Once upon a time, when softee ice-creams used to cost all of five bucks, I remember working hard at coaxing my dad into taking me to the ice-cream parlour near my place, so I could have one on my jobless Saturday evenings. I remember begging and pleading and even pulling his cheeks sometimes. Then, we'd go- mom, dad, bro and me, four of us on one bike!
I don't remember how we grew up or why we stopped having softee ice-creams. I don't remember the changing prices. Today, we walk into a showroom on a whim, to maybe buy a new TV and we end up buying a washing machine and a refrigerator instead. Over-priced shopping websites lure you with "vouchers" and "coupon codes" and in ten minutes, you're spending money you don't even have. Everywhere you go, all you have to do is swipe, or enter a little pin code. When you're not handing over cash, it doesn't even feel like you're spending it!
Today, I was coming back home from yet another pointless shopping trip. I was dazed, to be honest. There was really nothing going on in my head. Just as I was reaching home, I saw a little family on a TVS 50. Oh my God, it still exists, I thought, when the noisy vehicle jerked to a halt across the road from me. The little girl standing in the front may have been about 6 years old. She was chubby and cute, and she was wearing a glittery little dress that made her look sparkly under the dim street light. The father had undertaken the Herculean mission of kicking the scooter back to life while the mother sat behind him saying "Bye, Chinni!", every time the engine seemed to work. Each time the mother waved good-bye, as if to leave the girl and go away, the child burst into peals of laughter, understanding their little joke.
There I was, witnessing a family on a TVS 50. I don't know how perfect they actually are, but at that moment, there was excitement, there was love and there was a bonding between them. An Indian middle class family with so many things left to buy...
The last time I had spoken to my father, it was about the matter of a new pair of shoes. The time before that, it was about the elevator service-man's fee, the time before that was about the new laptop, the time before that was about car driving lessons. I realized somehow that money had clogged our system. I haven't TALKED to my dad in ages!
Well, the softee ice-cream is probably all I really want in life. It costs ten bucks now but I want my dad to refuse it to me, just so I can pull his cheeks again and take him ALL the way to that ice-cream parlour.
I don't remember how we grew up or why we stopped having softee ice-creams. I don't remember the changing prices. Today, we walk into a showroom on a whim, to maybe buy a new TV and we end up buying a washing machine and a refrigerator instead. Over-priced shopping websites lure you with "vouchers" and "coupon codes" and in ten minutes, you're spending money you don't even have. Everywhere you go, all you have to do is swipe, or enter a little pin code. When you're not handing over cash, it doesn't even feel like you're spending it!
Today, I was coming back home from yet another pointless shopping trip. I was dazed, to be honest. There was really nothing going on in my head. Just as I was reaching home, I saw a little family on a TVS 50. Oh my God, it still exists, I thought, when the noisy vehicle jerked to a halt across the road from me. The little girl standing in the front may have been about 6 years old. She was chubby and cute, and she was wearing a glittery little dress that made her look sparkly under the dim street light. The father had undertaken the Herculean mission of kicking the scooter back to life while the mother sat behind him saying "Bye, Chinni!", every time the engine seemed to work. Each time the mother waved good-bye, as if to leave the girl and go away, the child burst into peals of laughter, understanding their little joke.
There I was, witnessing a family on a TVS 50. I don't know how perfect they actually are, but at that moment, there was excitement, there was love and there was a bonding between them. An Indian middle class family with so many things left to buy...
The last time I had spoken to my father, it was about the matter of a new pair of shoes. The time before that, it was about the elevator service-man's fee, the time before that was about the new laptop, the time before that was about car driving lessons. I realized somehow that money had clogged our system. I haven't TALKED to my dad in ages!
Well, the softee ice-cream is probably all I really want in life. It costs ten bucks now but I want my dad to refuse it to me, just so I can pull his cheeks again and take him ALL the way to that ice-cream parlour.
beautiful one...! brings back my memories too :)
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
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