If there was a room u could go to, a solace room, a comfort room, an everything okay room
to retreat from life
What would that look like
It would look like Kathy Alam's room.
She's sitting and watching some Netflix show. I'm sitting next to her reading or messaging someone. Soft yellow lighting. The old Sindhi quilt is on the bed. 5 pictures over her bed of her grandchild. On the opposite wall a picture of Jesus and Mary. My books on the table. Her books on the table. Her knicknacks and medicine (quack and real) on her table. Wooden cabinets. Those damn lights without shades, never bright enough at night. Dirty red curtains. Peeling paint near the bathroom. Four poster single bed, carved wood. A dinosaur toy on the dressing table. All those pictures on the windowsill behind the curtains and a money plant. Night time outside. Inside is another ordinary evening. Just like a hundred others. Eventually I'll put my book or phone down and talk to her. About anything. And I'll make her laugh. And she'll make me laugh. And I'll tell her things because its the easiest thing in the world and she knows everything about me. And we'll do this all evening from before dinner to bed time. Which is when I help her into bed. I get her water. I put her medicine on the bedside table. I turn on the fan. I turn off the light. I say goodnight Gwana. She says goodnight my jaan. I go next door to my own room. I sleep.
