It was a lazy Saturday morning. My normal plans for weekend included running a few errands and then cozily watch some TV lying down on the sofa. I far from achieved anything that I planned, but the weekend was really good! While I was busy doing nothing, the phone rang. “Where are you? And why didn’t you call?” – demanded the voice from the other side of the line. There is a disadvantage to being the youngest among all cousins. They speak authoritatively and never treat you as if you were a grown up! I had forgotten that my cousin was going to come down. So, I changed all my plans (!) and went to visit her. After all the small-talk, big-talk and catching up, she mentioned her childhood friend is coming in the evening. Apparently, my cousin and this friend used to baby sit me in summer vacations when I was a toddler. But I couldn’t care less. After all, how much did it matter to me now?
Eventually the friend came in and we again sat for a casual chat - (re) introductions, exchanging pleasantries, small-talk, big-talk etc. After a while, the friend mentions: “ha kitee vegaLaa disato ataa!” (He looks so different now!) – pointing at me. My cousin agreed – “ho – amachya peksha ha sagaLyaat jasta badalalaa.” (yes, he is the one who changed so much.) My usual shrug, nod and smile technique did not work as the ladies persisted. This was the observation from a 45 something about a 30 something – in past 30 odd years she did not expect me to change?! And she was seeing me after so many years!
Cousin: We used to take you around for walks.
Friend: Yes, you were such a cute kid. (Oh my god – please, what did I do to deserve this assault? – I kept thinking.)
Both the ladies continued talking like lost in past. All of a sudden, my cousin turned around, looked me in the eyes and said, “That’s where you learned to walk! You started walking on
Now it was my time to be startled. I discovered a piece of my childhood that seemed surreal.
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