Aloha colorful sprinkles!
Super compelled to write tonight.Why? Well, read on, darling!
So I had a shitty day in office today. Oh you know, typical workplace sharks. Tough task given by the boss. Homesickness creeping in. AND my crush is leaving the company (but that really isn't all that important).Yes, I was Little Miss Grumpy all day.
So, after wrapping up for the day (read: after snapping at a colleague), I headed over to my bus to brood for around TWO hours till I reached home.
Fast forward to me getting off the bus. Now, my home is roughly a 5-6 minute walk from the main road. Usually it's a brisk walk but today I was simply dragging my feet. And viola, a little kid starts pulling my kurti. Now Little Miss Grumpy wanted nothing but to push the kid away but the kid opened his mouth and said, "Akka! Buy pretty flower".
I don't know what was it that made me stop. Either it was the fact that the kid called me 'Akka', which means elder sister in this part of the world (I have a soft spot for kids calling me their elder sister) OR it was the fact that a small kid conversed with me in broken English (again, in this part of the world MOST of the people speak their native language) OR maybe it was both!
Well anyway, I looked at the kid and call me crazy, but the kid wasn't that great looking; He was shabby, half my height (I'm 5'2" by the way), holding a bunch of mogras BUT he had the most twinkling eyes I've seen in a LONG time!
So Little Miss Grumpy snaps at the kid. "No! I don't want pretty flowers"
Kid: Akka! Only 14 Rupees akka!
Little Miss Grumpy: No! I don't want! Go!
Kid: Akka Please!
Ok! So my heart melted, alright? I stopped and I asked, "So I buy two flower, how much?" Kid replies almost instantly with the glint in his eyes, "28 Rupees".
"And if I buy 1 flower and half flower?"
"21 Rupees", he beams.
Now this whole I-wanna-test-your-maths-skills game made Little Miss Grumpy smile after a rough day. We started walking again and I asked the kid, "Maths is your favourite subject? Which class?"
"I study in 1-B"
"I studied in 1-G", I say
"So you buy flower?", the kid asks impatiently.
"Yes ok I buy flower. Give two. I give 26, correct?"
"Noooo", croons the kid, "28 Rupees".
We reach my home and we exchanges items and I tell the kid "Go home! Do Maths. Homework. Don't sell".
And he smiles back at me and innocently replies, "Amma (mother) not well. I sell".
A knot forms in my throat. Here I am, brooding because I had a shitty day and this twinkly-eyed smart kid sells flowers because his mom is unwell. The entire journey I thought a 22 year old girl walked home with a 6 year old. Turns out the little kid is a MUCH older person than me, emotionally at least.
The kid smiled at me, turned around and started walking. I really don't know what hit me but something definitely did. I shouted out, "Oi kid. WAIT!". The kid spins around and looks at me puzzled.
I pull out a fancy yellow colored note from my purse and place it in his pocket. The kid is obviously horrified at seeing the three digit Gandhi-imprinted note being placed in his pocket. I look at him and say sternly, "You give that to Amma. And study maths properly. I fail in my exam."
The kid studies me for a minute and says, "I study Akka. I no fail. I give money to Amma".
Ashamed and feeling incredibly small, I watched as the kid spun around and walked away.
No. I didn't ask his name. Did I give the kid a little too much? That's really off the point. Did the kid make a fool out of me? Who cares? MY money. I can blow it all off in gambling, for all I care.
I probably won't see him again, but I'll be dammed if I EVER forget the kid. He sure has a lot on his plate for a 6 year old. Mom unwell. Selling flowers. Excelling at maths. And yet, his eyes twinkled. Yet, he was happy.
That's what I want, I thought, after scurrying home. My eyes twinkling with happiness in good times and bad. Who knows? I may bring a difference to someone else's life. ^_^
And now, you know why I was compelled to write tonight.
Crashing now, dear world. Have to brave another day at the office tomorrow.
Until next time, keep twinkling! Adios amigos!
Super compelled to write tonight.Why? Well, read on, darling!
So I had a shitty day in office today. Oh you know, typical workplace sharks. Tough task given by the boss. Homesickness creeping in. AND my crush is leaving the company (but that really isn't all that important).Yes, I was Little Miss Grumpy all day.
So, after wrapping up for the day (read: after snapping at a colleague), I headed over to my bus to brood for around TWO hours till I reached home.
Fast forward to me getting off the bus. Now, my home is roughly a 5-6 minute walk from the main road. Usually it's a brisk walk but today I was simply dragging my feet. And viola, a little kid starts pulling my kurti. Now Little Miss Grumpy wanted nothing but to push the kid away but the kid opened his mouth and said, "Akka! Buy pretty flower".
I don't know what was it that made me stop. Either it was the fact that the kid called me 'Akka', which means elder sister in this part of the world (I have a soft spot for kids calling me their elder sister) OR it was the fact that a small kid conversed with me in broken English (again, in this part of the world MOST of the people speak their native language) OR maybe it was both!
Well anyway, I looked at the kid and call me crazy, but the kid wasn't that great looking; He was shabby, half my height (I'm 5'2" by the way), holding a bunch of mogras BUT he had the most twinkling eyes I've seen in a LONG time!
So Little Miss Grumpy snaps at the kid. "No! I don't want pretty flowers"
Kid: Akka! Only 14 Rupees akka!
Little Miss Grumpy: No! I don't want! Go!
Kid: Akka Please!
Ok! So my heart melted, alright? I stopped and I asked, "So I buy two flower, how much?" Kid replies almost instantly with the glint in his eyes, "28 Rupees".
"And if I buy 1 flower and half flower?"
"21 Rupees", he beams.
Now this whole I-wanna-test-your-maths-skills game made Little Miss Grumpy smile after a rough day. We started walking again and I asked the kid, "Maths is your favourite subject? Which class?"
"I study in 1-B"
"I studied in 1-G", I say
"So you buy flower?", the kid asks impatiently.
"Yes ok I buy flower. Give two. I give 26, correct?"
"Noooo", croons the kid, "28 Rupees".
We reach my home and we exchanges items and I tell the kid "Go home! Do Maths. Homework. Don't sell".
And he smiles back at me and innocently replies, "Amma (mother) not well. I sell".
A knot forms in my throat. Here I am, brooding because I had a shitty day and this twinkly-eyed smart kid sells flowers because his mom is unwell. The entire journey I thought a 22 year old girl walked home with a 6 year old. Turns out the little kid is a MUCH older person than me, emotionally at least.
The kid smiled at me, turned around and started walking. I really don't know what hit me but something definitely did. I shouted out, "Oi kid. WAIT!". The kid spins around and looks at me puzzled.
I pull out a fancy yellow colored note from my purse and place it in his pocket. The kid is obviously horrified at seeing the three digit Gandhi-imprinted note being placed in his pocket. I look at him and say sternly, "You give that to Amma. And study maths properly. I fail in my exam."
The kid studies me for a minute and says, "I study Akka. I no fail. I give money to Amma".
Ashamed and feeling incredibly small, I watched as the kid spun around and walked away.
No. I didn't ask his name. Did I give the kid a little too much? That's really off the point. Did the kid make a fool out of me? Who cares? MY money. I can blow it all off in gambling, for all I care.
I probably won't see him again, but I'll be dammed if I EVER forget the kid. He sure has a lot on his plate for a 6 year old. Mom unwell. Selling flowers. Excelling at maths. And yet, his eyes twinkled. Yet, he was happy.
That's what I want, I thought, after scurrying home. My eyes twinkling with happiness in good times and bad. Who knows? I may bring a difference to someone else's life. ^_^
And now, you know why I was compelled to write tonight.
Crashing now, dear world. Have to brave another day at the office tomorrow.
Until next time, keep twinkling! Adios amigos!
Made My day :)
ReplyDeleteA fine end to a "GRUMPY" day.
ReplyDeleteHi, probably we dont know each other personally bt I do read your writings. Let me tell you they all are awesome. This one is a special one too. I wont say Bravo, Great, Marvelous,I wont praise you but I would like to thank you. Thank you sharing, Thank you for experiencing that twinkle. Thank you for observing.This is for you " If you close your eyes you can actually see lot of things !" Try it!
ReplyDelete- Gaurav!!
Truly beautiful ... !
ReplyDeletenice noble deed , and an amazing way to write about it .. :)
-- nikita
Thank you so much everyone! Really makes me happy that you guys enjoyed reading my post.
ReplyDeleteYou guys inspire me to write more! Thank you once again.
-Afshan