Wednesday, March 19, 2008

bebo's birthday


bebo or vaidehi is mithi's best friend. six months younger than mithi, she is our next door neighbour and hardy to mithi's laurel. interestingly, mithi's first word, uttered at the age of 8 months, was not ma or ba or pa. it was "vaidehi," uttered with sheer gentleness. was blown out of my mind when i heard that.

last evening. 7 pm.

i see the two devils giggling and furiously scribbling something in a lovely sheet of handmade paper. sometimes, bebo chews the end of her soft pencil and looks hard at the distance. mithi keeps laughing and urges her on.

8 pm. they get up and shake hands. bebo hands over the paper to mithi with a conspiratorial smile. the latter rolls it and ties a red thread on it.

9 pm. mithi and her dad settle down on the bed in their usual tangled pose.
she unrolls the sheet of paper and reads out:

"please remember bebo's birthday is on march 31st. do not forget the date or big 'dangers' will happen. you may be eaten up by a bad witch or durvasa may curse you. here is a list of the gifts mithi has promised bebo for her birthday--
1. a barbie doll
2. a barbie comic book
3. a barbie make up set
4. a barbie pencil box
5. barbie hair pins
6. a barbie frock
7. a barbie water bottle
8. a crayon set that has barbie on the cover
9. a barbie drawing set
10. a barbie kitchen set
11. a barbie bathroom set
12. a barbie dressing set
13. barbie's boyfriend
14. barbie hankies
15. barbie cards
16. barbie stickers

if mithi's parents do not get the above, bebo will be sad. so mithi will be sad. as a result, mithi's parents will be sad. family will be sad. so, for the sake of the family's happiness and laughter, do as asked. please. please, please, please?

5 comments:

SMIT SHAH said...

ha ha ha... looks like barbie has taken over world happiness. The superwoman we were looking for is just around the next door toy shop. A prophecy realised?

Kavita Arvind said...

omigosh! hamara naari mukti morcha andolan jhanda fold karna padega lagta hai!! mits is in love with that anorexic doll!! sheeesh!!

Shilpa Das said...

what to do kavitty? mother goes all out with anti-barbie invective and daughter is in love with the damn doll! talk of tragic irony!

Ruchita Madhok said...

omg!! i went thru that phase too.
don't tell mithi ut i used to be member of a barbie club that would send a barbie newsletter every 2months and silly stickers and promos

shuddder shudder

Shilpa Das said...

ruchita, this is unbelievable! MY GAWD! but, it's also a very sweet thing to confess about.