47. YOU

 You

YOU who stared at the mixed up fried rice sleepily after waking up from a deep sleep on our laps and said, “What’s this? Cat food?” because it was the first time you saw fried rice and because we used to mix up all the left over rice and feed the stray cats…,

YOU who had to watch too much TV because both of us were employed with no baby sitter and too busy, blurted out one morning when you were  woken up to go to school, “Wait a minute till this commercial break is over…okay?” and made us realize that even your dreams now had commercial breaks…,

YOU who made our hearts swell with pride to see you ride wobbling when I removed both the guide wheels off your little mountain bike…,

YOU who were cycling downhill behind our car wearing the blue helmet and suddenly disappeared and then reemerged out of the overgrown ditch blue helmet first and complained “It’s okay falling down. That’s not the problem. This stupid ta-ta hand was saying ta-ta ta-ta all the time while I was fallen in the ditch!” about that ta ta hand gadget you had me install on your bike…,

YOU who were then a first grader and made me meet your class teacher one day to listen to her complaint that my kid had walked on the piano keyboard playing with feet creating a new genre of music…,

YOU who beat the hell out of some bullies  not only with kicks and punches I had taught you in self defense but also with your motorcycle crash helmet and made me meet your principal for assault charges yet made me proud for standing up for yourself when conventional run of the mill methods failed…,

YOU who were playing commando dressed in your combat gear and yelled ‘YOU ARE UNDER ARREST. PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!’, pointing a toy revolver at her own chest with one hand, with the other hand in the air raised in surrender,  playing army and the rebels both making us realize how lonely you would have felt to be an only child.

YOU who finally played the trump card by making me see your Principal who was a very kind lady and a well renowned author who said “Hiruni came to meet me today Mr. Blogwalker,… and she wants me to tell you as her principal that she needs a brother to play with.” making me feel a lump in my throat,

YOU who stared at me with wide eyes when I ate an ice cream cup alone without buying one for you as a punishment for something that you did and made me feel miserable inwardly because you took it so gracefully… ,

YOU who defended the brother locking your grandma and aunt out of the house because you thought you were protecting him from them…,

YOU who became the youngest gymnast in the school gymnastic team at the age of 6 and brought home so many sports trophies and A reports and made us forget all the troubles we had…,

YOU who once walked out on us because this place was boring and made me cry when I saw the FINAL CALL and then GATE CLOSED on the big LCD screen at the airport…,

YOU who use Home English kitchen version sometimes just to piss me off and have done many more things that I have to cut short…,

…are celebrating your birthday today. 

 

Happy birthday

 HIRUNI OUR DAUGHTER!!