Girls

Overheard at a small eatery in the outskirts of Calcutta.

A very ordinary, not very old father with a small girl.... his daughter...... about 8 or 9 years old. Both sitting on a rickety bench, having a chilled Pepsi each. The girl swinging her legs, and the father doing the Bengali leg-shake.

Girl : "Baba, you know, Ma never says anything to Bhai. Never scolds him. He tore my drawing book last week, and Ma blamed me. Baba, why does Ma always scold me? "

Father : "No, Khuki. I don't think Ma scolds you intentionally. Bhai is a handful. He is a very naughty boy. Ma gets tired looking after him. She gets irritated"

Girl : "Baba, you know Gora next door? He is naughtier. He breaks all the flower pots, and steals the pickle from the terrace. He is naughtier than Bhai. Bhai is hardly a naughty boy. Gora's mother does not scold him. Neither does she scold Anu Didi"

Father : "And now, who is Anu Didi"

Girl : "Oooff Baba, you don't know ANYTHING. Anu Didi is Gora's elder sister".

Father : "Oh..."

Girl : " You have not answered me. Why does Ma scold me? Maybe she does not love me".

Father : " No. That is not true. She loves you very much. You are her first born. You are our special child, Khuki. Ma loves you."

Girl : " How do you know?"

Father : "Because she told me"

Girl : With bright eyes.... "She did? Did you ask her, or did she say on her own?"

Father: "She tells me that nearly every day. What a good girl you are. How you looked after Bhai that afternoon when Ma had to go to the temple to do her Neel er Pujo. Khuki, you must understand that Ma is overworked. She has a lot of housework to do. Maybe that is why she is irritable."

Girl : " Not all Baba. Every mother has housework to do. All mothers have to do it. When did she tell you that she loves me?"

Father : "She tells me that most times. You are a good child. Don't take Ma's scoldings to heart. She does love you, Khuki. You know that. Now, finish your Pepsi, let's go home"

Girl : "But I haven't finished talking yet. May I have another Pepsi? No? Ok, half a bottle? Please Baba, it's such a hot day."

Another bottle is ordered.

Girl : "Baba, you know Papai Dada? He is going to College next year. Baba, when will I go to College?"

Father : "Hurry up now, Khuki, you talk too much. You have to study hard to go to college."

Girl : "Yes, Baba. Can we take a chocolate home for Bhai and for Ma? Actually no. Bhai will only make a mess of the chocolate. Perhaps a big Pepsi bottle?"

Father : "Khuki, hurry up. We will take some mishti doi. Happy?. Now finish that cold drink.

And remember not to worry your mother with your tantrums. She loves you a lot. Never doubt that."

Girl : "Yes, Baba. Please tell her not to scold me so much. Baba, you know the mishti Putul Pishi brought that day? Those boro boro, norom sandesh...... well, Thama did not give Ma any. Bhai is a glutton. He had two......or very nearly would have had two, if I had not snatched some away from him. Ma did not have any. I noticed."

Father : : "Your Mother is fat as it is. She should not have any mishti at all"

Girl : "Why not? You are fat too. You have mishti all the time. No. It's just that Thama is mean to Ma. Why, Baba? Why is Thama mean to Ma and Parul er ma? Wait, I'll take the uthon jharar jhanta into the pujor ghar this evening. That should teach Thama a lesson!"

Father : "Ok. Ok. Now let's go. What a little chatter box you are! No college will ever take you. Now, wipe your face. Here, let me do it. Use your frock. Let's go. We'll have to get the mishti doi on the way back. Ooof. God knows why I brought you along. Get up. Let's go."

The Father and girl leaves with the girl happily skipping alongside.

I had taken a long bus ride. It was a very hot day. I spent some time in a small eatery drinking hot sweet tea. This conversation took place at the bench next to me. I enjoyed the tete a tete.