Not very way back — at least in the primary few of the 5 years that Krea University has been round — Amazon refused to ship to Sri City. Of course, as a city grows, growing its share of residents with disposable revenue, international giants come round. Colleagues usually remarked how fortunate I used to be to have mops and disinfectant wipes and blenders delivered to my doorstep. It hadn’t been so easy for them. Setting up a home anyplace is tough. Do that in the center of nowhere, and the problem compounds. The cell knowledge in my fifth-floor condominium refused to cooperate. A teeny crumb on the ground, and a military of ants descended from hell. The campus laundromat would lose my laundry, just for it to resurface a number of days later. At least residence deliveries made my transfer considerably simpler.
The first week of my new life, I had spent as a lot time considering paper towels on Amazon as I had my syllabus. For each hour devoted to lesson plans on dialogue tags, there can be two hours of mulling over the advantages of Mr Muscle verses some eye-wateringly costly hipster model. I purchased spoons and plates and glasses. I ordered a metal trash can, too. I’d want soap-holders and a frying pan. By the tip of the week, I had learn extra opinions on hangers — apparently my selection of wood ones was aesthetically pleasing however broke at an alarming frequency — than I had my college students’ writing. It didn’t assist that the anticipated packages hadn’t but materialised. Between phoning Amazon and ordering on Amazon, I used to be drained.
It was time for a break.
And nothing screamed break louder than a jaunt in the neighbourhood park. When I accepted the job at Krea University, I used to be given two lodging choices: a dingy flat the scale of my thumb in completely organised Sri City correct or a light-filled place the scale of France in the midst of some chaos simply exterior of Sri City. I chosen the larger flat regardless of its being farther from campus as a result of it got here with a park. Referring to it as a park was optimistic, however what else would you name an empty rectangular plot, gated and barricaded, in an space infested with mid-rises? Inside the gate was a strolling monitor. There was an overgrown patch. There have been even benches. Bangalore’s Cubbon Park wouldn’t maintain a candle to this neighbourhood gem.
My glaze-white-tiled flat with the 2 bogs whose shared wall went solely three-quarters of the best way up appeared out to the park. Had I chosen a spot on the other aspect of the constructing, the again of a ladies’s hostel would have been on my horizon. How the empty plot got here to be is a thriller, but when it was the principle purpose I had eschewed a better commute, I might ensure that I’d use it. So far, I had been intimidated in a lot the best way going to a brand new fitness center intimidates folks. But Amazon can do humorous issues to your mind; I switched off my pc and made my approach out.
The park was a contented place. The manufacturing facility staff had returned residence. Young males performed cricket. Young ladies chatted. (As a author who’s all about dispelling gender stereotypes, I’ve frantically appeared for girls taking part in a sport in the park however have been dissatisfied. Small-town Andhra, at least the area I stay in, doesn’t care a lot for my wokeness.) I traded pleasantries with visiting mother and father of Krea professors. I even exchanged awkward nods with the petting lovers I spied on from my balcony.
It was good to be out in the open, removed from Amazon’s tentacles. This was our model of forest-bathing. Sure, there was no breeze, I may need stepped on a sanitary pad and fornicating stray canine didn’t precisely provoke the identical emotions that birdsong did, however an precise devoted space for sports activities and walks was a blessing. I used to be grateful. The park had completed its job.
How lengthy wouldn’t it final, although? There was rampant building round me. Would the empty plot go the best way of different empty plots? A colleague echoed my considerations. He was afraid that the park was solely a placeholder for a future constructing. It didn’t make sense for one thing that measurement to only sit there unmonetised. But I had different points to fret about. The Amazon packages had lastly appeared. About half a dozen wood hangers arrived damaged. The blender — the one costly factor I had ordered — was reported delivered however nowhere to be seen. And the metal garbage can? Amazon changed it with a damaged inexperienced bucket. The return course of was cumbersome. I’d use the inexperienced bucket because the garbage can in my balcony, the identical one which ignored the park. One stormy day, the wind virtually blew it away.
Prajwal Parajuly is the creator of The Gurkha’s Daughter and Land Where I Flee. He loves idli, loathes naan, and is detached to espresso. He teaches Creative Writing at Krea University and oscillates between New York City and Sri City.
Published – June 04, 2025 03:37 pm IST
