The All-Seeing co-resident

The All-Seeing co-resident-A short story

Moving to Chennai meant basking in sunshine and the sweet scent of filter coffee. The auto rickshaw dropped me in front of my apartment, I knew things wouldn't be simple for me being a north Indian . My next-door neighbor, Amma Lakshmi, materialized faster than a fly on a sweet shop window. Her smile, wide as a banana leaf, hid something else - a glint of curiosity that sent shivers down my spine ,my peace was shattered with her constant watchful eye.

"Welcome, dear! New face in our little haven!" she chirped, before I could even catch my breath.  She was inside my apartment, peering into my unpacked boxes with the intensity of a temple priest inspecting offerings. From the day I unpacked, Amma Lakshmi became a fixture. Unannounced visits were her specialty. She'd comment on everything . She'd comment on the groceries I bought, the music I played, even the food i eat to what I wear. Commenting on the worn kurta I wore for a casual evening ("A married woman shouldn't look so dowdy!"). She started telling me to wear saree and  kum -kum on my forehead and wear bangles, put rangoli in front of my house as this will be good for my happy married life like a mother-inlaw.

The worst part were her relatives. Like mangoes falling from a tree, they'd visit Amma Lakshmi Her relatives were extensions of herself. Every cousin, niece, or distant aunt who visited Amma inevitably ended up at my doorstep. "This is the new tenant, Meenakshi," she'd announce, followed by a chorus of curious stares and judgmental whispers.

The real creepiness? Amma Lakshmi noticed everything. Leaving for the market? Going for a walk She'd be making rangoli in front of her apartment main door, offering a sly "Going shopping again, are we?" Coming home late from a movie? Her light would flicker on as I fumbled with my keys.. At what time my husband comes for lunch, then why eating so late, eating lunch late will cause acidity was her daily concern

Even worse was her hawk-like observation.. Who is coming to our house ,weather they are our relatives or friends, then how you became friends? It was like being under constant vigilance.

Her behavior was getting on my nerves and , I decided to talk to her. I said, voice firm, "I appreciate your... concern, but I need some privacy."

For a moment, she looked surprised. Then, a sly smile crept across her face. "Privacy is overrated, Meenakshi! We are a family here, looking out for each other."

That's when it hit me. She wasn't lonely; she craved control. She thrived on the information she gleaned, the power it gave her over my life, and the lives of others.

I knew then that a direct confrontation wouldn't work. The solution came in the form of boundaries. I politely declined her visits . It wasn't easy, but slowly, The visits gradually stopped. Amma Lakshmi, still keeps an eye on the neighborhood, but from a safe distance. Now, it's a more subdued kind of observation,

Amma Lakshmi." Maybe, just maybe, finally understood the meaning of privacy.