Deflating the ego balloon

However self-important you may be feeling, kids can effortlessly puncture the balloon of your ego.

Sid: See, I can do bla ... bla .. bla ...
N: Yes. You are a big guy now!
Sid [in an agitated tone]: No, I am not a guy!!

This left us surprised, rather shocked, and apprehensive of what he might have picked up.

N: Oh ok. And who is a guy?
Sid: A guy is a big strong man.

And this relieved us.

N [with just s wee bit of pride]: You mean like papa?
Sid: No, you are also not a guy.

[ ... phussss .... ]

N [now less cheerful, and rather puzzled]: Why is papa not a guy?
Sid: No, A guy is someone much taller and stronger than you.
Thankfully, Sid didn't have any specific example of a guy :-)

Mera Sambal

It is quite a surprise that with all the poems that I have been posting, I have not yet come around to post anything by Bachchan. The first poem I am about to share is something I have always found rather special - its a short, crisp verse, somewhat different from his usual, verbose, song-like style (I love those too!), voicing eternal hope.

मेरा संबल 

  - हरिवंश राय बच्चन 

 

मैं जीवन की हर हल चल में
कुछ पल सुखमय
अमरण अक्षय
चुन लेता हूँ

मैं जग के हर कोलाहल में
कुछ स्वर मधुमय
उन्मुक्त अभय
सुन लेता हूँ

हर काल कठिन के बन्धन से
ले तार तरल
कुछ मुद मंगल
मैं सुधि पट पर
बुन लेता हूँ।

Conversations with Sid

I want to fly ...  so high ...

Sid has a great fascination for vehicles (as all boys do), and most of his toys are cars, trucks, planes etc. Of late, his specific attention has been on things that fly - they have been a constant topic of our conversations, and he has now established a 'pecking' order amongst them - on basis of what else, but speed - helicopter, aero-plane, rocket, spaceship.

Yet another conversation with him, as he was playing with one of his toy planes:
Sid: When can I sit in a helicopter?
Me: When we see a helicopter, which is allowing people to fly in it, we can buy a ticket and sit in it.
Sid: When can I sit in a fighter plane?
Me: For that, you have to be big and strong, go into army (air force), and become a pilot.
Sid: No, I don't want to drive (fly) a fighter plane, only sit in it.
Me: For that, you must become a minister!!

Well, next he asked me how to become a minister, but I had no answer for that one - I couldn't very well advise him to get some experience in "gunda-giri".

Trapped ... again

Of late, Sid has started using a little too much logic in his conversations that we find it difficult to keep up with him. Yesterday, we promised to get him some ice-cream after his dinner. About half-way through the meal, when he was no longer too hungry, he started making excuses for not eating his food.

Sid: I can't eat any more.

N: No only 4 bites more. You are 4 years old, so you can have 4 more bites. *

Sid: No, I am 0 years old. I cant eat anything. [Reference for "0 years" is here :-) ]

N: But babies of 0 years can't eat anything. They don't have any teeth, so they can't even eat ice-cream.

Sid: (In wonder) Babies of 0 years don't have teeth? 

N: No.

Sid: They have a tongue?

N: Yes, they only have a tongue.

Sid: Then they can only lick the ice-cream?

* The first time I wrote this sentence, I typed "bytes"! Nerd!!