Child in me
Without warning the rain started to pour. The boys who were playing cricket appeared to leave, a boy yelled, " rain stopped due to play " At my window witnessing the whole incident, I began laughing at the wrongly stated yet funny sweet remark made by the kid and took a plunge into my childhood days.
All books packed, ready for the final bell, I gazed at the teacher. As the bell rang, everyone started rushing towards the door and soon we were mixed up with other schoolmates. But few of the other classes were still going on as it would have been a special class that day. Special class meant no special treatment, except that low scoring students in the test have to stay back a little longer than others and concentrate on their studies.
Skipping 2 steps at a time I came down the stairs, few of my friends startled me with their voice. " Hey listen, let's play a game " They were taking about tennis, which we used to play regularly after the class hours in the school ground. Soon we reached our battlefield and started drawing lines. At that age everyone were fond of WWF and WWE. Each of us had kept a name of some WWF star. In the next few minutes we were hitting the ball so hard with our hands, thinking it to be the racquet, making red hot marks on our palms.
One of my friend shouted, " Hey my autorickshaw is here, he's waving at me I have to leave now, bye, will see you all on monday "
We were a man short on our doubles game. Then we started playing singles and time flew faster that a jet. We all started to leave the school ground with a weekend to enjoy. On my way home, suddenly i craved for a bubble gum, for the free gift that came with it and not the gum. Found a shop nearby and asked for my item,
As I got the gum in my hand, i asked the shop owner.
" Hey where is the free gift ? you din't give me my free gift "
Shop owner replied, " it's inside the wrapper, it's a tattoo this time "
" Oh, okay sorry i din't see the wrapper "
" No problem "
Walking a few steps i found a live cigarette butt, thinking i had a revenge of some sort i stomped on it like an elephant would have. Continuing my walk back to my home, i was rotating my head 180 degrees to the wall posters of movies on either side of the road. The dogs and cats suddenly caught me, it was raining, with a few yards away from my home i started to sprint, getting drenched. I saw a puddle of water on the street, not thinking twice i began to jump on it, splashing water nearby. All fun was lost when I saw my father staring from the home expecting his son to be back home anytime sooner in this rain. The next minute i was dashing towards my home, expecting an array of questions.
" You are all wet, couldn't you have come earlier from school ? " as my mom gave me that look with a towel in her hand.
" No, when i started off to leave, it began to rain heavily " as i tried to convince her.
" Yeah and i saw you jumping in that puddle " when dad came from nowhere to shut my justification.
" Okay lunch is ready, go change your clothes and come " mom told me.
" okay okay i will go " trying to escape the situation here.
After the lunch i got busy with watching tom & jerry, Talespin, Johnny Bravo, Duck Tales, Captain Planet, Swat Cats and other cartoons. Love of cartoons was such that we forget the world we live in and start imagining stuff. I had become the other non - living thing in the room. Dad came in and asked me to join him to meet one of his friend at his residence. I got freshened up and later i was in the pillion sitting in the opposite direction of dad and holding on to the spare tyre seeing things moving away from my sight. It was such a fun to go like that in those days, in a scooter that too. Dad was busy talking with his friend when we reached, wondering what to do, i began eating the sweets one by one kept on the table. When we were almost done and my eating, we started off to leave. The gentle breeze coming from the wind and sitting on the scooter almost drowsy, holding dad tightly to his belly, we reached home.
" What did you guys do ? " sister asked me as soon as we entered the house
" I was talking to my friend and he was busy gulping away sweets, ha ha !! how was the sweets ? "
" Aah ... yeah i was wondering what to do, so i thought to have a bite of much persistence from dad's friend, it was good "
" Oh nice, i missed it, but i got to have pani puri " sister told me with excitement and attitude.
" You always have that "
" Whatever it's tasty for me "
" Mom !! dinner for me and slap for my sister "
" Shut up both of you and have your dinner " mother responded from the kitchen
With dinner all done and my tummy full, my mind was dragging me to bed. Half - drowsy and half - awake, was walking towards the bed bidding good night to all. As i fell lazily on the bed with a thump and the soft pillow making me so comfortable, i slowly began to put my hand below the pillow.
" What are you seeing outside ? " as mom came behind
" Nothing was just thinking of something that's all "
" okay some guests are coming, get me cream biscuits and pick your dad while coming back, he's gone for a walk, he told he will call you in a while "
" It's raining, i'l leave as soon as it stops "
" mom am going rain has stopped "
" okay bye "
My 2 wheeler stopped at the store, still a little bit of rain coming through i saw there were only a few customers at the store.
" Give me a cream biscuit " i asked the store owner.
" Would you let your smoke go the other way " i told the guy smoking next to me beside the store
The guy gave a grim look and turned away.
" Sorry we don't have any gift left for this cream biscuit "
" That's okay, i don't want any gift "
Trying to leap across a puddle of water i accidentally fell short of my jump. " oh no, my pants !! "
Cursing my failed leap i hopped on to my vehicle to pick up my dad. Speaking on call with my dad, i rode to the park where he had gone for the evening walk. I spotted my dad and came closer to him.
" Wait wait don't start the vehicle yet "
" What happened dad ? "
" Am old now let me sit down slowly "
" okay sure "
" .... and ride slowly "
We reached home in no time. Dad got off and headed to the door while i was getting the cream biscuit, I felt weird below my sandals. I lifted my leg to check my sandals.
" Damn this bubble gum !! "
All books packed, ready for the final bell, I gazed at the teacher. As the bell rang, everyone started rushing towards the door and soon we were mixed up with other schoolmates. But few of the other classes were still going on as it would have been a special class that day. Special class meant no special treatment, except that low scoring students in the test have to stay back a little longer than others and concentrate on their studies.
Skipping 2 steps at a time I came down the stairs, few of my friends startled me with their voice. " Hey listen, let's play a game " They were taking about tennis, which we used to play regularly after the class hours in the school ground. Soon we reached our battlefield and started drawing lines. At that age everyone were fond of WWF and WWE. Each of us had kept a name of some WWF star. In the next few minutes we were hitting the ball so hard with our hands, thinking it to be the racquet, making red hot marks on our palms.
One of my friend shouted, " Hey my autorickshaw is here, he's waving at me I have to leave now, bye, will see you all on monday "
We were a man short on our doubles game. Then we started playing singles and time flew faster that a jet. We all started to leave the school ground with a weekend to enjoy. On my way home, suddenly i craved for a bubble gum, for the free gift that came with it and not the gum. Found a shop nearby and asked for my item,
As I got the gum in my hand, i asked the shop owner.
" Hey where is the free gift ? you din't give me my free gift "
Shop owner replied, " it's inside the wrapper, it's a tattoo this time "
" Oh, okay sorry i din't see the wrapper "
" No problem "
Walking a few steps i found a live cigarette butt, thinking i had a revenge of some sort i stomped on it like an elephant would have. Continuing my walk back to my home, i was rotating my head 180 degrees to the wall posters of movies on either side of the road. The dogs and cats suddenly caught me, it was raining, with a few yards away from my home i started to sprint, getting drenched. I saw a puddle of water on the street, not thinking twice i began to jump on it, splashing water nearby. All fun was lost when I saw my father staring from the home expecting his son to be back home anytime sooner in this rain. The next minute i was dashing towards my home, expecting an array of questions.
" You are all wet, couldn't you have come earlier from school ? " as my mom gave me that look with a towel in her hand.
" No, when i started off to leave, it began to rain heavily " as i tried to convince her.
" Yeah and i saw you jumping in that puddle " when dad came from nowhere to shut my justification.
" Okay lunch is ready, go change your clothes and come " mom told me.
" okay okay i will go " trying to escape the situation here.
After the lunch i got busy with watching tom & jerry, Talespin, Johnny Bravo, Duck Tales, Captain Planet, Swat Cats and other cartoons. Love of cartoons was such that we forget the world we live in and start imagining stuff. I had become the other non - living thing in the room. Dad came in and asked me to join him to meet one of his friend at his residence. I got freshened up and later i was in the pillion sitting in the opposite direction of dad and holding on to the spare tyre seeing things moving away from my sight. It was such a fun to go like that in those days, in a scooter that too. Dad was busy talking with his friend when we reached, wondering what to do, i began eating the sweets one by one kept on the table. When we were almost done and my eating, we started off to leave. The gentle breeze coming from the wind and sitting on the scooter almost drowsy, holding dad tightly to his belly, we reached home.
" What did you guys do ? " sister asked me as soon as we entered the house
" I was talking to my friend and he was busy gulping away sweets, ha ha !! how was the sweets ? "
" Aah ... yeah i was wondering what to do, so i thought to have a bite of much persistence from dad's friend, it was good "
" Oh nice, i missed it, but i got to have pani puri " sister told me with excitement and attitude.
" You always have that "
" Whatever it's tasty for me "
" Mom !! dinner for me and slap for my sister "
" Shut up both of you and have your dinner " mother responded from the kitchen
With dinner all done and my tummy full, my mind was dragging me to bed. Half - drowsy and half - awake, was walking towards the bed bidding good night to all. As i fell lazily on the bed with a thump and the soft pillow making me so comfortable, i slowly began to put my hand below the pillow.
" What are you seeing outside ? " as mom came behind
" Nothing was just thinking of something that's all "
" okay some guests are coming, get me cream biscuits and pick your dad while coming back, he's gone for a walk, he told he will call you in a while "
" It's raining, i'l leave as soon as it stops "
" mom am going rain has stopped "
" okay bye "
My 2 wheeler stopped at the store, still a little bit of rain coming through i saw there were only a few customers at the store.
" Give me a cream biscuit " i asked the store owner.
" Would you let your smoke go the other way " i told the guy smoking next to me beside the store
The guy gave a grim look and turned away.
" Sorry we don't have any gift left for this cream biscuit "
" That's okay, i don't want any gift "
Trying to leap across a puddle of water i accidentally fell short of my jump. " oh no, my pants !! "
Cursing my failed leap i hopped on to my vehicle to pick up my dad. Speaking on call with my dad, i rode to the park where he had gone for the evening walk. I spotted my dad and came closer to him.
" Wait wait don't start the vehicle yet "
" What happened dad ? "
" Am old now let me sit down slowly "
" okay sure "
" .... and ride slowly "
We reached home in no time. Dad got off and headed to the door while i was getting the cream biscuit, I felt weird below my sandals. I lifted my leg to check my sandals.
" Damn this bubble gum !! "
Great nostalgic tale.
ReplyDeleteVery gripping narrative
Damn good ! Read twice ! Miss d gum :)
ReplyDelete