Little Liza’s Xmas Tree

Well this story is about a Christmas tree of a particular kid in Armenia, her name was Liza. Before I go any further, Armenia which poses splendid scenery with eye catching green mountains, large blue lakes, magnificent apostolic churches and several apricot trees around which can’t be found anywhere else in the world. It was first Wednesday of January, three more days for Xmas. Oh!! I missed to inform that Armenians celebrate Xmas on 6th of January. For some reason their calendar falls 2 weeks behind Gregorian calendar which is widely used.

White bearded old man of North Pole was well aware of the Armenian’s Xmas day. Since it was tough for the old man to take care of all the children’s wishes, he had distributed his work among other little angels geographically. ”Angelochek” was in charge for delivering the Xmas gifts to Armenian kids. He had tiny features like pixies with mesmerizing green eyes but big ears like goblins, perhaps he was born to a pixie and goblin.

Where were we? …Oh!!! Yeah …at their home in the tiny town of “Hrazdan” Liza’s family were having their supper in their marvelous dining table. It was made up of apricot wood with four enormous legs, which had elephant head with trunk and tusk carved elegantly on them. Mr.Alexanyn a tall brawny man with a heavy mustache covering his face was sitting at one end of the table. Being a carpenter by profession was proud of the dining table he had crafted a week ago. To his left was his little prince “Vladimir”, who had a spiked hair and athletic body. He was the high school football team’s striker and an electronic gadget freak.

“Trisha” with attractive blue eyes, the eldest daughter of the family was sitting beside Vladimir. She preferred the company of harmonious pretty animals over humans. Granny who had come to visit her grandchildren was sitting at the opposite end to her son. She was a presumptuous old lady whose silver hairs were shinier than Santa’s beard and always insisted on upholding Armenian traditions. To the right of Mr.Alexanyn was of course the little one with a neat pony tail and two big lenses resting on her nose, which appeared bigger than her tiny face. She had a penchant for reading. Trotting to and fro between the kitchen and dining table with dishes on her hands was Mrs.Alexanyn. She had an elegant bob hair style and her mind fixed to the music played on the records.

“Wish the gift you need and Santa will present it for sure” remarked granny to Liza who was standing in front of the Xmas tree placed at the living room after they finished their supper. The little one eagerly moved towards the tree. “Make the wish to yourself, don’t utter it out …otherwise you will not receive the present on Xmas” warned granny. Obediently Liza adjusted her big spectacles, closed her eyes and made the desired wish. Granny then turned toward the other members and compelled them to make their wishes as per tradition. Enthusiastic kids rushed to the tree, Vladimir wished for a “Bose Speaker Sets” and a “brown kitten” was what Trisha had asked Santa. Shyly Mrs.Alexanyn wished for “Duduk”, a woodwind instrument made up of apricot tree. Though well versed with Russian “Gusli” instrument, she had always wanted to learn her husband’s national instrument in order to impress him. Reluctant Mr.Alexanyn who was persuaded by his kids wished for “Oil painting set”. Finally Granny made her wish in svelte manner. Though the kids wanted to know what each had wished, they remained muffled as it might arouse anger to Santa and he might not deliver their presents.

“What a wonderful gift Granny had asked for” said Angelochek with a content smile, as he watched the new Xmas Tree emerging from the artic ice. Whenever all the members of a family pray to Santa a Xmas tree grows at the Artic farm. The little angel pasted a board with Liza’s name on the tree, as it is a practice to name the tree after the youngest child in the family. The grand tree had six buds over it which will blossom into gifts on Jesus birthday.

“Which gift should I present papa? There are only two more days remaining for Xmas. Shall I ask papa what he wants for Xmas? I should not end up buying silly useless stuff for him.” queried bewildered Liza to the apricot tree. ”Santa will guide you in choosing your papa’s gift dear” replied the Granny who was drying her washed clothes near by. Angelochek, who was listening to their conversation from one of the branches in the Apricot tree leaped into Mrs.Alexanyn’s huge basket. She was opening the gate to visit the market for Xmas shopping. “Can I come with you mom?” exclaimed Liza who always liked visiting the market and helping her mom. ”Nah!! I can’t manage both you and Xmas list, better help Granny in drying” ordered Mrs.Alexanyn as she walked across the gate.

Toddling on the streets Mrs.Alexanyn was fatigued by carrying the heavy basket full of fishes, vegetables, fruits, meats, chocolates and other ingredients for Xmas cake. She had purchased all these stuff in two grueling hours of shopping. How she repented for not letting little one come with her. All the while a brown frightened kitten was following her, no matter how hard she tried to shoo away it. She was worried the kitten might spoil the food as it kept coming close to the basket.” Alas!! All the while I can’t scare this kitten away” she sighed as she placed shopping basket on the kitchen table. Suddenly one of the fish fell out from the basket; the kitten pounced on it in a flash and started to chew it. Thought of presenting the cute brown kitten cropped out in her mind and she hid the furry little creature in kitchen’s attic in order to surprise Trisha on Xmas. Meanwhile Angelochek made his way out of the shopping basket with a grin on his face. All the way from the market to home, he had waved the fish at the kitten and in fact had thrown the fish out of the basket at kitchen as a token of appreciation. The kitten attracted by the fish followed the basket ignoring the shoving of Mrs.Alexanyn, though frightened by the green eyes and peculiar feature of Angelochek.

"Crispy!!! How can I buy a gift, I have not saved enough money in piggy saving box. Can you help me Crispy? Is there any way to get the gift?” enquired Trisha to Crispy, who was a magpie bird and close friend of Trisha. As per the old saying “Friend in need is Friend in deed”, Crispy flew out to the barren land to the north of the town where people dump their junk items. What else a birdbrain can think about but Angelochek had other plans. He placed a brand new Bose speaker’s set in the dump and ensured Crispy picked those.” Gosh!!! You have got a Speaker set. Am sure Vladimir will like these. Oh!! You are such a lovely friend. I will treat you with berries everyday.” said spell-bound Trisha at the magpie sitting on her window frame.

Enraptured with his work and assured that by now two of the six buds in Liza’s tree would have blossomed by now. Angelochek was glancing at the kids having their noon nap from the Apricot tree. Who is next? He thought to himself as he closed his eyes to check what Mr.Alexanyn was up to. “He wants to buy a toy gift to Liza” cried out little man in green suit as he whisked his way to the toy street lane.

Wandering along the commercial street, Mr.Alexanyn was frustrated as most of the toy shops were closed. Thanks to the handiwork of Angelochek,Who had closed the shops as Liza had not intended for a toy. After searching for several hours Mr.Alexanyn felt lost. Uncertain about the path back, he took a left which led him to a narrow street. There he stumbled upon a green toy shop, which was very small, messy and disorganized. It appeared like the all the green toys were piled in this shop.” Do you have the complete Cinderella kit?” enquired Mr.Alexanyn to the sulky owner.” Cinderella Kit? Hmmm ….” the owner appeared to be lost in his thoughts. After few silent minutes “Do you have it or not?” demanded Mr.Alexanyn. ”No sir, am afraid not” replied the owner as his eyes popped out. ”Damn my luck!!” sighed Mr.Alexanyn as he hit shop’s step with his foot.

“Sir you can try other gifts, you know like watches, football, books, video games...you know” asked the owner with a grin on his face. “Well it is for my youngest daughter, what else will a little girl will like other than toys? Moreover I wanted to present my little Cinderella a nice Cinderella kit.” replied the worried father. Moved by the words which fell on his ears, he asked his customer to hold on for few seconds. As he searched the green toys dumped all over his shop. “My apology for not giving it in first place, it was the last Cinderella kit and wanted it for other reason. Now I feel you are the one and only person in this world who deserve this toy” smiled the owner. ”Oh!! You saved my day. Really!!! Thanks a lot” replied the pleased Mr.Alexanyn though the Cinderella kit was of green in color.

Exhausted Angelochek who was napping on the branches of the apricot tree woke up to the twittering of Crispy. As he tried to break his dizziness by stretching his arms, he saw Liza and Vladimir crossing the frozen lake. As it was a short route to reach the town fair. Poor green angel had to visit the fair to ensure the children pick up the right gift though he was completely worn out.

He went to “KickWin” contest where Vladimir had enrolled for competition and he was pleased to see Liza working on the opposite stall for antiques run by an Indian. Liza was one among the rare people who spoke English and her native tongue fluently. So she thought of making money for Xmas gift by working as translator for Mr. Kumar. Angelochek was busy having a green salad and lemonade to recharge him while Vladimir was waiting for his turn to grab the prize.

Well “KickWin” contest was about hitting ten goals with a football sans the goal keeper. There were ten positions marked in the field (i.eNo.1, No.2...No.10) and the ball has to be kicked from that positions. The tricky part was the size of the goal post which was exactly same as the football, so the striker can’t afford to miss even an inch.When Vladimir’s turn came he placed the ball on the position No.10 though people in general start from easier No.1 position.Angelochek had finished his snacks by then, so he stood beside the striker. Vladimir closed his eyes to gain concentration and then kicked the ball with tremendous force through an inclined left foot. Zoom!! The ball flew and struck into the tiny goal post. Then he placed the ball at No.9 position, which was in right angle to the post. The striker made the ball move up in the air to his right and he stretched his right leg to kick the ball. Loud applause was heard as the ball stayed firmly on the post while the owner of the stall was awestruck. No one kicked from position No.9 and No.10 before. Nah Angelochek did not show any of his tricks. It was the “Pearl Necklace”, which Vladimir wanted to present to his mom for Xmas. The first prize was making the striker to hit extraordinary shots. Zzz!!! The ball whisked away from the position No.3 to the goal. ”No, I can’t let him win the necklace “called out Angelochek standing beside the football. As soon as Vladimir hit the ball from position No.2, little men in green plunge himself on to the ball and guided it away from the goal. Everyone including Vladimir can’t believe that he had missed an easy straight kick to the post. Now he placed the ball in position No.1 which was straight opposite to the goal like position No.2 but was in fact still closer to the goal. So he hit the ball gently, hoping to grab the second prize at least but the ball hit the post and moved further away. Yeah you had guessed it right, Angelochek created a light breeze by a gentle whistle to move the ball away.

The relieved “KickWin” stall owner handed Vladimir the third prize, which was a “duduk”. Angelochek felt bad for hurting the kids feeling, but what can the little angel do when Vladimir’s mom had wished for the Armenian instrument. Perhaps for some good reason sometimes we might fail/miss opportunities, no matter how much effort we had put in it. No point in cursing these little angels they do everything for our own good.

Back in the antique, Liza and Kumar were packing the unsold material. They wrapped the tent of the stall as it was the last day of the fair. Kumar was checking the account and the money accumulated for the day as Liza eagerly waited for her first salary. “Here is your salary. Thanks for your help and without you I could not have managed in Armenia. Can I know what you’re going to do with this money?” asked Kumar. “I am going to buy ‘Spoke shave plane’ for my papa” pat came the reply from the little one. ”Spoke Shave plane?” queried again Kumar. “Umm… I guess a carpenter’s tool, I heard my papa griping that he wanted buy new Spoke Shave plane as the old was not finishing the curved surface properly” replied Liza with a thoughtful face. “Oh!! I get it my wise little lady. Hmm…one more thing you can take any of these antique stuffs if you want because I feel that you are underpaid” said Kumar with a smile on his face. Immediately Liza ran and collected the “Oil Painting Set” gleefully, “My papa likes painting too!!!” exclaimed Liza at Kumar as they both wished “Merry Xmas” to one another. “Wise little one indeed, she didn’t needed my help in picking the right gift” remarked Angelochek with a wide smile, which revealed all his 32 green teethes.

The next two days moved on swiftly and then on the day of Xmas morning. “Wow!! A Bose speaker set, its really cool Trisha” screamed Vladimir in excitement as Trisha was cuddling her brown kitten and wondering what to name it. Meanwhile Liza was cautiously climbing the ladder eager to fetch her gift placed on top of the Xmas tree. “Hey look!!! Am going to paint you again” remarked Mr.Alexanyn at his wife with the oil painting kit in his hand. “Ah!! The wrappers are so thick” muttered the little one trying to unravel the gift wrappers as she sat firmly on the ladder, while others were listening to Mrs.Alexanyn’s Duduk music. ”Thanks dad!!! For the Cinderella kit!!!” said Liza in a low tone as she got herself to the floor. Everyone was busy handling their gift except for Liza who decided to move back to her room. “Hey!!! My cute little Cinderella!!!” yelled Mr.Alexanyn “I forgot to give this “he yelled again pointing to the book he had in his hand. Liza moved towards her father and she can see a book with a seagull picture on it. Isn’t it remarkable? A book about seagull, her favorite bird was all Liza had wanted as Xmas present. She hugged her father and thanked for the wonderful book.

Incase if you are wondering how Mr.Alexanyn got the book. Well do you remember the green toy shop owner? Yeah! Angelochek had created the shop with his magic and turned himself into the owner. What actually happened on that day?

”Oh!! You saved my day. Really!! Thanks a lot!! And here is your 60 dollars. Really Thanks Man” said Mr.Alexanyn. “Well, have this book as a compliment from me for xmas” replied Angelochek. ”Nah!! I am not found of books” remarked Mr.Alexanyn. “You can present to your little Cinderella Sir” persisted Angelochek as he placed the book on Mr.Alexanyn bag. “Jonathan Livingston Seagull written by Richard Bach. Am not sure whether my 12 year old kid will appreciate It.” said Mr.Aleaxanyn with a grin. “This book will be your kid’s favorite” assured Angelochek, whose green eyes were gleaming with joy.

Back at home, Granny was pleased to receive new eyeglass from her son, Knitted scarf from her daughter in law, Xmas Greeting card drawn by her three grandkids. More importantly her family was happy with their Xmas gifts, plum cakes and dinner that was exactly what she wanted from the old man of the North Pole.

Angelochek received a good-natured pat from Santa, as he stood beside Liza’s Xmas tree which had blossomed six glittering gifts along with jingle bells. The Little green angel was of course pleased and happy to fulfill the kid’s wishes. In fact he must be proud of himself because I believe he is doing the best job in the world. What else is bigger than bringing smile in kid’s charming face?

Well I came to know about this incident through a seagull, which was sitting in one of the branches of the Apricot tree. It happened to be there on the week of Christmas. Umm not sure though why he was at Liza’s garden, whether he was hoping to pounce on a fish on the frozen lake near by? Or was he Jonathan Livingston? Never mind all I know is we should always wish for the good things and have good thoughts because there are lots of little angels to materialize the wishes or make it come true!!!!!

How I lost My faith In God

“Hey!!! Does anyone of you, know the way to 3^rd cross street?” I inquired to the bunch of kids shuffling back home from their school. “Am going pass it, come along with me” smiled a little girl with chipped tooth. She took me through a park, made me jump over the pits made by the cable operators and pray in front of sai baba’s temple. Apparently she had taken a longer route, so that she can accompany her friends to their respective home en route.” I have to go straight Anna, this right is 3^rd cross” she beamed and parted away to her home. Locating Meena Akka’s house was easy, as she was striding in her house gate with her mobile, awaiting my visit. “Oh!! You were able to find the address easily? I thought you will call me to know the way from bus stop” remarked Meena Akka as I entered her home. “It was a piece of cake” I replied, concealing my tiredness due to strolling in RT Nagar’s streets for hours.

“How is your job search coming on? How is your mom’s health? Are you comfortable in Bangalore? Are you in touch with your dad?” Meena Akka fired at me all at one shot. As I stood in the kitchen, watching her prepare Tea and baji for me .I gave a smile back at her, to dodge couple of her complicated questions but she kept on gazing at me expecting an answer. Fortunately the door bell rang and to elude her questions I went and answered the door. It was her 10 year old son who has returned from school and she introduced me to the chap with excitement. While I had the tea, she was busy behind her son enquiring him “Did you complete your lunch? What is the homework for today? Do you have any test tomorrow?”. While the investigation went on the other room, my thoughts travelled to the days when I was ten year old.

I am unable to exactly describe those days because it was good though lonely most of the time. My family was staying in our native then. Since I don’t like the ideology of my native place, I don’t want to reveal it and prefer to refer it as “KolikaalNatham”. It was famous for caste related violence most of the day school would end abruptly due to clashes between caste groups. So in KolikaalNatham even birds of same caste only flocks together and in my case, we lived along with our relatives. As luck would have it all my cousins were all very older than me. Say when I was doing my third standard they were in their final year of engineering or schooling and worst that some were married too. So my after school time were pathetic. If I go with my cousin bros to play I would end up just throwing the ball back from boundary line in cricket and ball back to field after foul in football. Hence my house wall was the batsman to whom I bowled and it would become my imaginary goal post and keeper when I strike my football. While all the grownups remain hooked up to Steffi VS Monica or IndiaVs Pakisthan matches. I would be moving around the house in my BSA SLR, assuming the cycle as a horse, my scale as sword and myself as Tipu Sultan, attacking the Britishers who were supporting steffi. It was damn frustrating to be among group of people who always enquired about my studies and analyze why repeatedly I failed in Tamil but Meena Akka was different, she was like summer rain.

She was doing her master degree and whenever she had free time, she used to play with this lonely cousin. She was the first bowler to bowl at me, laughing at the way I imitate my idol sachin’s batting stances. Boy it was tough to get her out, as her saree used to block the ball from hitting the stumps and I was not aware of LBW then. We used to play football though with a plastic ball inside the home, jump around our relative’s roofs, sitting on the house compound wall and gazing at the cattle’s feeding on the vacant land opposite to us. Though her mom used to scold her for playing with kid, she will not mind it. Never during my childhood days I remember seeing her serious or angry but will always have a mischievous grin on her face. Best part was unlike other cousins she never asked me about my studies and would comfort that I will grow up as fine lad to my mom, who used to get worried seeing my report card. All these qualities made her a special cousin sister to me but now she appears different to me. As she inquired her son about studies in a stern manner, in fact her whole mannerism has changed. The mischievous lady has bloomed into a caring mother, whose only priority in life is to ensure that her budding son gets a successful life.

“Hey!! He was same age as you are when I got married. He used to always move around me in KolikalNatham. Now he has come to Bangalore for job after completing his degree.” Meena Akka said with pride to her son. Since I hated questions about studies, I just asked him what he does at his free time, whether he likes football or cricket, his favorite movie star for which he answered promptly. Then I gave way to silence, after couple of quiet minutes the chap asked “what is your major in engineering? Which college? What is your group in school?” Aww man even the next generation of my relatives are the same as the previous one. As usual like my childhood days I stumbled and answered them. To make it worse she pulled my leg by brining in the fact that I was moved to French class since I kept failing in my mother tongue. As the kid was laughing at me, “Do you still remember Vimala Teacher, my college mate” she asked eagerly.

The moment she uttered “my college mate”, image of Vimala teacher flashed on my mind. How can I ever forget her? I had nightmares because of her. It all started in the Tamil period on my third standard. Since she had nothing else to teach, the Tamil teacher asked us to submit our Tamil prose notebook for correction. I was hesitant to submit as I had not written even a single word in it. Alas, I had to submit it hoping the bell rings on time and saves my skin. As time passed by I was perspiring, while the other kids around me were playing cops and robber with sharpeners and rubbers. I kept on blaming myself for not writing the notes, No! No! I wasn’t lazy. It was because of Tamil, we didn’t get along with each other from the very beginning. Her fonts which were like an optical illusion created dizziness to me, so never was I able to understand her. I closed my eyes and prayed for the bell to ring. Tamil teacher was staring right into my eyes when I opened it and screamed to come to her desk. Slowly I waddled towards her, wishing for a miracle. The moment I went near to her, I was welcomed with three back to back slaps. The very second the bell rang and Vimala the Computer science teacher arrived for her class. Oh man how bad, I would have been saved if it had rung few seconds earlier.

“Why haven’t you written anything?” queried Vimala at me. “He will not answer, will remain like a rock. I will complain to the head master” remarked the Tamil teacher solemnly.” No! No! Don’t complain please. He is my friend’s brother. I will handle him Mam please” Vimala requested on behalf of me. The Tamil teacher nodded her head as a sign of approval and threatened that I will be in trouble, if I don’t complete the notes by a week time. “Hey rascal how come you are, so irresponsible born in the …….. “ Hold On!! Umm I don’t want to reveal my caste either so let us assume she called it as cat. “Hey rascal how come you are, so irresponsible born in the cat caste!!!” She exclaimed.”Now listen carefully you have to complete the work in a week and also get signature of your sister on this letter” and gave me a paper in which she scribbled about this very incident.

Next three days were grueling, though I was sure I can complete the Tamil prose. I wasn’t sure how to get Meena Akka’s signature. In order to bunk the school I tried different ways to fall ill. One day I took bath in ice water at mid night hoping to catch cold, next day ate peanuts with water wishing my stomach to collapse and the next by praying to god to fall sick without drinking water. God disappointed me as I never fall sick, he left me alone in the desert to face Vimala teacher question like a storm. It was like god was playing a cruel joke on me, because this very god made me sick with chicken pox, measles exactly on summer holidays. Somehow I managed to bluff her all three days, saying that “Meena Akka has gone to her grandma’s place”, “Meena Akka is sick”, “she is still sick”. The only luck I had is those days telephones weren’t common, Vimala stayed in different part of the town so they were not able to communicate easily. Based on this fact I bluffed, I knew if stretch it too far Vimala will go mad and visit my home directly. For sure my relatives will ask about my Tamil prose along my failures with Tamil. It would like facing 60 Vimala everyday for rest of my life. Hence that day I prayed to god like ever before and owed to visit his sabarimala shrine every year. Next day I got hoping to be sick but my beliefs went in vain, in the class I opened the letter as usual when Vimala asked for it. Miracle of Miracles!! To my surprise it had Meena Akka’s signature on it, that day I thanked god more than thousand times for signing it. As I promised from then onwards visited his shrine all these 10 years. Moreover the next year in forth standard my mom and my class teacher decided to put me in French class, as my relationship with Tamil was turning ugly and threatening my academic future. Well my battle with French is another story which I will narrate later.

“Do you remember her or not?” repeated Meena Akka.

“Yeah, of course I do”

“She still mentions you as rascal due to the Tamil prose incident” winked Meena Akka.

I gazed at her nervously. All these days I thought it was my little secret.” how do you know” I mumbled.

“How do I know? Whom do you think signed the letter?”

I just kept gazing at her, how stupid was I to think god had all the time in the world to come and sign for me. Latter from her speech I realized what had exactly happen.

See I had a bird brain as a kid, though there was no telephone. Vimala and Meena Akka can contact each other through their common friend Sheela who stayed near our street and worked in the bank across the school. So the very day I was caught, Vimala had wired it through her messenger. All the three days Meena Akka was waiting for me to confess my sin to her, though knowing all the truth like god. Due to this problem I did not play with her all the three days but whenever we were alone she used to have conversation with me like this,

Day 1:

Meena Akka : “how was the school today?”

Me: “good”

Meena AkKa: “you look dull, why?”

Me: “don’t know feeling cold perhaps will catch fever tomorrow” (trusting on my ice water bath at midnight plan)

Day2:

Meena Akka : “how was the school today?”

Me: Umm

Meena AkKa: “you look dull, why?”

Me: “don’t know feeling pain in my stomach perhaps will get stomach ache tomorrow” (hoping the peanut and water creates havoc)

Day3:

Meena Akka : “how was the school today?”

Me: Umm

Meena AkKa: “you look dull, why?”

Me: Umm(praying for the miracle)

So the fourth day she had felt pity on me, though frustrated that I was bluffing. She signed in the letter and placed it back into my bag while I was sleeping. While I took it for god’s miracle and visiting the shrine for 10 years, without even calling her to say “hi” over the phone all these years.

As I kept wondering why it should be me the one who always is at the receiving end, Meena Akka came to the rescue and started to talk about her experience from kolikalnatham to Karnataka in a comical way. That was the same person I liked, always funny. The more she spoke to me about movies, cricket and those days in native. I was able see the Old Meena Akka again. I was not able to understand why she was hiding it initially. Perhaps she is just playing her role as a matured mother, like Shakespeare had said “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”. Though I like this Meena Akka sitting in front of me, I like more the Meena Akka in my childhood memory.

As the clock struck 8, I bid farewell to her. Since I had to catch the bus from Bus Depot, her son accompanied me. As he slowly pedaled his cycle, I trotted along with his pace mutely. Finally after crossing three or four streets I was able to see the bus, that I had to catch was about to leave. I ran as fast as I could and got into the running bus. “Banerghatta ticket Ondhu!!” I demanded the conductor as I stood on the stairs. As the breeze brushed my hair, thoughts of how I treated the kids rushed in my mind. I realized her son will never remember me or my name, for him I will be yet another boring grownup who had visited his home for tea. I felt frustrated that I should have made him play with me or bought his some stuffs while walking back to the Depot. May be he is also lonely like I was, imagining his cycle as broomstick and himself as one of the potter‘s clan. The time which Meena Akka used to spend with me made her special to me and I will always remember her until my memories fade away from me. Worst of all, I didn’t even say thanks to neither the girl who showed me the way to 3^rd cross street nor to the nephew who showed me the way to RT Nagar Bus Depot. I behaved like a mean grownup whose only thought was to get his objective done, taking others for granted. I prayed that always the kid in me to be awaken so I can appreciate all things around me. Hold on!! The god above us interferes in our life only twice, during our entrance and exit, to and from this world. It was the god in Meena Akka which saved me from embarrassment in Vimala teacher’s class not the god above us. That’s how I stopped bothering the god above us with my wishes and started trusting the god in me and in others around me.