A slight detour…

“But daddy he is so black”, the only time I used the color reference against my brother, and oh boy, I had never seen my father so angry. I had picked it up from one of the elders who used to comment about my mother and brother’s skin color and I did not know any better. It became an extremely important teaching moment for my parents. After that day I have not noticed skin color on anyone. In a way, I am color blind.

The jungles of Bandipur and the noisy streets of Mysore were like our second home. The adventures I had with my best friend were priceless. Having a grandfather who was a forest officer came with its perks. We got whisked off to Bandipur once or twice a month. We got to stay at the Forest Officer’s Guest House and got access into parts of the forest where no one else was allowed. We got to play with the cubs, and I got to hold the baby chimp and I received the best hug from him.

On one of these trips, we decided to go off into the forest using the elephants of course. We were quite deep in the jungle when we were charged by the wild elephants. What a rush! I am sure it was quite scary for the adults. Mom reminds me on how fearless I was, as I would walk into the jungle by myself. I look at her and say “That was a pretty stupid thing for me to do !” (considering we could hear the big cats in the night). Apparently it was not an isolated incident. Mom tells me that  I ran off at a mall in Singapore when I was three . For three hours mom did not know where I was till they announced my name. Oh boy, if something like that happened to my son, I would be hysterical. And on another occasion I decided to walk home from school when I was in Kindergarten. Only thing is home was 6.2 KM from school. I decided in my five year old brain I did not have to wait for my mother, and walked. Just as I reached the house, after hitching a ride about 2 kilometers from my home my mom, principal, aunt and grandmother pulled up. Oh Boy!!

My brother and I were blessed to have my mom and dad as our parents. They doted on us: I was Daddy’s little girl and my brother was a Mama’s boy. We had a very normal childhood and we fought like most siblings do. We climbed trees, rode our bikes, played in open construction lots in the neighborhood and roller skated on main roads. At the drive-in movies, I was the one dancing on top of the car, he was the quiet one. But when Amithab died in a movie, we both bawled…and I still do. He and I were inseperable. His girlfriends hated me ,or were scared of me. I was unapproachable to some people ( of my own choosing). I did get to find him his bride though 🙂 and I absolutely love her.

Going off to Madras, and being away from him, was very difficult for both of us. So in all, I got to spend only 14 years of my life with my brother and my parents. I still don’t know how I did it. Mom said I was a survivor and independent from the start . Even a survivor needs family as time passed is never recovered.

I hope I get to go back home for at least a year and create more memories with my family and best friend.