My Tantrum Girl

“It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow. Can I be your valentine and take you out for a movie?” I asked in a sing-song soft voice to which anyone could have only said a ‘Yes’.

“What does that mean?”, she asked curiously, ignoring just about everything.

“It’s a day for Love. Mostly couples celebrate though it need not be celebrated by couples alone.”

“Is that the day they had the Kissing Movement?” she asked referring to the Kiss of Love Movement that was held in Kochi.

“No. No.” Erm… how to put it!?

“It’s celebrated on Feb 14th every year. People go out of their way to show love, take some time off to spend with their partners. They go on trips or for movie, give gifts and so on. Since I love you sooo much, let me take you out for a movie tomorrow.”

I hurried with my proposal before anymore questions came up.

“Ah. Let’s see.”

Here I was going all lovey-dovey romantic and she was just pushing me off with so much of attitude! Let’s see, it seems!

“Hello madam! Tomorrow also happens to be a Sunday. I need to book the tickets. Else, the theaters will be full by tomorrow morning.”

“Oh! Then how do we get back home?”, her questions never ended.

“Why what’s wrong? We’ll get a rickshaw or we’ll ride on my motorbike!” 😉

“Me? Sitting on your motorbike? No way! But wouldn’t all the couples take the rickshaws? There won’t be any left for us.”

“Couples like bikes and Cars unlike you. There will be plenty of rickshaws there. Don’t worry.”, I said.

I looked up the movies in the theaters nearby. She preferred Malayalam or Tamil.

“There is Action Hero Biju & then Maheshinte Prathikaram.”

“Who is the Hero?” she asks so many doubts. That is how she has always been. Very inquisitive.

“Fahadh Fasil.”

“Who is that?”

“Fahadh. The guy in Bangalore days. Fasil’s son.”

“Oh. I haven’t seen many of his movies.”

After a while, we were watching TV and munching chips. I thought of giving it another go.

“So, shall I book the tickets?”

“No.” she said sulkily, “I don’t want.”

She was difficult sometimes, but that was okay. My Queen that she was, she had every right to be impossible and throw all those tantrums. Sometimes I did lose my patience, but when things cooled down, I realized that there weren’t many around her with whom she could be herself. Her sorrows, pains, frustrations, loneliness, I understood them all. Beyond all that, her love it was incomparable.

She would enjoy if she goes for a movie. I know that. But, I didn’t want to force her.

*****

Valentine’s Day 2016

By the time it was noon, I walked up to her, “If you had agreed, we’d have been in the theater watching a movie.”

“It’s alright.”, she said.

“Yes. Instead, let us order a Pizza.”

“Will it cost a lot?”

“No. There is a 50% off today.”

“They should give us more discount since all the couples would order today and they’ll have huge sales.”, she said with a triumphant glint in her eyes. She was clearly impressed with her discovery.

“50% off is more than enough for us. I’ll order one asap.” I brought the laptop to the living room.

“Do you want coke?”, I asked.

“No. Do you?”

“Do you want anything else?”

“I don’t know. Just order what you want.”

I placed the order and after a while, we were opening the Pizza gleefully.

As she was eating, I said “Happy Valentine’s Day Ammamma. I really wanted to take you out.”

“We’ll go to that cafe nearby, today evening.”, she said and I knew it wasn’t going to happen.

“Okay. Now you smile while I take a picture.”

“I wouldn’t look beautiful if I smile.”, she said.

I took a couple of pictures and said, “You always say that. You look like a ghost in this, without smiling.”

“Show me!”, I showed the pic.

“Is this how ghosts look?”, she asked with a naughty smile.

“Those eyes are round, beady and scary. Smile maa!” I said. She smiled. I clicked.

“This is what I am saying. Now you look beautiful.”

She looked at the image and smiled broadly. I took that for an affirmation. Yet, the next time we take a picture she’ll say, “I won’t smile. I don’t look good if I smile.”

That’s my girl. She loves like no other and runs to my rescue no matter what. She NEVER lets me sleep without having food. No one can throw tantrums like her and then, she blames me for throwing tantrums. When I say she does the same, she says, “I am old and withered. You wouldn’t understand.” Kids eh! 😉

Grandmothers are such sweethearts and it is such a joy watching them do certain things. Shakespeare rightly said about the Second childhood. The best part about her is the toothy smile when we give her chocolates & sweets. God! I just love to watch that smile. ❤