Barbie dolls are a girl's best friends; atleast before she discovers diamonds. They are a indispensable part of every little girl's growing up process. Now, Barbie dolls made a entry into India when Puchu's stubborn nature had already raised it's head. Suddenly, it became the most wanted item on her list of things. One fine day she decided to pitch her case before Mom and Dad, and convince them to buy her one. Being an only child had its many perks, and they were soon brought around to her point of view by a combination of a super kiddish voice and large eyes on the brink of tearing up. In the thrill of winning her first case, Puchu forgot to ask for a schedule for the big buy.
Later that evening, Puchu went grocery shopping with her Mom. Next to the supermarket was the biggest toy store in the whole city. As her Mom was collecting stuff from the counter, Puchu's eyes wandered to the decorated window display in the toy store. That was all it took to send her spiralling head first into a wonderland. Right on the front display, occupying pride of place was the most beautiful doll in the world. A princess Barbie.
Puchu could hardly control her glee. She had already gotten approval from her parents earlier that morning. She hopped skipped and jumped into the store. Her Mom had finished her shopping by this time and followed Puchu into the shop. The friendly salesman at the counter brought down the Princess Barbie which had captured Puchu's imagination so completely. Puchu's elation literally multiplied. Because the Barbie was not alone. It had a Skipper and a Prince Charming Ken accompanying it. And furniture and oh-so-lovely clothes. Puchu just had to get the Barbie for herself.
Now, this was in the era when debit cards didn't exist and credit cards were the prerogative of only the super rich. Puchu's Mom wasn't even carrying her cheque book. She patiently tried to explain to Puchu how she was short of cash, and they would come back later for the Barbie. But Puchu had already built her castles in the air. She just couldn't imagine life without the Barbie anymore. She hung on to the Barbie for dear life and sat there on the floor of the shop. Why didn't Mom get it, she thought. She needed the Barbie!
Puchu's Mom knew this mood of Puchu all too well. She chided herself for spoiling Puchu and decided to talk to Puchu about this and make her realise that an attitude like this wouldn't work. But as of now, she had to find a way to talk to the owner of the toystore and collect the Barbie set, paying an advance. She would pay the remaining amount later. Puchu's world was happy again. Somehow, the good man agreed. All thrilled with her new acquisiton, Puchu climbed onto the comfort of the front of the seat on Dad's bike. She still couldn't bring herself to meet her Mom's eyes, but she would behave nicely henceforth to make it up to her. Mom would surely understand.
When they reached home, Puchu and her Dad discovered that her Mom was not on the scooter. Both of them were extremely scared. What if she had fallen off somewhere on the way back? Puchu was beside herself with guilt. It had to be her fault. Mom was upset with her because of the Barbie and now she was lost! Puchu burst into tears. She didn't need the stupid Barbie. She wanted her Mom.
As they traced their way back to the toy store in worry, they found Mom standing there looking amused. Dad had taken off before Mom could seat herself on the pillion. Since cell phones didn't exist way back then, she had figured that they would eventually realise that they had left her back at the store. Puchu ran out to her as soon as the scooter stopped, apologising profusely for her behavior. She solemnly promised her Mom that she would never ever behave this way again. Ever. She would even return the Barbie if Mom wanted her to. Puchu's Mom smiled to herself. She didn't need that talk with Puchu afterall.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
How Puchu Became Part of the Gang!
If you have not faced the rigours of the great Indian education system, you have had a blessed existence my friend. Like most Indian parents, Puchu's parents faced the dilema of putting Puchu in a school affiliated to the ISCE board or one belonging to the CBSE board. Now these scary sounding acronyms are just boards of education in India. There have been more additions to the list of late, but we'll keep our discussion limited to these.
When Puchu reached the ripe old age of three and a half years, a suitable school was searched for her. On popular opinion, she was enrolled in a Convent school which subscribed to the ISCE board. Some years down the line, when public opinion changed, and the demerits of this particular school were put forth in much publicised forums, Puchu's parents had a change of heart too.
They shifted her to another Convent school which was a CBSE board school. Inspite of all the bullying and the discipline, Puchu had made some amazing friends over the past 7 years. She was very scared stepping into the new school where she would have to make an impression all over again. But by now, she had developed certain stubborn traits which are now characteristic of Puchu. She decided to give the new school and the students a chance to impress her and vice versa.
When Puchu entered the new school, she was thrilled to realise that loads of other parents had the same bright idea as her parents, and had shifted their kids to this new school. She made a mental note to search for these kids, and befriend them. They were her only hope.
As days progressed into weeks, Puchu realised that the cool kids at the new school had a code which was exclusive to them. Her initial plan of sticking with the new kids was all fine, but like all sixth graders, being a part of the cool group was top priority for her. For a whole month she shared her tiffin at lunch time with them, laughed at their jokes, saved a seat in the bus for them, but somehow, it didn't work. As hard as she tried, Scorpion, Crab, Leo, Mainframe, all these words sounded like a strange mix of star signs and technology! When she asked, the girls just giggled helplessly and said that they had been sworn to secrecy.
Puchu's lucky break came one day in the swimming class. She was the one person who knew swimming in the whole of sixth grade. She'd learnt it a couple of summers back, and though she wasn't anywhere close to good, she was the only one in the class who was allowed to swim to the deep side of the pool with the swimming instructor. This incident happened in one lucky swimming class.
Puchu's love for theatrics made her try out the backstroke to impress the class. When she swam back to the shallow side of the pool, she saw the cool girls huddled together, and in deep discussion. Past experience had made her a sceptic. Were they going to hate her for showing off? Worse still, would the bullying start again, in the new school?
What happened next was something Puchu would remember forever. She was called to the middle of the group, and very seriously asked to swear to keep a secret and guard it with her life. Puchu sombrely promised as asked. The secret was finally revealed to her. Every girl in the cool group was linked to a guy in school. This guy was chosen very carefully by the other members of the group after a week or so of continuous scrutiny and monitoring of all his activities. Puchu's guy had been chosen. He was christened "Supercomputer". Puchu did not particularly like the guy, but she decided she could tolerate him. Well, atleast she could try to.
Puchu, for the first time in her life realised that cool people were not perfect. They had their own silly games, which they played to amuse themselves. But she was okay with it. She was officially a part of a gang. She had finally found her first set of best friends who were to stick with her throughout her school life and even beyond.
P.S Puchu shared the secret after a lot of prodding. I convinced her that school swears had a lifetime that lasted as long as school did. Don't ask me how!
When Puchu reached the ripe old age of three and a half years, a suitable school was searched for her. On popular opinion, she was enrolled in a Convent school which subscribed to the ISCE board. Some years down the line, when public opinion changed, and the demerits of this particular school were put forth in much publicised forums, Puchu's parents had a change of heart too.
They shifted her to another Convent school which was a CBSE board school. Inspite of all the bullying and the discipline, Puchu had made some amazing friends over the past 7 years. She was very scared stepping into the new school where she would have to make an impression all over again. But by now, she had developed certain stubborn traits which are now characteristic of Puchu. She decided to give the new school and the students a chance to impress her and vice versa.
When Puchu entered the new school, she was thrilled to realise that loads of other parents had the same bright idea as her parents, and had shifted their kids to this new school. She made a mental note to search for these kids, and befriend them. They were her only hope.
As days progressed into weeks, Puchu realised that the cool kids at the new school had a code which was exclusive to them. Her initial plan of sticking with the new kids was all fine, but like all sixth graders, being a part of the cool group was top priority for her. For a whole month she shared her tiffin at lunch time with them, laughed at their jokes, saved a seat in the bus for them, but somehow, it didn't work. As hard as she tried, Scorpion, Crab, Leo, Mainframe, all these words sounded like a strange mix of star signs and technology! When she asked, the girls just giggled helplessly and said that they had been sworn to secrecy.
Puchu's lucky break came one day in the swimming class. She was the one person who knew swimming in the whole of sixth grade. She'd learnt it a couple of summers back, and though she wasn't anywhere close to good, she was the only one in the class who was allowed to swim to the deep side of the pool with the swimming instructor. This incident happened in one lucky swimming class.
Puchu's love for theatrics made her try out the backstroke to impress the class. When she swam back to the shallow side of the pool, she saw the cool girls huddled together, and in deep discussion. Past experience had made her a sceptic. Were they going to hate her for showing off? Worse still, would the bullying start again, in the new school?
What happened next was something Puchu would remember forever. She was called to the middle of the group, and very seriously asked to swear to keep a secret and guard it with her life. Puchu sombrely promised as asked. The secret was finally revealed to her. Every girl in the cool group was linked to a guy in school. This guy was chosen very carefully by the other members of the group after a week or so of continuous scrutiny and monitoring of all his activities. Puchu's guy had been chosen. He was christened "Supercomputer". Puchu did not particularly like the guy, but she decided she could tolerate him. Well, atleast she could try to.
Puchu, for the first time in her life realised that cool people were not perfect. They had their own silly games, which they played to amuse themselves. But she was okay with it. She was officially a part of a gang. She had finally found her first set of best friends who were to stick with her throughout her school life and even beyond.
P.S Puchu shared the secret after a lot of prodding. I convinced her that school swears had a lifetime that lasted as long as school did. Don't ask me how!
Bullies-II
One would think Puchu's life was all nice and wonderful once LM left school. Sadly, it wasn't so. Today when she reflects back at times gone by, she claims blissful naivete as the reason for her being such a soft target. There's another crazier theory she propounded the last time we talked, which revolves around her name being the reason.
Anyway, unlike LM, Puchu didn't flunk her exams and a couple of years later became a proud second grader. The class teacher, Miss P, loved Puchu. She made her the monitor of the class, let Puchu fetch the attendance register for her, carry her copies, etc. And boy, was Puchu thrilled!
Okay, clarification needed, Puchu was just a sweet little girl. NOT a puppy.
Once, Miss P and all the other teachers had a meeting. Now, the first graders were an unruly lot. Of course the second graders had to be sent to mind their class. And who else would Miss P entrust this prestigious job with, than Puchu?
Puchu set about her task with a great sense of self importance. She straightened her tie, tidied her tunic and took a deep breath before entering the class. Of course, the first graders were noisy, but Puchu managed to control them all with a mix of pleading, playing along, yelling and finally begging.
At the end of the one hour, she almost ran back to her class as fast as her little chubby legs could take her. But she was proud. Puchu was just shy of her seventh birthday and no other second grader had managed a whole class of noisy kids, had they?
Around lunch time, M, the unofficial bully of the class took Puchu to a corner and snarled at her, nostrils flaring. Puchu was confused. She had taken great pains to stay out of M's way, knowing her own affinity for being bullied, and M's hulk-like behaviour. (Oh, and M used to top the class.) Apparently, Miss P had selected Puchu in a dance for the Annual School Concert, and not M! Puchu meekly offered her tiffin in humble submission, and appeased the bully. M walked away, bought out by the delicious noodles.
Just as the lunch break ended, Miss K, the first grade teacher called for Puchu. Puchu didn't realise at first what hit her but her cheeks suddenly burned like they had caught fire. The whole of first grade let a collective sigh. Some naughty first grader had scribbled on the blackboard with a crayon, and it wouldn't come off!
Puchu was so stunned for a moment that words couldn't come out of her mouth in sheer astonishment. Tears welled up in her eyes as the teacher berated her.
With her chubby cheeks swollen up, Puchu went to the nurse in the hope of some soothing balm like the one her Mom used. The nurse was so shocked to see Puchu's cheek, that she asked her the reason. Puchu was scared that Miss K would be angry if she told nurse about the slap and maybe hit her again. So she cooked up a story about her pencil box falling down and Mom slapping her.
Nurse sternly told Puchu to ask her Mom, never to hit her like this again. Puchu almost cried at this since neither of her parents had ever raised their hand on her. But she decided to behave like a lady and accepted the ice pack nurse put on her cheek.
Years later, Puchu was to read in a local newspaper, that, parents of a child had lodged a police complaint against Miss K for hitting the poor kid with a stick. He had fainted from the beatings. She felt sad, because had she been more gutsy, and complained, other children wouldn't have had to face the demon-like Miss K and her volatile temper.
Anyway, unlike LM, Puchu didn't flunk her exams and a couple of years later became a proud second grader. The class teacher, Miss P, loved Puchu. She made her the monitor of the class, let Puchu fetch the attendance register for her, carry her copies, etc. And boy, was Puchu thrilled!
Okay, clarification needed, Puchu was just a sweet little girl. NOT a puppy.
Once, Miss P and all the other teachers had a meeting. Now, the first graders were an unruly lot. Of course the second graders had to be sent to mind their class. And who else would Miss P entrust this prestigious job with, than Puchu?
Puchu set about her task with a great sense of self importance. She straightened her tie, tidied her tunic and took a deep breath before entering the class. Of course, the first graders were noisy, but Puchu managed to control them all with a mix of pleading, playing along, yelling and finally begging.
At the end of the one hour, she almost ran back to her class as fast as her little chubby legs could take her. But she was proud. Puchu was just shy of her seventh birthday and no other second grader had managed a whole class of noisy kids, had they?
Around lunch time, M, the unofficial bully of the class took Puchu to a corner and snarled at her, nostrils flaring. Puchu was confused. She had taken great pains to stay out of M's way, knowing her own affinity for being bullied, and M's hulk-like behaviour. (Oh, and M used to top the class.) Apparently, Miss P had selected Puchu in a dance for the Annual School Concert, and not M! Puchu meekly offered her tiffin in humble submission, and appeased the bully. M walked away, bought out by the delicious noodles.
Just as the lunch break ended, Miss K, the first grade teacher called for Puchu. Puchu didn't realise at first what hit her but her cheeks suddenly burned like they had caught fire. The whole of first grade let a collective sigh. Some naughty first grader had scribbled on the blackboard with a crayon, and it wouldn't come off!
Puchu was so stunned for a moment that words couldn't come out of her mouth in sheer astonishment. Tears welled up in her eyes as the teacher berated her.
With her chubby cheeks swollen up, Puchu went to the nurse in the hope of some soothing balm like the one her Mom used. The nurse was so shocked to see Puchu's cheek, that she asked her the reason. Puchu was scared that Miss K would be angry if she told nurse about the slap and maybe hit her again. So she cooked up a story about her pencil box falling down and Mom slapping her.
Nurse sternly told Puchu to ask her Mom, never to hit her like this again. Puchu almost cried at this since neither of her parents had ever raised their hand on her. But she decided to behave like a lady and accepted the ice pack nurse put on her cheek.
Years later, Puchu was to read in a local newspaper, that, parents of a child had lodged a police complaint against Miss K for hitting the poor kid with a stick. He had fainted from the beatings. She felt sad, because had she been more gutsy, and complained, other children wouldn't have had to face the demon-like Miss K and her volatile temper.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Bullies-I
School for Puchu was pretty much divided into two broad categories of people. The bullies and the rest. I'll keep the rest for later.
Coming to the bullies. For one, they didn't follow any kind of mathematical formula or equation which satisfied all of them. They existed in all shapes and sizes.(well almost!)
The first bully she encountered was in Prep class. It was a chilly winter morning. Her class teacher was very fond of flowers, and the kids fell over each other to please her with bouquets or small posies. Of course, Puchu didn't want to be left out. Miss had to like me too, she thought. So she asked her mom to make her a nice bunch of flowers from the garden. Like all moms, Puchu's mom dutifully woke up early the next morning and plucked flowers from the garden and arranged it into the most beautiful bouquet ever! But a thorn from the rose bush pricked her finger as she handed over the flowers to a ever grateful Puchu.
Puchu would still tear up over this incident years later.
Puchu hurriedly gobbled up her breakfast and grandpa dropped her off at school. In her excitement, she couldn't quite decide when to make a grand show of presenting the bouquet to her teacher. At that very moment, the bell rang for the morning assembly and she grew more flustered. A last moment decision she made in great haste.
She left the bouquet on the teacher's desk and ran out to join her friends.
Throughout the assembly, she could hardly keep still; she kept imagining her teacher's reaction to the most beautiful flowers in the world.
Assembly that day was probably the longest ever in Puchu's life. She rushed back to class as soon as it got over. Teacher also came in with the attendance register. She saw the bouquet, and her reaction was exactly as Puchu had imagined in her mind. Puchu made a mental note to give her Mum a thousand kisses when she returned home!
Teacher looked up and asked the class about the owner of such a pretty bouquet of flowers. Puchu stood up shyly, because this was the very first time she'd done something like this. Out of the blue, LP stood up and yelled, "Miss, I got it." Now, LP was one of the kids who regularly gave Miss flowers. Each day she would get a rose or a lily and make a huge show of presenting it. Of course Miss believed her. Puchu was so shocked, she didn't even protest. But she had to do something about it!
She couldn't let all that effort of Mum go to waste, could she?
In the lunch break, she confronted LP. It was the bravest thing she had done, ever. LP actually had the audacity to claim credit for the bouquet and called Puchu a liar and actually pushed her away rudely!! Puchu decided that it was a bad world afterall. She would take her own time to serve sweet revenge; but she never got a chance anyway.(Though reliable sources claim that Puchu still hasn't forgiven LP.)
LP flunked the Prep class exams, and left the school that same year. Oh, and Puchu never asked Mum to make a bouquet again for a teacher. She decided that Mum's mornings were better spent sleeping.
P.S She did give her Mum a thousand kisses that evening though :)
Coming to the bullies. For one, they didn't follow any kind of mathematical formula or equation which satisfied all of them. They existed in all shapes and sizes.(well almost!)
The first bully she encountered was in Prep class. It was a chilly winter morning. Her class teacher was very fond of flowers, and the kids fell over each other to please her with bouquets or small posies. Of course, Puchu didn't want to be left out. Miss had to like me too, she thought. So she asked her mom to make her a nice bunch of flowers from the garden. Like all moms, Puchu's mom dutifully woke up early the next morning and plucked flowers from the garden and arranged it into the most beautiful bouquet ever! But a thorn from the rose bush pricked her finger as she handed over the flowers to a ever grateful Puchu.
Puchu would still tear up over this incident years later.
Puchu hurriedly gobbled up her breakfast and grandpa dropped her off at school. In her excitement, she couldn't quite decide when to make a grand show of presenting the bouquet to her teacher. At that very moment, the bell rang for the morning assembly and she grew more flustered. A last moment decision she made in great haste.
She left the bouquet on the teacher's desk and ran out to join her friends.
Throughout the assembly, she could hardly keep still; she kept imagining her teacher's reaction to the most beautiful flowers in the world.
Assembly that day was probably the longest ever in Puchu's life. She rushed back to class as soon as it got over. Teacher also came in with the attendance register. She saw the bouquet, and her reaction was exactly as Puchu had imagined in her mind. Puchu made a mental note to give her Mum a thousand kisses when she returned home!
Teacher looked up and asked the class about the owner of such a pretty bouquet of flowers. Puchu stood up shyly, because this was the very first time she'd done something like this. Out of the blue, LP stood up and yelled, "Miss, I got it." Now, LP was one of the kids who regularly gave Miss flowers. Each day she would get a rose or a lily and make a huge show of presenting it. Of course Miss believed her. Puchu was so shocked, she didn't even protest. But she had to do something about it!
She couldn't let all that effort of Mum go to waste, could she?
In the lunch break, she confronted LP. It was the bravest thing she had done, ever. LP actually had the audacity to claim credit for the bouquet and called Puchu a liar and actually pushed her away rudely!! Puchu decided that it was a bad world afterall. She would take her own time to serve sweet revenge; but she never got a chance anyway.(Though reliable sources claim that Puchu still hasn't forgiven LP.)
LP flunked the Prep class exams, and left the school that same year. Oh, and Puchu never asked Mum to make a bouquet again for a teacher. She decided that Mum's mornings were better spent sleeping.
P.S She did give her Mum a thousand kisses that evening though :)
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