Monday came. I was happy. For so many days I didn’t go to school, now I want to go. Didi took me to the bus stop. I was skipping with my bag on my back, Didi was walking.
Some worm was on the ground, moving with its stomach, I wanted to see but there was no time, so I skipped fast and reached the stop. We had just reached and I looked to the right and there, the bus was just coming.
You know? Our school bus is dark red. From far I could see it coming. As it came close, I saw. It’s blue colour from where we get inside and someone has put a big toothpaste picture, blue and white. Wow! So nice! Didi! See!
I pointed.
Didi smiled and patted my head, ‘Okay, okay, stop jumping. It’s just an advertisement, get on the bus. Bye!’
Didi won’t come in my bus. She’s big, no? She goes in another red bus where she has to buy a ticket and there’s a conductor. I also want to go like that, in her bus.
First I have to be ten years old, then only I am allowed to go by her bus. Now, I’m six. So I have to wait for four full years. Tchh!
I want to be like Didi.
The floor of my bus is silver and has designs on it. There are many rows of light brown cushioned seats. Each seat has a green handrail on the back. I like to sit with my knees on the seat and scratch at the paint. When we scratch, the real colour comes, silver.
When Didi used to come in the bus, she would not let me scratch and all, but now…
Simon was sitting in the second row, near the window. So I went and sat in the first row. Near the window. My favourite place.
When I sit here, see, the bus is not moving. See? The sun is running, the clouds also, buildings, shops, the wall, the road, everything is running, our bus is staying in one place. You saw? Heehee… I want to play with Simon like that, so I put my head on the bar of the window and turned to tell him.
Simon! See? The sun is running…
Simon leaned forward as I was saying and pulled my hair.
I climbed on my seat and reached to pull Simon’s hair but he pushed my hand away.
Why you pulled my hair? I was shouting.
Simon did katti to me. Means, he won’t talk to me. I became sad.
Why? Why you did katti?
Simon: You made Vishakha to fall down, she got hurt very badly, you know? Then like a big fat coward you didn’t come to school on Friday. Coward!
Arre but, I didn’t want to make Vishakha fall down, na?
Simon: Then why you threw her to down?
I didn’t throw her! And you’re saying ‘to down’, you’re saying wrong! Okay?
Simon: Liar! You threw her!
I wanted to cry
but
now I won’t cry. I also became katti with Simon.
Then I turned around and sat in my place, near the window. I turned to tell Simon, I can see the sea, all blue colour, far away, I won’t show you!
Simon: Stupid! That is not sea, that is sky only, blue colour is sky! Sea will have white. Anything only you tell. Stupid!
Simon’s only stupid
I’m not going to talk to him
Evver
In my whole life
Who wants to talk to Simon? Stupid Simon
But I told him, you can’t see, I can see the sea, it IS there
Pari started out happy
Pari became angry
Pari turned hurt and sad
And recovered in a flash
Normal ups and downs, aren’t they?
Or is this a particularly stressful time for her?
My book of short stories, The Violent Potter, is available on Amazon. The book is intended for an audience of parents, teachers and grandparents of young children
Link: http://tinyurl.com/466tvf5f
Each story highlights the gap between adult expectations and child perspective. The book is in two parts, Part 1 sees the impact of the gap while Part 2 sees what happens when someone fills the gap with loving perspective.
My vlog is updated every Friday: https://www.youtube.com/@violentpotter/videos