THE PARTY THAT SCARED ME :-(

                                             That was some PARTY !!!!

                                                                      

 That must have been a scary one for a 6 year old , maybe that is why I still remember it .One evening our neighbor  uncle organised a party . There was loud music , many people were going in . We could hear laughter , dance  and music  !!! 

The irony we youngsters found  was that .........party is always for birthdays with balloons and cakes   ....here we were not even invited to be  a part . We were terribly disappointed :-( Uncle always loved us , he used to take us for outings in his car .....but then  when he love us this much how could he possibly not invite us ?? We were hurt  !!!

Everyone ...all the elders were enjoying the treat ....Mind it ...the Male gang ...even our Acha was  invited .

Amma  or any other aunties  had no complaint about not being invited . And they cruelly stopped us from going anywhere near that house 

The music was tempting , the laughter was welcoming ....but we were banned   ....our  small gang wandered here and there ,in groups and otherwise to get a picture of what was going inside that house .....all in vain 

And as the night progressed , the laughter disappeared , and in its place there were some shouting , arguments and noise . We go scared . We could see that the female crowd was also helplessly listening to all these ,but not taking a move at all , as if they were also scared too . 

And then we witnessed the most scaring scene ....the uncle next door who was the host to the party was shouting , and walking as if he has lost all balance 

We thought he was seriously ill . Acha slowly came out and he was also not his real self . He quietly went home ,not saying a word . 

We were very much worried  about our Uncle and all others who were finding it difficult  to  walk and talk properly.

Looking back after all these years ,  the scene is still fresh in memory .....maybe because we have never seen someone drinking ....In fact we never knew anything about drinking .....for us drinking was only milk ,coffee, tea and maybe some juices :-( 

Too scary for a 6 year old :-(

                                                     

This was totally new experience to us .....next day we saw them all back to normal ...all happy and healthy .....and we were happy too  ....and as days passed by we forgot the hurt ....because Uncle was again normal and was taking us for all his outings ...What more could we ask for ???

             

THE LAND & THE LIE :-)

              LIAR LIAR....PANTS ON FIRE !!!

The Land

One fine morning , we found out that our parents have purchased some land near by to our school

Acha took us one day to see the place . All we could see was some coconut trees and lots of weeds :-(

We never knew we will have to leave the beautiful 'Vijaya mandiram ' once and for all .We never knew we  would never be able to run around and play  with our friends anymore 

All we felt at that time was pride ....we were now the proud owners of some land .It was nothing like our sweet home and the land there . It was a small piece of land but then we were excited and happy .

And by the time we reached back home after visiting the land .......I had my imagination running wild . In fact I had build up an exciting story  in my mind  for my friends .

That evening as we got together , I opened my lie box ,and as I went on describing the land we own ,the picture was quite different from what it really was ...........oops ....The land now was a jungle , with wild trees and plants . There were wild animals ... deer , monkeys and even a lion !!!

My poor sweet friends believed them all .  They were all quite younger to me and dint have the brains to question me at that time .

And finally when we  built a house in that land , they visited us  one day after we moved in . and yes then that happened ..........one of my friends asked in front of all elders "What did you do to the lion , deer and monkeys ? "  

And my parents and other elders were like "What?? " 

embarrassed :-(

  

I managed somehow .....It was quite embarrassing....But then I was not questioned or crossed ...Maybe because I was too small ...or maybe the elders never gave it a thought  as they were busy with their laughs and talks ....Whatever the reason maybe I was saved .......HoHo Ho  I thank my lucky stars :-)

Btw  I secretly told my friends that the forest was cleared before the house was built  and the people from the zoo took the animals with them ;-)

I am no liar anymoreeee:-(

                                                                                 

The Lady`s Son : Exploiting Innocent Minds :-0- Part 2

                          Exploiting Innocent Minds :-0

Part 2 : The story of the 100 Re Note :-)

As the process  of eating our omelettes continued...........One such day Jayan came up with some other demand . He demanded hundred rupees and said that it  was very urgent . We were asked  not disclose it to anyone at all with the normal swears and things :-(

He told us that we should take the money from our parents somehow ,without them seeing and hand it over to him secretly the very next day when he come to collect us for school.

We were again made to swear .We poor souls were very much scared and  in lot of tension. All way  back home we kept on worrying . We dint know what to do and how  to go about it . We were scared to tell our parents because we were worried about the swearing and was afraid of the consequences if we break them :-(

In the evening ,after the school hours , back home we changed and went out for play with our friends . How could we play when we were this much tensed ? We were not able to concentrate on games or anything . I think our fear and tension was quite visible to our eldest play mate .....the old grandpa next door . He was always with us during our play time , sharing stories and directing us . 

He came to us and asked if everything is alright . A first we were reluctant and kept distance and avoided his questions , but then maybe we saw a true friend in him . We told him the whole story .After listening to us ,he was silent for sometime .Later he consoled us ,told us that we shouldn't worry and he will take care of the situation . We were totally relieved .

the play time with grandpa

He told us that we will catch him with his own card :-) That day our project was to help the grandpa to work his plan out . He asked us  to bring colors , paper ,etc . We were very excited , we ran here and there to get the things he demanded. And after hours of work he finally made a exact copy of a hundred rupee note and handed it over to me .He asked us to hand it over to him the next day ,the same way as he as asked us to do .

play time

We were bubbling with excitement and of course fear was there because now the promise was broken anything evil  could happen anytime . Next day morning ,we were all ready for the adventure . I was assigned to hand over the fake note to Jayan the maid`s son . We waited .....and waited ...yes here he comes ....I  was trembling like anything .............I was too scared ............but collecting all the strength I slowly walked towards the window........there he was standing with a devilish look ..........checking here and there ........I  slowly put my hand out through the window and handed him the money .

The moment he took the money ,he kept it in the pocket and  suddenly  out from somewhere came our grandpa  along with my parents . They caught him and scolded him  for what he did  . Meanwhile someone went to call his mother, She came and whole story was detailed to her and she was asked to take him from our premises once and for all .

Jayan n his mom

From that day onwards till we left the rented house  , never once did Jayan come back to take us to school or for any purpose at all .

With him out of sight , and sensing that nothing evil happened to us even after we broke the promise made to him ...........myself and y sister showed the courage to tell our parents about the eggs we never had :-( 

The Lady`s Son : Exploiting Innocent Minds :-0- Part 1

                              Exploiting Innocent Minds :-0

Part 1 - The Omelette Story :

Sthree n her son

As I have mentioned in my earlier blog "The Lady and Her Son ' ......at times when the lady was ill ,then her son would come to take us all to school . After kinder school , our parents put us into one of the most  prestigious Convent Schools in the city . The school was about  two   kilometers  from our rented house . We used to walk to school and back ,with  very thin traffic and lot of friends to cat with the distance was never an issue 

There were a number of incidents that happened during this time . But I would like to share two such ,which are still fresh in my memory :-)

Our Lunch Box

The lady and her son used to bring lunch for us  .The Lady`s  Son ....his name was Jayan . He used to bring us lunch when his mom was away . He waits for us near the school gate . The school gate was very huge and very big . Myself and my sister , we both used to come running during the lunch break ,as soon as the bell goes .

There behind the huge  front gate , we used to stand and then he will open the lunch boxes for us .
Inside the lunch box ,there would always be an egg omelette on the top and underneath that would be rice ,curd and some curry mixed together in both the lunch  boxes  .

Our mouths used to water when we see the egg . As we take the egg  to eat , Jayan would say , that we should not eat the egg .If we eat the eggs , we will get all the sins and some thing very deadly would happen to us and our loved ones .He used to say that he will take care of it and he will drive the evil away by taking the eggs himself .???

By saying so he would consume both the eggs and we used to satisfy ourselves with the rice and the rest of the curry :-( 

And that is not the end of the story , we were warned  to keep  this a secret throughout . He scared us saying that if we dare to tell anyone then that will be the end of us .We were even made to swear on God everyday and we with all  our fears and doubts sincerely obeyed him  ;-( 

AFYI :  we were only kids under the age of  eight or nine !!!

"The Lady and Her Son "

The Mystery  behind the addressal ??

Sthree and  Sthree`s Son ( "The Lady and Her Son " )  that is what we used to address them . The middle aged lady who took us to school everyday . She carried all the bags and tiffins on her head , balancing it with one hand ,and with the  other hand ,she managed to hold us all , directing ,scolding and leading us to the school . Like a flock of sheep ,we used to follow her ,chattering  ,laughing ,and shouting all the way to school 

At times ,.when she is sick ,then her son would come and take us to school . He was more friendly ,as he was may around fourteen or fifteen . We always wondered why he wasn't going to any school .Why he was wearing all shabby dresses  ?Why he was having no friends ? 

We were told that they were poor and couldn't afford all those luxuries that we are having . We dont dare to ask them more ,but we always were sorry for him and his mother 

After all these years I still wonder , why were calling her "Sthree ( Lady ) and her son Sthreede  Mon (lady`s son ) ....I sill remember , after all dressed up for school , when we see her coming , we used to call out to our mom  "Mom , Sthree has come " or " Sthreede  Mon has come " ;-0

Our parents dont remember why we called her so  :-(  

Recollecting the reference which we gave her , seems so funny now ,but then the quench is  still there to find out who directed us to call them so ??

How daring one can be at the age of three ?

       How daring one can be at three ?

Naughty Naughty Me :-)

Exactly as the heading says , how daring can one be at an age of three  ? As I`ve already mentioned in my blogs I have been very naughty ,mischievous and stubborn all through my childhood . My analysis for my behavior will be done in some other blog . 

Before I start narrating the incident ,I would like to give a picture of my school . My school was an old Christian school , which was located on the main road . It was a junction where  three other roads meet. It had a main gate near the junction and one side gate .From my home if you go straight right , first you`ll cross a junction again you`ll have to go straight and on the left side of the road just before another junction  was my school.

As it happens , I was put in a nursery school near by our house ,at the age of  three . As my parents were working , I was taken to school by them and later I come back home in the evening  by the school van. Well maybe I was not very  happy with all those happenings in my life , maybe I had better options at home rather than in school , maybe I was not comfortable with the teachers and  friends there .

Whatever the reason maybe , one  such day  as always my parents dropped me at school with a bag containing nothing other than a small book , some biscuits and my lunch  . By afternoon , I got so bored of all .So the little devil mind  of mine started working ...after having my lunch , I went to wash my hands ( the wash area was near the small gate ). I took my bag and went to wash my hands , thanks to my lucky stars ....the small gate was open a bit .

I looked here and there ,there was no ayah in sight ,nor any teachers . I slowly got out of the gate and started walking towards my home . I,  a child of 3 years , a liliput ,must have caught lots of attention .As i walked a bit two boys came to me and asked where I was going .I said that I was going home .I don't know what else they asked ,but then they told me that they`ll accompany me and I promised them that I`ll show them my home . And I  showed the way to my home , crossing the junctions and they came with me till my home and left me with my maid and left .

As  this happened  forty two years back ,when there was no phone connection or any other means of communication ,my poor maid waited till my parents came back from work . They must have talked , discussed and worried a lot about me ,thinking of the consequences of my act . But I was happy myself , as I got a whole afternoon to be at home . And I noticed that no one was questioning me , scolding me ,so I quite happy .

I think I  got a great impression about myself . The next day ,I was again taken to school .I had all  plans set up in my mind .As planned after having my lunch ,I went to wash my hands ....Good God !!! I couldn't believe my eyes !!!  There ......the door was open again !!    How could I miss  one more such a golden chance .And I looked here and there .......Yes :-)  there was nobody there watching me ....slowly and started to move out ..........Hey Hey What is this ?  Suddenly I felt some one stopping me ,I turned back to see the ayah standing there and also some of the teachers :-( 

Caught red Handed :-(

I don't remember what their expressions were . I have no clue whether they scolded me or warned me or made me understand the danger in doing so. But after that day never did I attempt to cross the rules , never tried to run away from the school .

Sadly enough ,  from that day on wards that gate was always closed , not a single time was it opened  .And as years rolled by , the school got renovated , new structures came up and  to add to all the changes , they removed that gate too and built a wall . Now that school has only one gate that is the main gate !!!

I still don't know what made me do such an act ? I don't know why i was not punished or beaten up ? I don't know why I never dared to do it again? I still wonder what was that ,that made me do it  , and what was that , that made me stop it ???

If such an incident had happened these days :Then with all the crossroads  and heavy traffic I would never have survived .The boys  who had helped me could have done anything to me and my parents . Anything could have happened .

As a parent ,what would have  done if one of my kids had done the same ? Would I have handled it  the same sensible way as my parents did ? Would any parent reacted to such a situation the same way ??

Our country has changed a lot and so have the people and their minds .I`m sure that in this present society a  running away of a three year old would have been different scene  and so would have been the consequences . The entire scenario would have been another !!!

An Evening At The Beach ;-)

                              An Evening At The Beach

A Sunset at the Sanghhumugham beach 

It was a Sunday evening ,as if following a regular pattern we were to visit the beach (evening were either a visit to the beach or a movie ) . But then this time with us were amma`s elder sister , and her daughter . 

We reached the Shangumugham beach . Both of us ...me n my sis were going crazy seeing the sea. We started running towards the sea .As always my hyper tensed mom was screaming , warning and calling us back . But then that was the regular scene and we were least bothered 

In between we came back ,soaked up till the waist  ate a mouthful of hot peanuts and ran back to the sea .Acha was with us all the time .Chechi  (our cousin sister ) was also with us . Amma was busy talking with  her sister . 

It was nearing sunset , amma came towards us to call us back . We were insisting to stay a bit more and then it happened ............All of a sudden ,we saw a huge wave coming .........indeed a huge one .....Chechi ran back to the shore ..........and in fraction of seconds  the whole scenario changed 

As  the wave  hit the shore ....Acha came running  and took hold of amma and was dragging her back to the shore .......we two were  stranded ......in the waves ...going deeper inside the sea  .....hearing acha amma shouting some fishermen came running .....They jumped into the water and carried both of us into the shore . 

All soaked ,wet from top to bottom , i don't know whether we were scared  or excited or whether we were enjoying the scene . But as I recollect these moments ...I realize there was not a bit of fear in both of us because we still continue to enjoy the waves and sea ...of course amma put a ban to our most awaited Sunday treats for sometime ...........But then as memory faded ,we were back to our routine ....enjoying the sea ,the breeze , the hot peanuts........  :-)

The Mandapam At the Beach