Hey…you
all? What are you doing in my room, staring at me? Oops, that’s bad
manner. Oh…. now I got it. You must be the participants of Boloji
and Hindinest, right ?
Welcome and hello to you all. How are you? Allow me to introduce
myself first. I am Pinky. Specs? oh….. don’t worry. I know “it’s not
a toy, it’s made up of glass. If I am not careful, I can break it
and even hurt myself. Ya, ya …… I have heard it before. Don’t worry.
I am not playing with it. I am just trying to wear it. Practice….as
I may rather, I am sure that I will need it in recent future!"
Why so amazed ? Oh…you must be thinking “why a cute (thanks!) little
baby like me will need it? Childhood is so cute, free of worry,
stress, competition and all. Just playing.” Hmmm, quite a rosy
picture. But let me share with you, friends, it’s no more so rosy. I
know for you big people, it’s all quite difficult to understand.
Hey, Why don’t you enter my world? My mom and dad are at the office
and Sumandi i.e. our domestic help is engrossed in TV. I have the
required time and privacy. So welcome to my world, a child’s world….
You know, for me, usually free time; time just for myself is such a
scarce commodity. To us – the child of today – time, schedule are
more than just words, they are the realities.
First some introduction to my family. I am the only child of my
parents and they love me a lot. We also have domestic help. Her name
is Suman but I call her “Sumandi”. She also looks after me.
Mummy-daddy, both work in office.
I know my mummy feels very bad when she leaves for office, leaving
me at home. Once she actually decided to resign from the job for me,
but dropped the idea. There was a long chat between the two. When
she mentioned me, I started listening to her. They were talking
something like “cost of living.. expensive.. Pinky’s education..”.
Soon I was entered into the Pre-school or rather, the Pre-school
squeezed itself into my small, lovely world, quite rudely. Now I too
leave the home in the mornings like mummy-daddy.
First few days at the school were quite sad. Earlier, I was used to
feeling very lonely after my parents would leave for the office. But
in the school, it was quite scary among new faces, some of them even
crying, some fighting. But by now, it’s all familiar. Nikki, Naseem,
Kittu…I have many friends now. But my days have become hurried. My
schedule now is like a merry-go-round. I do enjoy merry-go-round,
but I get scared when it’s fast.
Hmmmm…… Fresh, cool breeze of morning. Sleeping on soft bed, very
gently someone puts a milk-bottle…… I just love it. I tell you, it
just bliss to sip the milk while still sleepy. After sometime, just
when I am into the bliss, I am picked up, washed, dried, and by the
time I can open my eyes fully, I am in my school-dress. That must be
the magic of our new timesaving washing machine. You know, it’s
advertised as very efficient, user-friendly, gentle too.
My Daddy screaming for his file or purse and mummy searching for it,
this is the first sight, I see every morning. Before I can help,
both are off to Office but, not before giving me a peck and “Don’t
be naughty. We will be back soon in the evening. Love you”. Now it’s
my time to leave the home. I also pass on my parent’s love and
instruction to Teddy and Dolly.
Tiffin box in one hand, school bag and water bottle dangling down my
shoulder, cap on my head, polished shoes, neatly folded handkerchief
and I-card pinned to my dress. I am ready to face the world or
rather, run at it’s pace.
Sumandi, my coach in running, sees to it that I reach the bus stop
within 5 minutes. But to tell you frankly, I believe in taking life
a little bit easy. There is one pussycat also who comes with her 3
babies, kittens. No, no, not to catch the school bus but to play
with them, in the nearby garden. I wish my mom could also find some
time to play with me. I love pussies, but my parents are scared of
them …hihihi ! As Sumandi waits for the bus rather impatiently, I
thoroughly get engrossed in watching the pussies. They are so
clumsy. The bus as usual plays a spoilt sport; suddenly I am
elevated in mid air and dropped into the crowd of my schoolmates. I
can’t even say “bye-bye” to the pussies properly. With the bus
catching up the speed, I get automatically fitted, into a spot. I
know this feeling is not alien to you elders, right??
In pre-school, we are taught to write the alphabets, recognize
vegetables, fruits, numbers from 1 to 20, colors, etc… we also have
to bye-heart nursery rhymes. Although I do enjoy playing with my
friends but the study is just too much. Now I am hearing horror
stories about the real school. You know, when I don’t listen to
mummy-daddy or Sumandi, they frighten me with “see, Policeman is
coming” and I do as they say. I have never seen him coming to our
house but why take a chance ? To tell you frankly, now I find a mere
mention of school, admission test, homework, tuitions more scaring
and they are true also. Many a times, I have seen Kittu’s big
brother carrying his heavy school bag.
My parents have told me to not to miss the pre-school and learn it
correctly as with out it, I won’t pass the admission test for KG and
they will have to shell out more money. I can’t understand this
Garden, the Kinder Garden that wants all kids to learn even before
entering it. Aren’t gardens to play freely and to your heart’s
content?
My teacher says that I am quite intelligent. I think that’s due to
the hairstyle, my parents have chosen for me, that I can fit all the
study in my terrace floor. I also don’t mind as far as they love me
in this getup too, also I understand their concern regarding the
school admission. I know my parents are already into preparing the
list of schools, trying to get the forms standing for hours and days
in those long queues. Admission to KG is not at all easy. Even
mummy-daddy will be interviewed. Don’t you think they should also
join my class?
I know you are wondering the fluent English I am speaking. Well,
actually my mother tongue is Hindi. But to get admission in Good
English school, I have to know English so my mummy-daddy have
changed their tongue to English.
I have lots of important questions to ask like “why the sky is blue?
What’s this ? Why is that ?“ . My teacher and mummy-daddy say, “You
ask lots of questions. You will understand the answers when you will
grow up”. But I don’t think so. I find it’s they who have more
questions to ask us kids and that too repeatedly. For instance, when
my teacher asked me “What’s the color of the apple?” I told her that
apples are red but still she keeps on asking the same question to me
as well as to my classmates. It looks like even after growing up,
they haven’t got it yet. Don’t you agree with me now?
In the class, along with the long list I mentioned earlier, we are
also taught good manners, the words like “Good Morning”,” Thank
You”, “I am sorry”, “Mention Not”. I sometimes wonder why need to
say “Thank you” when we all are taught to say, “Mention not” ?
Anyway…. we also have drawing class. It’s my favorite one. You know,
I can draw a laughing pussy… grrreat, isn’t it ? But my teacher
insists that it’s not a pussy and also insists that pussies can’t
laugh. Well…. big people’s viewpoint !.
In the afternoon, it’s time to return home. We are again packed in
the bus, literally dropped at the stop, with bus-driver in great
hurry, very much like Sumandi. I think he must be her relative.
Sometimes Sumandi is at the bus stop but at others, she is absent.
No, I don’t intend to complain about her to my parents. Find it
strange?? Actually the reason is, when she is not at the bus stop,
my friend Nikki’s mummy takes me to my home. Aunty is very sweet. As
soon as Nikki gets down from the bus, she caresses her very fondly
and asks gently about our day. She pats me also very tenderly. We
all walk to my home chatting. She also likes my laughing pussy. Her
smile, which she sprinkles every sentence with, makes me feel so, so
much wanted. She carefully takes me to my home, climbing all the 3
floors. Only after Sumandi opens the door and takes me in, aunty
leaves for her home, waving to me with “See you tomorrow”.
On my return, I find the home so lonely, dull with just Sumandi and
me. I miss my granny’s place so much. One sound from me and all come
to me running. But here it’s …Well, Sumandi changes my clothes,
gives me glass of milk, puts me to bed, goes to watch her afternoon
TV soap. Actually I don’t like the afternoon nap. Although I have
many toys but without mummy-daddy, they too seem uninterested, like
me, in playing.
After some time I get up and Sumandi make me ready. You must be
wondering as “why are you sounding so reluctant. Evening time is
play time”. Sorry dear friends, now-a-days that’s not so correct
equation. I get to play only for exactly 45 minutes in the garden.
After that I need to rush to my music and dance class. You know, one
day I was copying the dancer on the TV. My parents clapped and gave
a kissy too. Next day, I found myself attending an additional
school, that of music and dance. My dance teacher says, to very much
delight of my parents, “She dances so well”.
Recently I heard my parents discussing that now I must participate
in the dance competitions conducted on various TV channels. They
along with my teacher are deciding on the film song numbers, dresses
to wear for the items. Soon you will watch me on TV. Actually, I
don’t like such programs where we kids dance like big people. To me,
they look like robots with all steps, facial expressions rehearsed,
odd with those uncomfortable steps. Frankly I love dancing with my
own choreographed steps but now with this daily class, competitions,
at the cost of my precious playtime, I feel really burdened. I have
heard that in your times, extra curricular activities were entirely
your personal matter but now-a-days those also are being decided by
mummy-daddies. We kids are literally dancing to their tune. One of
my friends is made to learn computer games and all. You know with TV
and computer occupying most of his free time, he looks so sleepy in
the class and also un-attentive. When the teacher pulls his ears on
his mistake, he with small, sleepy eyes, pulled ears remind me of
Ganesh, the elephant lord.
It’s not that my parents don’t spend time with me. Actually they are
very busy. They have to work in the office and also in the house,
especially my mummy. I love her very much. You know, in the garden I
play with my friends Nikki, Anju, Nassem except Minu. Actually I was
not talking to her. She always teases me that my mummy doesn’t love
me so she comes home late from office. Sometimes I do get jealous of
her as her mummy always accompanies her in the garden. I felt so
bad. But my mummy assured me that it was no at all correct and she
loved me very much. That day She allowed me to sleep in her room
too. Next day, while playing in the garden, I saw her entering the
garden and looking for me. I showed Minu “See my mummy came home
early specially for me.”. But she started talking to the mummies
group, present in the garden. So I started my best cranky techniques
and made her give a push or two to my swing. You should have seen
Minu’s face. Now she will never tease me…. hahaha !
My parents take me on outings, specially on weekends. Zoo is my
favorite picnic spot. I like to watch monkey, Lion, elephant and all
the other animals. But now thanks to my admission issue, these
outing seem more like educational tours. Mummy-daddy keep on asking
“What is this called ? What is its color?”. I am sure, by now even
the monkey knows it’s called monkey with spelling “M-o-n-k-e-y”.
Of course, to make these picnics a fun, I use my time-tested
“go-cranky” skills. In a short while, I have my hands full with
balloons, chocolate, ice-creams…yummy. I am a good girl. I also
share it with my Dolly. But with Dolly, naturally my dress also
tastes the yummies and then mummy-daddy scold me “can’t you eat
without spilling ?“. Hey, wait a minute……We have a picture of a cute
but messy kid in our home, to which my mummy regularly prays. He is
completely smeared in butter, also with butter all over the floor,
pots broken, in my teacher’s words , he has “absolutely no table
manners”. If my teacher sees him, he will get a good scolding. My
mummy has told me about the cute kid in one of the bedtime stories.
I just love his story. His name is Krishna. You know, he used to
play with his friends in the jungle, play pranks on others. No
pre-school, no dance class, no competition, no tests. Yes, he used
to dance without dance teacher’s “1-2-3-4”. Lucky one….. Don’t you
big people keep on describing his naughtiness, his pranks very
fondly ? Then why do you keep on scolding us and telling us that we
should not be naughty and should behave properly.
I don’t understand you big people. Hmmm… can these specs help me in
understanding you? After all, aren’t they meant for seeing things
clearly? It may even help you in understanding us kids. Shall we
try?
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Hey…you
all? What are you doing in my room, staring at me? Oops, that’s bad
manner. Oh…. now I got it. You must be the participants of Boloji
and Hindinest, right ?