The Tiny Devotee
A six-toothed elf shoves these things one by one under the bathroom door while I take a shower:
A half eaten cracker,
extra crunchy leaves,
a lego figurine
his big brothers hot wheels car come zooming through next, (he now seems unsure of this one and takes some time to try to poke fingers and toes through the door to retrieve it)
After giving up, here comes
a wet sock
I wonder if in his small yet quickly expanding universe these are offerings to appease a deity.
There is quiet as he patiently waits to see if his Goddess Mother has acknowledged and accepted.
As I attempt to express shampoo and condition my hair, I note there is a sudden change
He is laying on his back now and kicking the door with his feet. The message loud and clear in unmistakable baby Morse code:
Please don’t forget me, please come back, please answer me, please, please, please
I hear his angry cries of protest as his father tries to subdue him.
Then quiet.
“i want Momma Daddy?” The tiny voice tries this time.
I open the door with a bemused questioning smile and still wet hair
But in his eyes Goddess Mother is answering a prayer.
— Priya Ramesh Desai, 2022 @samaya11