Growing up with cousins is great fun…eerr… if the catastrophes are to be kept under wraps. We as cousins were very close. We were friends first and cousins later. Niki, Vicky, Abhimanyu, Annu & me – made quite a team. We didn’t require other friends those days. We would meet so often, basically everyone would camp at ours. Aita was the baby siter. Niki was the eldest, followed by Vicky and then Abhi a year younger, then it was me two years younger and finally it was Annu another two years below me. Now, Annu had to be included in each and every game of our or else she would never let live anyone else in peace! So though Annu was basically included in all our games, most of the time she was left to the bits and pieces only!
It was the vacation time we enjoyed the most. Vacations meant a lot of fun. Our time table went something like this –
We would wake up in the morning by seven. We were served milk and because I was averse to drinking it, I’d always pour it in Niki’s or Abhi’s glass! Then it was our study time. The only one hitch we had was Maa’s vacation coincided with ours. So we five would be in the dining area where Aita & Maa would make us do our holiday homework, give us surprise test and dictations! This followed up-till breakfast. Soon after breakfast we were left to our own devises. It was one moment we always waited enthusiastically. Evenings Dity would take the five of us for drives. That was another high point of our other wise “mundane” lives!
Around this time of our vacation there would be one more cousins of ours who’d come to join us and we were usually reluctant to make her a part of our gang! Nirmali! She was the “apple” of Aita’s eyes! She stood always first in class, she was never monstrous like us, she would look too much immature for her age (she was same age as Vicky)…and for us she was too damn sweet. But nevertheless she was a part of us. But what we hated about her was no matter how much she would be a partner in our crimes she always got a fair deal! The reason because she always “stood first in class”! Many a times we have done things to make her life hell!
It was Abhi and me together who took the first puff! We asked Annu to steal a cig from Dity’s pack. Annu instead of just one cig marrowed the entire packet! She thought we might ask her repeatedly and so she stole the entire pack and would give us one after another as and when we ask!
I recall those times of our lives with so much fondness; it’s not easy to put across. Our dosage of fun was pure and undiluted. We didn’t have distractions like video games, play stations, mobile phones and also the television didn’t have so much to offer either!
I am talking about the early eighties – been a long long time!
Who’s where –
Majoni ba is a doc – residing in Boston – married & has a kid too
Vicky – shuttles between US & New Delhi often- got married recently.
It was the vacation time we enjoyed the most. Vacations meant a lot of fun. Our time table went something like this –
We would wake up in the morning by seven. We were served milk and because I was averse to drinking it, I’d always pour it in Niki’s or Abhi’s glass! Then it was our study time. The only one hitch we had was Maa’s vacation coincided with ours. So we five would be in the dining area where Aita & Maa would make us do our holiday homework, give us surprise test and dictations! This followed up-till breakfast. Soon after breakfast we were left to our own devises. It was one moment we always waited enthusiastically. Evenings Dity would take the five of us for drives. That was another high point of our other wise “mundane” lives!
Around this time of our vacation there would be one more cousins of ours who’d come to join us and we were usually reluctant to make her a part of our gang! Nirmali! She was the “apple” of Aita’s eyes! She stood always first in class, she was never monstrous like us, she would look too much immature for her age (she was same age as Vicky)…and for us she was too damn sweet. But nevertheless she was a part of us. But what we hated about her was no matter how much she would be a partner in our crimes she always got a fair deal! The reason because she always “stood first in class”! Many a times we have done things to make her life hell!
It was Abhi and me together who took the first puff! We asked Annu to steal a cig from Dity’s pack. Annu instead of just one cig marrowed the entire packet! She thought we might ask her repeatedly and so she stole the entire pack and would give us one after another as and when we ask!
I recall those times of our lives with so much fondness; it’s not easy to put across. Our dosage of fun was pure and undiluted. We didn’t have distractions like video games, play stations, mobile phones and also the television didn’t have so much to offer either!
I am talking about the early eighties – been a long long time!
Who’s where –
Majoni ba is a doc – residing in Boston – married & has a kid too
Vicky – shuttles between US & New Delhi often- got married recently.
Abhi is in Merchant Navy - nine months on the ship & 3 months home... married & has a one month old daughter now.
Annu is a physiotherapist – now in London – would prefer a live-in than a marriage.
Nirmali is in Dubai – she’s a doc too… & she’s still the same…., is married with a kid.
Niki is in Guwahati & we are at logger heads!
Annu is a physiotherapist – now in London – would prefer a live-in than a marriage.
Nirmali is in Dubai – she’s a doc too… & she’s still the same…., is married with a kid.
Niki is in Guwahati & we are at logger heads!
Ha ha..loved it..keep writing more.
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