Of growing toy cars

Some things in our lives are such that when we try and take a look around at them, in the past, we find those things absolutely hilarious. Memories from your past, many-a-times, leave you spellbound at what you did, knowingly or unknowingly. Recalling memories from past, even if you don't remember doing something, and only know the incident as told by someone else, say, your parents, things you did as a child, or one of your demands that were just outright impossible to fulfil, will leave on your face a long grin of a smile.

As a kid, I too have a lot of these incidents, I look back and have a good laugh at. Ofcourse you don't expect a 1 or 2 or even a 4 year old to remember what he or she did at that age, barring just a few incidents, so, you have to believe what others tell you about your actions. Not all of mine are shareworthy, a number of them are. One such incident, in which I was the main actor, was something you'll find really amusing for a child to demand and almost, the same for the grown up's responses. So, starting off with the incident.

This happened when I was around 3 or 4 years old. Once I happened to go shopping with my parents. Being one from an Army background, with my father being in the Indian Army, it most probably would have been a Sunday. Markets around Army establishments, cantonments are typically found to be self sufficient for whatever an army man, or his/her family could need. Sunday used to be a day when people got a chance to take their family for shopping. Even then, not everyone used to be that lucky to get a chance for recreation, be it shopping, sight seeing or movie. And it used to be fun, going off to a place, where you could see people of different backgrounds, as this was something almost impossible in the accommodation provided by the army. Everyone wore the same dress, had the around the same income, moat of the kids going to the same school and so on. I guess I have deviated a lot from the topic, let me get back to it. So, back in the story, while in the market, my parents took me to a toy shop (maybe, because I demanded a toy). We were inside the toy shop, with the shop owner showing us various toys. I didn't like any of the toys he showed me. After a while, my parents asked me which toy I wanted. To this, I showed them a black car parked outside the shop. And their reaction? Well, you might have guessed it by now. Everyone in that shop burst out laughing. Infact, when I look back at that incident, it indeed appears to be one which is bound to make everyone laugh. A kid, sitting in a toy shop, is asking for a real car as a toy. I'm told that I was adamant that if a toy I wanted, it was the car parked out of that shop. My parents, and the shopkeeper, tried convincing me but I didn't rebuke. The shopkeeper still had a trick up in his sleeves. He said - Beta, jaise tum khaana kha kar bade hote ho waise hi is chhoti car ko bhi khaana khilaoge toh woh bhi badi ho jayegi. (like you have food and grow big, when you feed this small car too, it too will grow bigger like you). And this, convinced me to take that small toy car, believing that it too will grow big.

Now when I look back and think about that incident, it leaves back a smile on my face. How innocent we were back in our childhood days, free from any of the world's problems and nothing to worry about except how many spoons of Horlicks or Bournvita your mum added in the glass of milk, or whether your sibling got more milk than you?

Did you enjoy the incident? I took you back by around 23-24 years back in my life to share this incident of my life with you. I believe you too must be having many such incidents. Do share yours with us.