The Momma Clan

“I am fed up. He leads me in a merry dance all through the day. He sure knows how to get his things done and I feel like slapping and beating him.”

She sure is talking about me, but whom is she complaining to. Let me eavesdrop to know more.

“Why beta? He is so small. Control your temper”

Aha! The mobile is on speaker and she is cribbing in front of naani. I never knew my mom is such a cry baby. It’s so much fun to eavesdrop.

“Control my temper??? How, mom?? He gets on my nerves. I feel like banging my head into the wall or pulling my hair”

Oh! bechari mumma.

“Enough beta, you seem to have forgotten your childhood. You used to keep me on my toes all day long. And you were such a brat, if I complained about you to your dad, you used to put all the blame back on me and cry like a victim.”

 My mumma was very shrewd. I am nothing in front of her. If she complains and dad scolds me, I bear it all.

“Kya mumma, kuch b, don’t pull my leg now”

Don’t stop naani, don’t stop… spill more beans. I wanna know how my mumma was during her childhood.

“I am not pulling your legs. You used to create a ruckus on small issues and call your dad at the office for petty things. And your dad!! He would listen so intently despite knowing your nature. Poor Garv, you are calling him names but even his dad doesn’t listen to him in front of you. In fact, you are the same as you were during your childhood – you know how to get things done your way.”

“Mumma, what happened? Why are you fuming? It’s no use talking to you. I am disconnecting.”

No no no no, don’t disconnect. Let naani reveal more secrets.

“Why, why?? Why are you in a hurry to disconnect now? Remember, when you got a little scratch while playing with skipping rope,  you called even the distant relatives informing them grudgingly that you got injured because I had forced you to jump. Your dad held me responsible for the telephone bill of that month. And I had to attend the accusatory calls of the relatives for being an imposing mom.”

“Mumma, I was too small at that time. I didn’t realise the repercussions of my acts”

So mumma, am I very big?? I too am small but am not at all like you. You were so impish.

“Hmmmm!! small??? Every other day I was called to school for such a bellicose you were. Even the neighbours complained a lot about you. Once you plucked guavas from Madhu Aunty’s guava tree and when she caught you, you bit her hand and ran away. How much brunt I had to bear of the society people? And see, who’s complaining? Garv is nothing in front of you. Dare you scold him or else I will tell him all about your childhood deeds. Eating chalks, putting cockroaches in your sister’s pencil box, eating lunch of other kids before break time, and seriously, the list is long.”

Thank you Naani. Thanks a lot. Unknowingly, you have already told me my mumma’s childhood deeds. Now I will tame the tough. I will take revenge on your behalf. Love you naani.

“Ok mumma!!! You win, I lose. Now, am disconnecting. I have to send Garv to his tuition classes so let me go and wake him up. I will be very loving towards your little Garv. Byyiii”

Let me get into my blanket and pretend to sleep.