"One last time dee.. please..!!"
Mother of God..!! What was with her?? Hadn't she been like in the same ride for three times already????
It was around 8:15. The place was wrapping itself up. Crowds becoming more and more sparse. Late comers rushing to get the last few tickets at the counters. The queues where a total chaos. And I didn't want to stand in any one of them for a 5th time. No i was not going. I was just going to have to tell her a clear no.
Oh but then there was "the look" that came my way immediately. The typical one. Eyebrows shot up, eyes went small with all the pleading they could and the lips in a curvy little wave.. The one I call "the puppy-dog-look." And it was not the first time that it was being used on me.I had successfully become a common victim to it a million times before in varied situations. This time would be no exception either. So just as i was about to turn around and make my way back to the dreaded counter, I heard the operator guy call out ," Didi rehne do. Akhri baar chala raha hon. Ticket ki jaroorat nahi hai.." Wow.. I turned around asked him weather it was okay. He nodded in approval and i thanked him for his kindness n consideration.
The summer vacations were on. I was in town.One of those rare times that luckily there was a fun fair and i volunteered to take my sister for the evening. It had been a long time since we had "bonded" and spent some quality time. And what better place than the fair itself where we loved to go together since we were toddlers. So we got all dressed .It was the first time that we were going alone since mom and dad luckily seemed to believe that I really could handle the kid alone. We had sat on almost all the rides that were there. Did two rounds of popcorn and sodas. We did meet a few people we recognised, but as promised, we were not going to let anything change our plans of the fun that came out of doing the most funny and embarrassing things in public to each other. So we just kept to ourselves. We were almost done with the place by eight o clock , but my sister always had this particular ritual of siting in her favourite ride right before we stepped out...
So there i was, standing before her "Columbus," trying to figure out what exactly was so fascinating about being swayed so high up and then brought back. I had heard people felt like throwing up most of the times. I had enjoyed the ride myself as a kid, but now the fantasies towards the huge boat had died. All the same, i still enjoyed the smiles on the faces of people who did sit in there and feel i don't exactly remember what..
There was hardly anybody seated in there, so the operator guy was waiting for people to turn up. He waited long, but the place seemed to have emptied and there was no one ready to take that last ride. So, i believe as a last resort, he turned to me and said, "Didi please bhaith jao. Koi aa hi nahi raha hai. Ticket ki jaroorat nahi hai." he gave me one of his sweet smiles. I said no. I mean i didn't mean to be rude or anything, but i really didn't feel like being a part of all the screaming and pendulum movement. But i think it was that day when i had to encounter the most persuading people on the planet. He didn't give up so easy. Kept pestering me saying it was the last time and the ride was real fun and this time he would make it go higher. Guess that got my sister even more crazy..
Ultimately after a few seconds i was sitting right next to my sister, on the highest bench of the boat, feeling giddy already. And then the last thing i remember was watching him press a large yellow button on his key-board.
The boat started moving a little at first, eventually gaining speed, causing my sister and the people in it to scream on top of their voices.
But then, wait. Why didn't i feel like screaming? The swing was on the highest of its motions now and i felt surrounded by a magical feeling. Being suspended , even for a few seconds in mid -air, does funny things to you sometimes. From somewhere i could hear the movie theme of The Chariots of Fire being played and i felt air-borne. I looked up to meet the shine of the Venus but eventually moved my gaze to the crescent moon. I reached out. Thinking of may be just touching it. There was joy of a three year old. I remember sitting there and being told that it would go so high I'd land right on the moon. Don't remember who said it, but suddenly i wanted to believe it.
The screaming around me went unnoticed, it was the most peaceful moment where i was a few steps away from eternal bliss.
And then i heard my sister scream a little too loud. It took time for me to get back and realise she was asking me to get off . The ride was over. Just that . And there , I was wanting it never to get over.
I turned to look at the operator guy. And he was busy smiling at us. I guess he realised I had spaced out or something.
I got off. Thanked him and was about to leave, when he called us back and said ,"Didi kaha tha na bahut uupar tak leke jaunga.Agli baar na mat bolna." My sister giggled beside me. I didn't know what to say to him.
I just smiled.
Mother of God..!! What was with her?? Hadn't she been like in the same ride for three times already????
It was around 8:15. The place was wrapping itself up. Crowds becoming more and more sparse. Late comers rushing to get the last few tickets at the counters. The queues where a total chaos. And I didn't want to stand in any one of them for a 5th time. No i was not going. I was just going to have to tell her a clear no.
Oh but then there was "the look" that came my way immediately. The typical one. Eyebrows shot up, eyes went small with all the pleading they could and the lips in a curvy little wave.. The one I call "the puppy-dog-look." And it was not the first time that it was being used on me.I had successfully become a common victim to it a million times before in varied situations. This time would be no exception either. So just as i was about to turn around and make my way back to the dreaded counter, I heard the operator guy call out ," Didi rehne do. Akhri baar chala raha hon. Ticket ki jaroorat nahi hai.." Wow.. I turned around asked him weather it was okay. He nodded in approval and i thanked him for his kindness n consideration.
The summer vacations were on. I was in town.One of those rare times that luckily there was a fun fair and i volunteered to take my sister for the evening. It had been a long time since we had "bonded" and spent some quality time. And what better place than the fair itself where we loved to go together since we were toddlers. So we got all dressed .It was the first time that we were going alone since mom and dad luckily seemed to believe that I really could handle the kid alone. We had sat on almost all the rides that were there. Did two rounds of popcorn and sodas. We did meet a few people we recognised, but as promised, we were not going to let anything change our plans of the fun that came out of doing the most funny and embarrassing things in public to each other. So we just kept to ourselves. We were almost done with the place by eight o clock , but my sister always had this particular ritual of siting in her favourite ride right before we stepped out...
So there i was, standing before her "Columbus," trying to figure out what exactly was so fascinating about being swayed so high up and then brought back. I had heard people felt like throwing up most of the times. I had enjoyed the ride myself as a kid, but now the fantasies towards the huge boat had died. All the same, i still enjoyed the smiles on the faces of people who did sit in there and feel i don't exactly remember what..
There was hardly anybody seated in there, so the operator guy was waiting for people to turn up. He waited long, but the place seemed to have emptied and there was no one ready to take that last ride. So, i believe as a last resort, he turned to me and said, "Didi please bhaith jao. Koi aa hi nahi raha hai. Ticket ki jaroorat nahi hai." he gave me one of his sweet smiles. I said no. I mean i didn't mean to be rude or anything, but i really didn't feel like being a part of all the screaming and pendulum movement. But i think it was that day when i had to encounter the most persuading people on the planet. He didn't give up so easy. Kept pestering me saying it was the last time and the ride was real fun and this time he would make it go higher. Guess that got my sister even more crazy..
Ultimately after a few seconds i was sitting right next to my sister, on the highest bench of the boat, feeling giddy already. And then the last thing i remember was watching him press a large yellow button on his key-board.
The boat started moving a little at first, eventually gaining speed, causing my sister and the people in it to scream on top of their voices.
But then, wait. Why didn't i feel like screaming? The swing was on the highest of its motions now and i felt surrounded by a magical feeling. Being suspended , even for a few seconds in mid -air, does funny things to you sometimes. From somewhere i could hear the movie theme of The Chariots of Fire being played and i felt air-borne. I looked up to meet the shine of the Venus but eventually moved my gaze to the crescent moon. I reached out. Thinking of may be just touching it. There was joy of a three year old. I remember sitting there and being told that it would go so high I'd land right on the moon. Don't remember who said it, but suddenly i wanted to believe it.
The screaming around me went unnoticed, it was the most peaceful moment where i was a few steps away from eternal bliss.
And then i heard my sister scream a little too loud. It took time for me to get back and realise she was asking me to get off . The ride was over. Just that . And there , I was wanting it never to get over.
I turned to look at the operator guy. And he was busy smiling at us. I guess he realised I had spaced out or something.
I got off. Thanked him and was about to leave, when he called us back and said ,"Didi kaha tha na bahut uupar tak leke jaunga.Agli baar na mat bolna." My sister giggled beside me. I didn't know what to say to him.
I just smiled.
