1 :
Rhea asks me this morning after eye opening and couple of winter snuggles.
"Ma..do you know which is the smallest bridge in the whole world."
"Na babu. But we can google."
"Maaaaa ! Thisssss !" She points a finger at the centre of my glasses sitting on the nose.
"Ah I see. And who told you that ?"
"Who else. You know who. The old man ! And Ma, Dadan says you dont google everything. You need to keep them in your head. Get it ? Head ?"
She points a finger on mine now.
...
2 :
Of all planets, Rhea likes Pluto most. She says it is 'smally', 'far away' and 'sweet'. Whatever that means.
At bathtime yesterday, as I take off her T for a winter shorsher tel massage, and am just about to put my cold palms on her, she thinks loudly as always.
"Ma, what if I were on the surface of Pluto like this."
"This ?" I ask unmindfully as I get the job done.
"Yes. No jama ?"
I brush past the question and hurry. "I don't know, Mama."
"Ma !!!! Pluto is farthest from Sun remember ? So super cold ? Even colder than South Pole ? Get it ?! So I will freeze ? Get it ?!"
I pause. Smile. "Got it".
It doesnt end there though.
"Ma.. you know there are just 3 planets in the Goldilocks zone. Mars Earth and Jupiter. Jupiter is a little my favourite because you know why.. (shrugs) it starts with J which is same as your name. Also Mars a bit as that has a 'Ma'. But I wonder why we cant go and live there sometimes."
Wait. "What is this 'Goldilocks zone'." She had my attention now.
"Not too hot - Not too cold - Just about right. Remember the three bears. Chhotobela stories ?"
I did. Remember the chhotobela stories. But the connect was a priceless takeaway.
...
3 :
The only lullaby that Rhea wants to hear every single night is Ghum Jaay Oi Chnad. There could be a hundred new songs she jives to, but bedtime is only for Ghum Jaay.
[Incidentally Heeya s first fave used to be Mere ghar aayi ek nanhi pari, on loop, Ghum jaay being a close second]
So when the new Music teacher asks the sisters to name a song they want to learn besides the mundane everyday Sa re ga ma, the natural choice is Ghum Jaay. And how do I come to know of this ?
After work when I start inquiring about their day, Rhea suddenly asks me back the same question.
"So how was 'your' day Ma ?"
Unfamiliar question. I am not ready with an answer and she doesn't need one.
"You must be so tired Ma. Lie down on my 'koley' and we can sing you a song we learnt today."
The 'koley' of my miniscule six year old is super tiny but has more space than I could ever need. I rest my head and the song begins in the sweetest duet.
From time to time, when there is a bump on the road and the car jumps, a little hand clenches my arm, or a shoulder, and holds me safe.
...
4 :
Back home after work last evening, Heeya suddenly wanted to give me a hug in front of the mirror.
This isn't unusual. Though frequency is diminishing with time. She likes doing that and reflecting a little and then saying she looks like me. Just in time before the other one pounces and barges her way in and says "Me too. Lets take a selfie."
Heeya s nose half on my cheek and ear, she suddenly took a deep breath in and said "Ma... you smell so good. I mean, this isn't one of your fragrance, perfumes. This is like ... a 'Ma' smell." Then she pulled my hand and smelled the palm, saying.. "See. Even here. Everywhere ! When you are around."
And she took a step back and looked at 'The Ma'.
"And you look so good too ! Even at home in this oversized Tshirt ! What is it about you ?!"
"It s the 'Ma' look didi. Get it ? Now can we please take a selfie guys ?"
'The Ma' look in the eyes of little dots. While it lasts.
...
5 :
Rhea has anger management problems. So her Dadan has advised her to count down from 100 to 1 whenever she is angry. If there is even a single mistake, restart.
What followed is the below conversation :
"Ma, will the method of reducing anger as Dadan said, by counting down from 100 to 1, work if I did it 10 to 1 instead ? Or maybe 20 to 1 ? A shorter set, get it ?"
[quoted verbatim]
"I don't think so. Because the idea is to allow time and with it, anger to pass."
"But Ma...I get angry so often, how can I count so much ? I get angrier when I count that long. I dont.. I dont TRUST myself !"
Kedar-babu instantly flashed from childhood memories of Sukumar Ray's 'Raager Oshudh'.
'Shatanobbui - Atanobbui - Nirenobbui - Eksho - Kon hotobhaga lokhhichhara mithyebadi bolechhilo eksho gunle raag thame ?!!! '
...
6 :
Yesterday late evening. A long day at work. A longer day at life. Sometimes, nothing rings right even when nothing is wrong.
As I picked up the girls from Ma's place, and in the car, sat silently between the two in the back seat, Amjad Ali Khan was playing on my earphones. Zila Kafi. Then Ekla cholo re...
Heeya and I had heard him play this same piece live last January. She had loved it.
I plugged the earphones out and put the music on speaker.
Slowly, Heeya rested her head on my left shoulder. I sensed her eyes were closing. It must have been a long day for her as well. Such proximity is rare, of late. She is two weeks to her teens. I was stiff - wouldn't move even a bit. The moment was pure warmth while it lasted.
Suddenly the other one noticed. Mild discomfort. Snuggled in closer to me, closest in fact, head on lap.
Looked up again to compare positions. Not happy. Shifts even closer. Head on my bosom this time, shoulder too high for her.
Still not happy. Opened her shoes. Climbed straight up on me and thump.. settled on the lap spiraling into a snail ball to fit in her six year old self in a baby mode.
Such a short drive home sometimes.
...
