I was running after a white bunny when it suddenly turned into a huge snowman with a crooked nose and leapt towards me. I backed off; the game was on. Heroes don’t give up. I would fight this filthy monster. A kick and a punch…
Arrrghhh….
Why did the monster sound like daddy? I opened my eyes to my father rubbing his left eye and awkwardly holding another hand to his stomach.
“ You have got too much strength for a six-year-old, princess. So proud of you. My wonder woman! Now get up fast for the Annual function!” cuddling me in his arms he placed me over the basin.
Every day, grandma used to wake me up lovingly. I would then tadpole around with Daddy among the busheries in the garden counting every flower and welcoming every new bud with a gentle touch. But Today was unusual. Dad woke me up and I missed my rendezvous with the new bees .
Dad and I had a blast as he put lipstick on my tiny lips and rosied my cheeks till they were bloody. Mom was furious with Daddy. I kept laughing as mom dolled me up and Dad kept making silly faces. We then took to our yatra to the school.
The annual function was to be a huge event and we were doing a skit “Ramayana Balman se”. I was playing the role of mother Sita in that. Wearing a red lehenga with golden gota Patti and a garland of Jasmine flower in the hair, when I reached school, there were open mouths all around. Each one cruelly pulled my cheeks to their heart’s content. Uff. Being cute is not easy. Ravana too came and poking my cheeks said, “Hey, Bunny, look!! You have dimples”. My God! I blushed.
The skit started and went smoothly until the “kidnapping of Sita” scene. My parents never allowed me to devour chocolates and today chocolates were kept in a basket as alms, for Ravana. No child can resist chocolate and I was not an exception.
The scene started and Ravana came asking for the alms.
“I won’t.”
Unlike we practised, I refused, which made Ravana upset A scuffle ensued with a lot of pushing and snatching to hilarious applause by the audience.
Getting a glare from the teacher, Ravana entered his role again and started dragging me by the wrist, but all in vain! Unlike Ravana, I was a fat girl. He couldn’t even drag me an inch. Seeing him unable, a Childlike innocence started surfacing to help my friend. So, I asked him to hold my chunni & started dragging myself towards him on the ground. The drama wasn’t yet over. Just then, Lord Rama, being jealous of my chemistry with Ravana, came running and crying towards me.
“Site, you are my friend! Don’t go with him. Please stop”.
Entire audience burst out again. And the play had to end with me as the hero saving Ravana’s plight and soothing Ram.
