To My Lost Childhood.
I was on my usual ride to the bus stop, off to work, one early (or at least I like to call it early) morning. I could feel the cold air blow against my dry skin, as so many vehicles rushed across the road, noisy and smoking. My auto came to the usual halt at the traffic light. That mighty tall post that stands out, blinking three different colors, one at a time has the efficacy to halt many a huge vehicle. The word “control” hammered in my mind. And I wondered how this post here could control a whole city. Fear. Yes, that was it. The best way to control…..
As my esoteric thoughts touched the apogee of an unknown hill, a giggle interrupted me. There was this white Sumo that stood right next to us, and it was carrying a couple of kids to school. Two of these kids were looking out of the small window, and were shouting out some kind of slogans, which I later deciphered to be “Family Mart Dabba!!!” For those who don’t know, Family Mart is this Mall in JP Nagar, and the only Mall close to my place. This is one place we go to, whether we want to buy furniture or just a loaf of bread.
Now, here was someone calling a mart I like, or rather a mart I regularly go to, as “Dabba!” It’s funny but true, how we get all fomented when someone tries to deride someone or something, we don’t necessarily like, but somehow is connected to us in some way. Perhaps we take it as though we are being laughed at!
But then this was not one of those occasions, when I would go about bombastically telling people about how it was my favorite mall (of course it really isn’t!) and all the nice things that exist on this earth, in terms of my mall! Before I knew it, I was smiling at those kids, as they smiled back. My auto driver made faces at them, and they mimed back. I looked on.
The traffic signal finally gave way, and all vehicles scurried across the cross roads, at the thought of ultimate liberty, devoid of Fear. My eyes remained fixed on the Sumo that drove in front of me, and suddenly something gripped me. It was as though I was trying to stretch out and grasp that Sumo, riding in front me, with kids who smiled, I tried so hard, but every time, it seemed to move away, and the kids again smiled, as though at my inability. It’s like those times, when your dad has that long awaited chocolate in his hands, and teasingly swerves it higher and higher, as you jump hard to snatch it away, all for yourself.
I couldn’t catch up of course, coz I had left it behind, and I watched as the Sumo took a turn. The kids waved “Tata!” and I waved back, a “tata” to that lost childhood.
As my esoteric thoughts touched the apogee of an unknown hill, a giggle interrupted me. There was this white Sumo that stood right next to us, and it was carrying a couple of kids to school. Two of these kids were looking out of the small window, and were shouting out some kind of slogans, which I later deciphered to be “Family Mart Dabba!!!” For those who don’t know, Family Mart is this Mall in JP Nagar, and the only Mall close to my place. This is one place we go to, whether we want to buy furniture or just a loaf of bread.
Now, here was someone calling a mart I like, or rather a mart I regularly go to, as “Dabba!” It’s funny but true, how we get all fomented when someone tries to deride someone or something, we don’t necessarily like, but somehow is connected to us in some way. Perhaps we take it as though we are being laughed at!
But then this was not one of those occasions, when I would go about bombastically telling people about how it was my favorite mall (of course it really isn’t!) and all the nice things that exist on this earth, in terms of my mall! Before I knew it, I was smiling at those kids, as they smiled back. My auto driver made faces at them, and they mimed back. I looked on.
The traffic signal finally gave way, and all vehicles scurried across the cross roads, at the thought of ultimate liberty, devoid of Fear. My eyes remained fixed on the Sumo that drove in front of me, and suddenly something gripped me. It was as though I was trying to stretch out and grasp that Sumo, riding in front me, with kids who smiled, I tried so hard, but every time, it seemed to move away, and the kids again smiled, as though at my inability. It’s like those times, when your dad has that long awaited chocolate in his hands, and teasingly swerves it higher and higher, as you jump hard to snatch it away, all for yourself.
I couldn’t catch up of course, coz I had left it behind, and I watched as the Sumo took a turn. The kids waved “Tata!” and I waved back, a “tata” to that lost childhood.
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