Thursday, October 9, 2014

A Goondoo Tale


Goondoo tales..... after a long time!

It's been nearly two years now, since Goondoo and family have moved back to India after about 4 years in the UK.  He and his badey bhaiyya,  have settled in, into the new environment ,  pretty fast and without much trouble.  A huge relief for my sister and all of us.


Goondoo is now, all of 9.

He is really good at communication and can express his thoughts and feelings  precisely, clearly .  His choice of words, vocabulary never ceases to amaze us.  Sometimes he does  sound. mature for his age.  And then there are times when he has us in splits

The other day his mother, my younger sister, rattled of a list of chores he had to complete before he could go down to play.   "Why don't you do them, for a change.  You are a ring master " he retorted.  My sister could not even pretend to be angry at being back answered so !

Goondoo has an elder brother .. older to him by four years.   At thirteen, he is not as much fun to talk to as   Goondoo is.  More often than not , I call my sister only to speak to Goondoo. He is the baby of the family after all.  Sometimes he indulges me.

Today evening I called up my sister.  Goondoo's bade bhaiyya, my older nephew , answered the phone. The moment he heard my voice, he called out to Goondoo... "It is mhaave (aunt) for you" and he went away.

Goondoo and me had a good conversation about school , friends and food.  Then suddenly he said, "Please talk to my brother, it will make him happy"

It was like a slap across  the  face for me.   I had been so very  insensitive,   inadvertently   playing favourites.  I loved both of them.. equally.  But the cuteness that was Goondoo...he always won me over !!


I had unknowingly, unintentionally ,  hurt the older boy.  A teen , an adolescent, he was that much more  sensitive. 

It had taken  some plain speak from a nine year old to drill some sense into me .






Tuesday, October 7, 2014

There... I admit it.



Keeping away from you,

not seeing you, 

would be the best way to get over you, I thought.

But seeing you,
meeting you..
works best.


The truth stares me in the face....

 

Those  limpid brown eyes,
framed with the longest lashes,
do not hold any love for me.

The dark lips
do not smile for me.


We are not meant to be.