I'm in Goa with my cousins. Most of my older cousins have their exams going on so I'm stuck with the kiddies. Those who know me well will know that there are 2 sets of people I dont know how to handle at all- kids and old people. Im lost when it comes to conversing with them or baby talking. Give me a mad man and I probably wont freak out as much. But shove a baby in my face and I'll probably be confused, disoriented and wrong footed. When they're tiny fingers play with the frown lines on my forehead I wonder if I'm doing something wrong. Thier small noises which dont make any sense and the laughter that follows always makes me feel like I'm a practical joke that only they can understand. And when they cry...god..when they cry.
I run.
Far away.
That wailing is disturbing, espescially when you have no clue what they want.
Thankfully, my cousins are both seven year olds and much easier to handle. However, yesterday, one of them, Alroy, was getting difficult. I had played with him for three hours straight and he still didn't let me get back to my writing.
I really think my aunt fed him something yesterday, for him to get this high.
I plonked down stubbornly, removing my writing material. He caught my legs and started to whine.
"Please, play carrom with me."
I was still too busy with my papers so I said,"I dont feel the need to play carrom when I've played with you for 3 hours. Why dont you sit and contemplate on what you've learnt today?"
I saw his expression.
Okay,let's rephrase.
"Take a break."
He frowned and started pulling my tee.
"You're my best cousin so you have to play with me. I love you no!"
See what I mean by high?
Before I could tell him that his line of reasoning was silly, he stuck out his lower lip and started to make mewing noises, a mock imitation of the puppy dog face.
"Where did you learn that?"
"I saw you doing it to your dad. You got to go out."
I snorted. My own tactics used against me.
I sighed. Could'nt argue with this one. He clapped his hands loudly, jumping around on his toes.
"Allright you twerp. Stop your silly dance and lead the way."
He caught my hand and pulled, saying, "Finally, you don't want to be lonely all the time."
I froze.
"You mean alone, right?"
But he didnt hear me. Already too busy arranging the coins on the board.
I shrugged. English is a complicated language.
* * * *
In the evening, I had to deal with the other pesky one. Her name's Cerena. She comes up to me running, something in her hands.
"Put for me."
I looked at her confused.
"Put what?"
"Make up."
She thrust a box at my face. There were brushes of various sizes and tiny round compartments which had shiny stuff in them.
"You're too young for make up."
She put her hands on her hips and huffed, "You don't know how to put, that's why you're telling like that."
She walked away.
I looked up at the ceiling and prayed. But no, God wanted to laugh some more.
She came back.
"Let's go out."
Oh no. Not again.
"No Cerena, I need to write."
She pulled my tee. It was going to be ripped by the end of this day.
I freshened up putting on my sneakers, shorts and another loose tee.
I took my head phones, jamming them in my ear. It helps with my mum.
But this one was a handful.
She tugged at my headphones asking, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
How do kids know stuff like this? Too much bloody television.
"No, I dont."
"But you're old! What type of boy you want?"
"I haven't thought about it."
"Why not?"
Like it was the most normal thing in the world to do.
I decided to not answer and asked her instead, "What type of boy do you want?"
"He should look nice and give me lots of chocolates."
"Oh yes he will. If that gets you to shut up." I muttered.
We walked in silence for a while. I almost started to thank God for small mercies.
Too soon.
"Why do you walk like a boy?"
I blanched. She was watching me all this while.
My hands were stuck in my pockets and I fisted them. Anything to stop myself from tearing my hair out and giving her more ammunition.
"How should I walk?"
"Slowly. Put your hands on your stomach and walk."
She showed me. She meant waist.
I decided to amuse her. I put my hands on my waist and started to walk, exaggerating my sway. She giggled.
I turned to look back at her, flciking my hair back mockingly, batting my lashes and popping my leg up, "How's that?"
She laughed saying,"Boys will like like that."
I smirked and walked back to her, normally.
"Yeah, I know. Let's not make it easy for them now. Then they'll give you chocolates only in the night."
I fished out a mint from my pocket and gave it to her.
It really did shut her up.
No comments:
Post a Comment