Imagine if you will, a Vijay who is leaving for Bombay for a major presentation. Unlike his usual calm, unruffled self, he has been a little agitated about the presentation, and I have been trying to calm him down.
His flight is at 9.30 a.m. and he knocks on the bathroom door at about 7.30 a.m. as I am bathing along with Peanut. He enters, picks up his shaving kit and then says Bye. I have soap in my eyes, but I want to give him a final parting shot, and decide to make it a joke.
'Don't worry, honey. Just remember...one day we're all going to die! So the presentation doesn't really matter'.
There is a snort of laughter from outside, which almost drowns out the sound of the little gasp from somewhere near my soapy knee.
I look down and see Peanut staring up at me in horror 'Mama! You said we're all going to die!'
I panic, afraid that I have scarred my four year old for life. I had totally forgotten about her.
'No, no, beta. WE are not going to die...it's just that....'
'But you SAID it. You said we're all going to DIE...'
'No, no...what I meant was...see...'
Meanwhile, there is snorting of laughter from outside, this time with a lot more real humor in it.
And THAT, my friends, is bad parenting. Exhibit 17 a. Sigh.
Oh boy, Yashodhara- how did you get out of that one???
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious! Although when I let slip to my son that Gandhiji is dead now and he wanted to know why, one thing led to another and I ended up telling him that we are in fact all going to die. He was worried about who would save us from the British now that Gandhiji is dead, but seemed to take the rest of it pretty well:-) Didn't know how else to handle it anyway...how's that for bad parenting!
ReplyDeletehahaha - hilarious "we're all going to DIE.." poor Peanut though. hope she forgot all about it by the time her bath was done
ReplyDelete