him like a boxer's punch- the plants were of midget size, ordinary looking and had no resemblance to the beautiful colour pictures printed on the brochure. He understood that he had been taken for a ride, expense paid for by him. Not averse to swallowing bitter pills, he decided to prove the game is not yet over. He left the plants to bathe in light and breath.

The second shock was an upgrade - delivered with a heavy weight category boxer's punch.  Suspecting the size of the package bigger than the content, he found a false bottom hiding five instruction manuals. At this point, he had suffered enough shocks and called it a day. The urgent need to give first aid to the plants made him to rush to a nearby pharmacy for disposable syringes. In his worried and harried state of mind, he didn't even read the instruction manuals, fearing hidden shocks. 

He was not sure whether the plants need ORS (oral rehydration solution) but decided against too much of nursing care for the plants, though touted as baby-like, no-care varieties.

Entering his room, he saw his grandson inspecting the plants on the table. Grandpa, why you purchased Aloe vera and money plant? I would have got it from my friend's garden for free! Like the aftermath rumbles of seismic activity, one more shock was delivered - the identity of two common plants. To save face, he blurted out, is it not better to buy them together, sort of fostering comradery-in-leaves?

Deciding the time has come to unlock the secrets buried in the manuals, he started to read them and penciled important points for ready reference. The Pencil is his handy tool as always, he failed to retain what he read minutes ago. The next shock lay in wait in these important points - watering and nutrients feeding schedule, like that of an ICU patient. What scared him really was the mention of exotic insects that some of these plants attracted as guests and if not promptly exterminated, the host plant wilts and dries. 

At this juncture, the sales pitch -'self-caring, non-hungry and non-crying 'baby-like qualities, was trying to crash through the glass pane. As usual his hindsight came online to torment - did not your children cry, throw up tantrums, fall sick?

The urgent need to give first aid to the plants made him to rush to a nearby pharmacy for disposable syringes. In his worried and harried state of mind, he didn't even read the instruction manuals, fearing hidden shocks. He was not sure whether the plants need oral rehydration solution but decided against too much of nursing care for the plants, though touted as baby-like, no-care varieties.

Entering his room, he saw his grandson inspecting the plants on the table. Grandpa, why you purchase Aloe vera and money plant? I would have got it from my friend's garden for free! Like the after rumbles of seismic activity, one more shock was delivered - the identity of two common plants. To save face he blurted out, is it not better to buy them together, sort of giving them a comradery -in -leaves feeling?

Deciding the time has come to unlock the secrets buried in the manuals, he opened to read and penciled in important points for ready reference. The Pencil is his handy tool as always, he failed to retain what he read minutes ago. The next shock lay in wait in these important points - watering schedule and nutrients like that of an ICU patient, exotic insects that need extermination. At this point, the sales pitch was trying to crash through the glass pane.

By this time, courtesy of his grandson, the arrival of plants has reached the ears of the 'nay' saying members of the house. Though the majority was on their side, they saw this as an opportunity to draw a line on the floor and said, "No hang-ups or public display. Other than these conditions, it is your choice and freedom." After reading this preamble, they vanished from my sight. I got their message loud and clear- have them for company in your personal space, your bedroom! His grandson graciously withdrew from the scene and trooped out to play.

His hopes were dashed to the potted soil, on two counts- sick looking plants and the preamble. Wasting energy on finding loopholes or getting an amendment appeared hopeless. He felt the invited guests need to be given the hospitality, whether they deserve it or not. Blowing through his top is not his strong point. A weak sunlight and drafts of fresh air is guaranteed on his study table cum dining table (his mealtimes fall at odd times, an independent streak). 

He cleared some space and arranged the plants per their height, to ensure all of them enjoyed their sunbath. He was prepared to nurse them to their potential growth. He had no more use for the manuals and used them under the respective pot, as spacers. He got mad after seeing the enclosed insurance policies for the plants along with the manuals.

His grandson looked at the table and said, "Grandpa, what a brilliant idea, you have just created a "Tēburugāden."   Watching the puzzled look he said, " It is a Japanese word for table garden. If you want, google it!