For our cousin, Shammu’s 5th birthday, we got ready in a ghagra-choli Aji made for us. It is slightly larger than the correct size, but apparently, we’d grow into it in no time, or so we are told. For footwear, though, our Kolhapuris broke (we need new ones anyway), and since we just wear our running shoes everywhere and with everything, we went with them. Do you know why we wear them everywhere? Because we love running, and who knows when we’d get a chance to run! Baba bear says he would write us a song that goes, ‘These feet were made for running.’
Shammu (we call him Shamsher, but his real name is Siddhartha) turned 5 today, and we made him a card and got him a gift, but we couldn’t attend his birthday party because it was late in the evening; so went early, played with him, cut a cake, ate snacks, and had a ball. By the way, we changed from the ghagra-choli to more comfortable (and cooler clothes) at Shammu’s house itself. Baba bear was right in asking us to carry a change in our bag. He is a sweet bear who seems to know so much.
On the way back from Shammu’s home, we were stuck in traffic because PM Narendra Modi was visiting and everything in and around his route was closed (yes, even shops and pedestrians). Baba bear says, ‘When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.’ So, we guess when life gives you a traffic jam caused by the Prachar Mantri who was in town to inaugurate, wait for it, a yet-to-be-completed metro line and, once again wait for it, attend some kind of celebration or seminar or talk at, wait for it, World Peace University (no, it isn’t an international body convening urgently for stopping WWIII, which could break out any day, if it already hasn’t; it’s a private college), what do you do? You stop by your favourite restaurant and have a chicken penne pasta in white sauce, and a cool mocktail, while waiting for Barbie’s hair to dry from the pretend shower she’s just had, after which Baba bear is going to tie her hair in a pink ribbon. For his services, we shall allow Baba bear to have a beer. Or two. Cheers!
At Murphies (our second most-preferred lunch place after Sassy Spoon), the live singer sang, ‘Shape of you‘ by our favourite Ed Sheeran, and Baba bear insisted we walk up to her and tell her we enjoyed it. We took Tenzin, our Barbie in a Baku, along for company so we didn’t have o be alone while speaking to a total stranger. But, we still couldn’t muster the courage, and we turned around midway. We are still shy. If only we knew how much Baba bear is sharing about us to the public!
And then, a post-lunch raspberry ice cream from Natural’s on a hot summer’s day. Sweet and tangy. Like us. Sunday outings with Baba bear are always fun!
Later, we changed, and off we went to our friend’s birthday party. We can be traditional, modern, casual, sporty, tough, delicate, shy, confident, and whatever we wish to be whenever we wish to be. But whatever our mood or avatar is, we are always us. By the way, those trees in the background are pomegranate and orange.
And now, back home and changed into our nightdress, we get a surprise from Baba bear for being a good bear through the week: A McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish! Yay! And we get to eat it while watching tv. But we need to sleep in another 30 minutes or so. We have an early morning tomorrow, when we get back to our athletics practice at the Tarkeshwar Temple with our group of homies. Good night!
