Dear God...

Yesterday night at exactly 2.45 am my darling grandson entered the house and lo and behold the crumbling, ageing and somewhat quiet structure got an instant shot in the arm as his little voice, irresistible laughter, unending blabber and unlimited hugs took care of all wrinkles and cracks and pushed all despondence and sadness. My grandson was here and for the next 6 weeks the house will be in Agy Mode! He was quick to tell me that India is his favourite place. I forgot all my diplomat daughter's veneer and decided to be gullible and naive revel in the fact that Nani's home was were he was happiest. As a good grandma I had my share of treats waiting and after all packages were unwrapped and quickly appreciated the little fellow ate his paratha and aloo gobhi (flatbread and cauliflower and potato curry), a meal he had ordered on Skype long back and that defied any canons of meal scheduling. He had his treat at 3.30 am. Then after a long 'chat', some reading ( a promise to his mom) I put off the light and after some time he did fall asleep.

I woke up a little later than usual but still early and tiptoed around whilst I got dressed and was about to sit down to my prayers when he popped his head from under the cover and asked me what I was doing: praying said I! He hopped out of head, folded his hands and said his prayer that went like this:

Dear God

Please wake us up

So that I can play cricket!

Needless to say, God listens to children as in a jiffy he had woken his pal Deepak and brushed his teeth and was out in the drive playing cricket. Grandma had made sure that there was a new bat and wickets and balls ready. Though here again he had called me a day before 'reminding' me that he was landing the next day and asking whether I had everything ready. Nani did decipher the word ready in the right manners.

For the next 6 weeks we will all be in Agy Mode, hearing and learning Agu Speak and all wisely like good children we will tuck away all negative thoughts in the deep recesses of our memory. There will be enough time for them after the 4th of August.

And the next two weeks are even more blessed as Utpal is also there.