Like Mumma, like Beta

 Like Mumma, like Beta
 Like Mumma, like Beta
Like Mumma, like Beta by Rekha Mittal Gupta. A story from the pages of a parent, do read and share your love in the comments.
 Like Mumma, like Beta
 Like Mumma, like Beta

It was 12:30 at night. Our deep slumber got disturbed by continuous knocking on our room’s door. Panic struck us on hearing our 11-year-old son, Lakshay’s voice, “Mamma, Papa, please open the door“.

The time it took us to get out of the comfort of our bed and reach the room door was shrouded with anxiety and fear. Myriad ill thoughts engulfed us during those few seconds. (Am sure all the parents out there will agree on this with me)

We recalled the day when before also, he had knocked on our door in the middle of the night. That day, on opening the door, we discovered that Lakshay’s body was burning with fever.

We never wanted to make him sleep alone in another room but on the advice of his pediatrician, our parents, and some friends, we had taken this step just 3 months ago.

As soon as we opened the door, my husband embraced him in his arms, and I, showered him with questions while touching his forehead, “What happened son, what happened, why can’t you sleep? Is everything fine, are you feeling pain in your ear, is your stomach troubling you, is your nose blocked?
Lakshay, oblivious of our anxiety, said in an innocuous voice, “Mom, I am tensed for Rocky (our newly adopted pet dog). I can’t sleep, thinking about him. How will he manage in Winters? Promise me that you will positively bring a mattress and a small house for him at the earliest possible.”

We both looked at him infuriated. My husband went back to bed. I touched his little finger with mine and assured him, “Son, pinky promise, I will bring the needed things for Rocky, don’t be so apprehensive. Go to your room and sleep now”

Little Lakshay, jovially went to his room but, sleep eluded us.

Suddenly, I started laughing, thinking about a similar incident that happened during my childhood.

My husband asked disgruntled, “Now, what are you laughing at?”

I told him, “Lakshay, sure has my genes. I did the same thing once during my childhood. At that time, I failed to infer the reaction of my parents, but, now I can very well understand how it feels.”

He urged me to tell my childhood deed as now sleep was miles apart from us.

Excitedly, I sat down and poured out my story, “My mother used to feed the birds every day. But due to a serial killer cat, one day, my mom had to clean the terrace and had to take the harsh decision of not feeding the pigeons or else, the cat would make our terrace a graveyard of innocent birds. I saw the pleading eyes of hungry and thirsty birds, but for their safety, this step was important. I remained restless that entire day. ThewayLakshayknockedonour door tonight, I too knocked on my parents’ gate that night which scared the hell out of them, and like us, they too started asking about my health, the moment they opened the door.”

My husband laughed and said, “Like mother, like son. What transpired in your brain that night? “

I continued, “Looking at my father, I asked, ‘Pa, why do people put pieces of broken glass on the terrace parapet of their houses?’ My half-asleep poor dad informed, ‘So that no thief can enter the house.’ I asked looking at my mother, ‘Mother, if we put pieces of broken glass on the parapet of our terrace, then even the cat will not be able to come and our birds will be able to relish their food comfortably.’ My father blurted out angrily, ‘You picked us up in the middle of the night to say this.’ I felt strange that I was giving such a good suggestion, still, Papa was being so rude.

Then my mother said, ‘Okay, we will go to the scrap dealer and get a lot of glass bottles, break them into pieces, and spread them on the parapet and then we will be able to put millets and water for the birds.’ I was happy and eagerly waited for the next day. My mom made all the arrangements the very next day itself. We too will  have to make all the arrangements for Rocky tomorrow itself at the behest of Lakshay or  else,  he will not let us sleep at night.”

Hearing this, my husband chuckled and said, while covering himself with a sheet and ready to sleep, “Okay, I can’t compromise on my sleep daily so tomorrow only we will make all the arrangements for Rocky.”

The entire incident made me get the feeling that Lakshya is “Like Mumma, Like Beta”.

-Rekha Mittal Gupta

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2 thoughts on “ Like Mumma, like Beta”

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