Kao na

 Kao na

by Vaishnavi Pernenkil

   "Kao na," she said in such a loving tone that he had to eat the gray slice of potato.

    The plane food tray shook with the slight turbulence of the airplane. Watching this elderly couple was by far the most memorable part of the flight to India.

    Their interactions, the slight glances, the occasional kiss on the cheek brought the two closer together.

   I asked them, "what brings you here on this flight to India?"

They offered me some spiced  khakhra,

   "It's our annual honeymoon," retorted the woman giving a crooked smile to her husband.

    "We save every year for a different trip, it's a way we thank each other for our never ending torment of each other," joked the husband.

   I laughed, but their interactions seemed genuine. Taking turns sleeping and intermittently waking each other up for tea from the air hostess.

The steam rose from my cup when the woman said,

   "You're young, you'll find someone." 

   "Take time to build yourself." Said the man.

Still puzzled by the light of love, I try to embody the words,

   "Build yourself first."

Translation to english from hindi "kao na": eat it my dear.