"Quick, Get ready."
"Pa...pa..."
"Why do you keep messing up your hair, Sia". Mr.Sinha gave an irate stare.
Sia smiled sheepishly.
"I am not joking. When will you learn to keep it perfect?"
"Comb", uttered Sia.
"And ask Aunty to change your dress. This doesn't look good. I want you to look perfect.
"Auunntyyy...", cried Sia.
"I am really fed up with your ways. Can you be quick? I wonder when will you learn things."
Sia came dressed in her pink frock and she looked pretty. Her hair band complimented her dress.
It was Mr. Sinha's felicitation as he had achieved a remarkable feat at his workplace. Everybody was invited with their families. Mr.Sinha's family was Sia.
Sia was told the Do's and Don'ts of a formal function.
She nodded to every instruction and gave a look of assurance that she won't misbehave.
She was 9 and she was a Down syndrome child.
She sat like a lady on the chair and watched her father receive his award.
She managed to clap and she smiled heartily.
"Pa.. Pa..", she managed.
She was asked to come on the stage. Mr.Sinha gave an embarrassed look.
Sia held the mike, smiled at the audience, and managed to say, "Love you Pa".
Mr.Sinha was proud of her daughter. Prouder than her mother who left Sia because she wanted to pursue her career.
Sia didn't speak a word on their way back home. She looked outside the window and smiled at some illusionary things.
Her independence was trapped in an effort to portray perfection.
Mr.Sinha felt guilty.
He held her close. Asked her if she wanted a gift?
She nodded elatedly.
Her father took her to his room and unpacked a huge mirror. The mirror was beautiful.
Sia stood in front of the mirror and kept staring at it.
She was exceptionally glad to see the picture perfect. She started laughing and touched the mirror time and again.
She touched her image, looked back at her father, and touched his image.
Realisation dawned on him. He wanted the image to be the reality.
Mr. Sinha had given his daughter a perfect gift.
He gifted her herself.
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if there were no dreams
if there were no dreams the permanence would slowly take over and the little escapes into the terrain of subconscious existence would deli...
:)
ReplyDeleteTrue, very true... most beautiful gift a father can give his child.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWe are all perfections - just appear imperfect :)
ReplyDeleteNice one
Lovely. Very well written!
ReplyDeleteBravo! Touching and sweet.
ReplyDelete@jincy: you know how much some kids want to be themselves... thanks for empathising :)
ReplyDelete@sunny: I agree hands down! itsu theory makes sense to me!
@sudip: glad you liked it. :)
@aniket :thank you. :)
Beautiful!!!
ReplyDelete*sniff sniff... Yeah. Beautiful!
ReplyDelete