“I asked the photographer to come. Appan and amma are here so we will take some photos before they leave.”
“Are they leaving soon?”
“No, No they will be here for sometime but still photos are always fun. Any problem with that.”
“No, I just asked, besides the children love having them here so I would rather that they did not leave soon.”
In the evening we are all ready, waiting for the photographer. I am wearing the “Shirt Appan got from Calcutta” and soon we are posing for the photos. The family photo, the four of us in a group, Appan and Amma, then Appappan and ammamma and Vena and me and individual photos of Vena and of me. When it is over all of us are tired and ready for bed.
“Don’t go to sleep without eating dinner.” Amma tells me.
“But Vena is sleeping already.”
“She is a baby and she has been fed.”
“Hmm Hmmm Hmmm.”
“Stop making that noise and finish your dinner, then sleep.”
“You are a big girl, in a few months you are going to school” Appan tells me.
“Really when?” I am alert, not feeling sleepy any more.
“She is only three and a half, why do you want her to go to school so soon” Ammamma wants to know.
“Amma, children start at the age of three now. Besides she will start going to play school now and then when she is four next year she will start LKG.”
I don’t like the way the discussion is going, what if Ammamma manages to convince Appan that I am too young to go to school. I really want to go like our neighbors children do.
Appan turns to me, “ What kind of school bag do you want? The aluminum box or the bag children carry.”
“The aluminum box” that is one I know for sure, I have been dreaming of the aluminum box for a very long time.
“Okay I will get that for you and may be next month we can start play school.”
A week later the photos are ready and everyone is sitting around admiring them, even Vena is pleased seeing herself in the photos.
“Amma, where is Appan?”
“He has gone to buy the aluminum box for you.”
Then we hear the bell of Appan’s bicycle. I run out and see that he does not have the box with him.
He looks sad, “Sorry darling but they don’t make the boxes any more and no shop stocks them in Madras.”
I try to be brave and try to smile but tears well up in my eyes and before I know it I am crying my heart out.
“No, No please don’t cry, I got something else for you instead. Look, Look at this.”
I don’t want to but when they continue to insist I look up , but can’t see through the tears. Appan lifts me up and wipes my face and shows me the bag he got me. It was my aluminum box, the exact one I wanted all shiny and metallic. I look at Appan, unsure about what had happened. He smiles, “I was joking. You know your Appan will get anything you want even if he has to go to the moon for it. So why did you cry?”I am happy and eager to start school as soon as possible.
“Are they leaving soon?”
“No, No they will be here for sometime but still photos are always fun. Any problem with that.”
“No, I just asked, besides the children love having them here so I would rather that they did not leave soon.”
In the evening we are all ready, waiting for the photographer. I am wearing the “Shirt Appan got from Calcutta” and soon we are posing for the photos. The family photo, the four of us in a group, Appan and Amma, then Appappan and ammamma and Vena and me and individual photos of Vena and of me. When it is over all of us are tired and ready for bed.
“Don’t go to sleep without eating dinner.” Amma tells me.
“But Vena is sleeping already.”
“She is a baby and she has been fed.”
“Hmm Hmmm Hmmm.”
“Stop making that noise and finish your dinner, then sleep.”
“You are a big girl, in a few months you are going to school” Appan tells me.
“Really when?” I am alert, not feeling sleepy any more.
“She is only three and a half, why do you want her to go to school so soon” Ammamma wants to know.
“Amma, children start at the age of three now. Besides she will start going to play school now and then when she is four next year she will start LKG.”
I don’t like the way the discussion is going, what if Ammamma manages to convince Appan that I am too young to go to school. I really want to go like our neighbors children do.
Appan turns to me, “ What kind of school bag do you want? The aluminum box or the bag children carry.”
“The aluminum box” that is one I know for sure, I have been dreaming of the aluminum box for a very long time.
“Okay I will get that for you and may be next month we can start play school.”
A week later the photos are ready and everyone is sitting around admiring them, even Vena is pleased seeing herself in the photos.
“Amma, where is Appan?”
“He has gone to buy the aluminum box for you.”
Then we hear the bell of Appan’s bicycle. I run out and see that he does not have the box with him.
He looks sad, “Sorry darling but they don’t make the boxes any more and no shop stocks them in Madras.”
I try to be brave and try to smile but tears well up in my eyes and before I know it I am crying my heart out.
“No, No please don’t cry, I got something else for you instead. Look, Look at this.”
I don’t want to but when they continue to insist I look up , but can’t see through the tears. Appan lifts me up and wipes my face and shows me the bag he got me. It was my aluminum box, the exact one I wanted all shiny and metallic. I look at Appan, unsure about what had happened. He smiles, “I was joking. You know your Appan will get anything you want even if he has to go to the moon for it. So why did you cry?”I am happy and eager to start school as soon as possible.
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