Tuesday, April 22, 2008

What's a young girl made of?

That was the summer uncle returned from Bahrain. That now is a place full of crystal sands and blue beaches.

He tucked his overgrown son into the non existent curve of his hip and whispered loud of secrets and unseen wonders that would soon come out of his suitcase.

We all stood in a row waiting.

Once the best gifts were dispelled, then came us visitors.

We always did things in Army fashion in my family. By any order I was last.

I watched an airplane being given away.
A red and yellow train.
Many books.
A whistle.

And then there were none. This time I was forgotten.

My uncle looked around apologetically. He hit his head playfully. Everyone laughed. I didn't find it any funny.

Plucking a ball from the hands of his overgrown son on the hip, he gave it to me. Everyone hastily left the room pretending of work when he started howling.

My mother plucked the ball from my hands and gave it back to stop the howls. We are an Army family maybe, but not yet Animal farm.

I scowled with disgust, an emotion totally wasted on him.

I walked out, kicking a random stone now and then. Generally walking you know.

Dad was always smoking.

He blew me a few hollow rings.
That don't impress me much.

He looked sideways at me.
Dissatisfaction I wore well.

Go to Bahrain. Now. I told him. And get me toys. Lots of them.
He thought a while. "It’s very far you know"
I didn't really care.

"I'll be gone an awfully long time. You’ll stay and without me?"

Recklessly and selfishly, 'Yes'

I felt ashamed a little later. But the need for the toys was more important I guess. Or the fact that even I could have things. So much so that I refused to see his hurt.

We never talked much after that for many days. I pretended I didn't care. The distance between us was greater than far away Bahrain.

Days later I wandered into my parents room and found mom packing. Seeing the neatly pressed clothes I found something amiss. Only father's was being packed.

My voice shook. "Is dad going somewhere?"
Yes.

I ran out, tears blinding my eyes. Running into dad, holding him tight I sobbed fiercely "I don’t want toys. I hate them. I really do. And Bahrain is so far away"

Dad considered deeply. "So I need not go to Bahrain eh?"

No. Ever never.

Dad was going for a conference to Pune for 2 days. Humbug.

23 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thats a refreshing one and was much needed for me to keep re-visiting.

Dissatisfaction I wore well. :)

12:08 AM  
Blogger Mahesh said...

Well, that had me laughing. Lol! :)

12:31 AM  
Blogger Dhanush | ധനുഷ് said...

Wow. Brilliant!!

Beautiful capture of an young girls mind.

1:51 AM  
Blogger Mrs. Dalloway said...

Anon: Ah the visits!

Mahesh: :)

Dhanush: :)) Thank you.

2:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reminds me of when I was angry my dad got only my sister a gift after his visit to Bombay, I decided to camp on the terrace :)

2:43 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i am going to make a book out of these.....will u sign it for me?

6:05 AM  
Blogger Mrs. Dalloway said...

Somebody: I'd have given my sister up for adoption, had any such calamity happened! :)

Ms.Chamko: Only if you get me a pen too.

7:35 PM  
Blogger Sudarshan. A. G. said...

My akka kept everything prim and propoer to be passed on to me and then meet its sad demise :D

9:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh yes i will, the fancy kind......btw do u want to call it something special or can it be an unnamed mysterious volume on my shelf??

6:08 AM  
Blogger aks said...

hey sweetheart...a beautiful one again...as always.....was a refreshing read...

8:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very cute... :)
Wish I had known him... but then I do, through you :)

And Lol on 'would have given her for adoption'

-Reva

11:15 AM  
Blogger ഹരിയണ്ണന്‍@Hariyannan said...

പൂര്‍ണിമാ..

നല്ല വരികള്‍.

ഇനിയും ഈ വഴി വരാന്‍ തോന്നിക്കും വിധം നന്നായി എഴുതിയിരിക്കുന്നു.

(this comment is written in malayalam. unable to read?! visit my blog for font links!)

4:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wonderful!!!
I love the title...

11:15 PM  
Blogger Xérès said...

This post brought back memories of my childhood :) Although I was just the opposite,I never asked for toys and I always got tons of them.I told them not to get me anymore everytime they got me anything

2:28 AM  
Blogger Xérès said...

Btw this is Sherry in case you I got you confused :)

2:30 AM  
Blogger Samyak said...

So, I do get my surprise!! :-)

4:23 AM  
Blogger Mrs. Dalloway said...

Sudarshan: Some sisters are nice! Am otherwise! :)

Ms.Chamko: Nice! Get it soon, am all set to sign! And we'll think up a name when you're here.

Aks: :) When you getting here so?

Reva: Ah, I wish too! :)

Hari: Nope. Still not able to.

Silencekilled: Long time! How've you been?

Sherry: How can I forget you girl? :)

Samyak: Surprise! :)

7:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yup...Long time...
Was trying to keep up pace with life :)

8:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow!!!!!!!!!!

8:07 AM  
Blogger Prasanth AG said...

Touching !

9:54 AM  
Blogger Devika Jyothi said...

You really seemed to have lived through your childhood in full...

It took me years back as well, thanks!

10:19 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

SORRY,I CAN'T UNDERSTOOD THIS STORY,IT NEVER AFFECT ME.

12:25 AM  
Blogger workhard said...

Oh, that sad and so cute, i guess we learn a lot about relationships when it comes to distance, how important loved ones are

BPO work from home

1:14 AM  

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