My sister and I have repeatedly been told how alike we look. A few have also told us how different we look, astounded that we are sisters. The former is more usual, though, and two instances stand out.As children, a gentleman came up to us. "Excuse me, but are you twins?"Taught never to talk to strangers, we were on the defensive. "Um... No..."The gentleman laughed, embarrassed. "You see, my wife and I see you from our balcony everyday, and we've been wondering..."We found the episode more than a little weird, but there was another more recent and more direct incident that made us laugh out loud.Particularly when we are dressed similarly, people are struck by the resemblance. At a wedding a few years ago, we were both decked up in saris. A small girl, probably about four years old, was staring at us. After gazing at us unblinkingly for a few seconds, she … [Read more...]
First Day at School
I moved to a school in Pune when I was five years old. I was like any other excited girl in the first standard with my new tiffin box, my new water bottle and my new bag with new books. I came from a smallish school in Vashi, so even the city was new to me. My first day still stands out in my memory.In my old school, when it was time for us to eat, our teacher used to tell us, "Come now, children, open your tiffin boxes!"In my new school, when the bell rang, we were supposed to eat. Nobody told five-year-old me.I remember clearly how hungry and grumpy I was when school got over at 3:30. I remember how angry I was with my seven-year-old sister for not having told me that I should have eaten. I even remember that my mother laughed when I got home.What I don't remember is this: what was five-year-old Varsha doing when fifty one children in her class got up and went out … [Read more...]
Arbitrary Right
A little girl in my dance class was confused."Which is your right hand?" I asked."This one?" she suggested, tentatively, raising her left hand."No," I said, gently, used to these problems. "That's your left hand. The other one is your right.""NO!" she said, crossly. "That's your right."I smiled and demonstrated to her, "This is my right side; this is my left. That is your right side; that is your left."The little girl turned around so that both of us were facing the same direction. "Now which is my right?" she asked, triumphant at the thought that she had fooled me.I held her right hand. "This one.""How?" she moaned, upset with how fickle I was. "You said that window was my right hand!" … [Read more...]
On Being Old
My grandmother was very ill, and a friend was talking to me about how difficult it was to see my grandmother like that.A little girl, one of my students, was listening to the conversation. Once my friend had left, she asked me, "Miss, what happened to your mother?""Nothing happened to my mother," I replied, smiling."Then who was Auntie talking about?""My grandmother."She looked at me with big, round eyes. "Your grandmother is still alive!?""Yes!" I replied, surprised. "All four grandparents are alive." Realising that I was lucky in this respect, I asked, "Are yours alive?""Of course!" she said with a puzzled shrug. "But I'm young!"I, on the other hand, was 24 years OLD. … [Read more...]