As A Kid...

-- AS A Kid(AAK) I wondered how actors in songs changed into clothes so fast… I believed they had layers of clothes inside and that when they show flowers or scenery is when they change (thank god Raji was not making movies... Imagine the plight of actors…. Layers of clothes!!!)

-- AAK I liked to drape in mum’s saari (now, finding me even in a salwar kurta is difficult). Then I didn’t know how to fold them properly so I would dump them for washing and be happy that mum never found out about my fetish. (But hey she knew about it from saari 1. Good Lord!!! She recently scolded me that I was better a “girl” as a kid rather than now. She left me dumbfounded. Mum’s know everything I guess)

-AAK I was crazy about ice-cream (pretty normal, huh!!). Once we got 2 chocolate family packs (yummy). One was kept for my younger brother and one for me. To avoid any confusion we placed the two packs in such a way that the one on top was mine. Being greedy smarty-pants, I used to eat mine and steal a spoonful from my brothers. Very recently I giggled about this with Vicky (my bro). He laughed his head off. He used to steal from mine, gobble up a lot from his and then exchange it with mine when mine was more. (What a rip off!!! That 9-yr-younger turned out smarter)

-- AAK summers were not really on my favorite list (even after a decade it has not made way into my list). I had a deep found liking for academics (after a decade this liking promptly walked out on me… ditcher!!!). So, during study times if the electricity decided to vanish, and the temperatures began to sore, I would walk into the bathroom with my books and a chair. Fill the tub (not a bath tub per say, the wide buckets would be precise) with water and sit inside it. Raise my legs on to the chair and hold the book in my hand. That way I could beat the heat and study coolly. (As a grown up, if I had held on to half the dedication I probably would have been…. (well…no clue what)) lol.

-- AAK I kinda walked on the paths of Sweety from Hum Paanch (she used to sing before opening doors). The moment the bell rang I would crawl under the bed in the hall and keep hoping to have guests (I loved guests then… weird weird). When my wish was granted I would creep in and tickle the feet of whoever it was. Whoa!!! They would be scared to their wits ends!!! And jump of the bed. Lol. I would be in splits. My mum joined me in my prank, but only when relatives or close friends visited. It was quite a treat for me. But had to give it up soon as everybody got used to it. As they say, “khushiyan do pal ki mehman hai” (drama queen)

-- AAK I had a wild beast taking care of me. Well it was a maid my mum had hired. Creeps!!! I was one scared child then. She used to tie me up and put soap in my eyes. She used to drop me in the water drum, when it had water left till my waist, She never drowned me though, how lucky could I be!!! All this torture if I negated to have food. (How about making Psycho Part 3???). I was blackmailed at such a ripe age that if I told mum she would again put me in the drum. Yeah, I know, had I told mum she would have fired her. But I guess my common sense had drowned in the drum (I never got it back…) then one day, her marriage was fixed and she left. How I love marriages since a child!!! Lol. Later, I revealed all the dark things and mum was shocked. Since then, no maids in our house. Hurray!!!

-- AAK I was scared to tears by the sound of the pressure cooker (What a Phattu Girl). The instant the realization striked that the cooker was on its way to whistle, I used to run out of the house and wouldn’t come back till it was done. The fear moved on I must confess. But I still ponder why did a whistle spook me?

-- AAK I hated to wear pants or shorts (have you anything else in your wardrobe anymore, girl?). Once while visiting my aunt I planned to stay over. As destiny had planned it I was not carrying my cute-girl-dresses. So my aunt dressed me up in my cousins’ shorts and t-shirt. And that day hell broke loose!!! What I pandemonium I created. But my dress was out for washing. I covered up myself in a blanket and wouldn’t come out of it the whole day.!!! Lord I was such a nut!!! (some things I presume...Don’t change…Lol)

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. ~Walt Streightiff