During my summer holidays, I usually spend most of the days
at my brother's place in Vizag. They live on the beach road from where we can
see the glimpse of the beach from the house. My brothers daughter Minnie is an
8 year old enthusiastic, boisterous and incisive girl who has wh question words
for each and every single thing she notices.
In my brother's room
above the bed ,there's an attic where
empty luggage bags and cardboard boxes were kept. At one corner of that, she
made out a place where she keeps every interesting thing she finds. It may be a
leaf or a stone of an unalike shape and the origami stuff she made by herself.
And the thing which captivated me was the spider webs and a lot of spiders.
She came near me holding a wooden scale and 2 books in a
pretty blue gown and with 2 little
ponytails. I gave her a bag of soft toys which I bought for her. She was very
surprised and her expressions explains that she loved each and every toy.
Then I asked her, "so you stopped taking care of your
place? I think the spiders undertaken your work and they resided on your place."
"No atha(Aunty) ! They are my friends", she said. I
was quite surprised with her fascination towards spiders.
"ah what! Friends?".
"yeah ! I love spiders" she replied in a frisky
voice.
"That is a bit strange. Wh..what is that in your hand?",
I asked pointing out her hand.
" Dead insects, I found them in the garden. Lunch time atha for my friends "
"Don't you feel bad when spiders eat them?" , I asked her
just hoping for an interesting answer.
She said ,"no atha! we also eat the plants even they
are living beings", in a very innocent tone.
"Hehe carry on sweetheart!". Till that moment I
was thinking that I was the only one who is strange in my family. Well I got
a tough competition here.
After lunch she was lying on my stomach and we were watching tv.
I asked her, " what is the matter with spiders? why do
u like them?"
"They look so cute and fragile atha".
"Don't tell me that you got obsessed with Spiderman
series and you want to become one".
"Haha", she giggled so innocently. "No atha,
but while watching the series, I sometimes get carried away and even ask golu
to make me spider girl."
"golu ?"
"The name of the spider which is the biggest of all atha."
It sounds funny but the way she says that, her cuteness overcomes
the stupidity in the matter and leaves a smile on our face.
She put her both elbows on my stomach and raised a bit and
said "Atha atha, Do u know something. Some of friends say that when a
spider falls on us, we will get a new dress."
"Aww! really ?",I exclaimed.
"Sometimes whenever
I want a new dress ,I make one to fall on me"
"So do u really get a new dress then?, I asked.
"Yes athaa! I always get a new dress"
"That's cool", I replied in a bit exclamatory way.
"Yes atha, when any spider falls on me. I go to dada(dad)
and say "dada I'll get a new dress now .dada too replies the same way as you
did atha"
"Oh! Now I got it, how you get a new dress every time."
She is looking so adorable with her innocent eyes and curly hair. I kissed on
her cheek and laid her on my legs and
lifted her up and we played for some time.
In the evening, she took her books and went to the garden.
My brother's wife made a filter coffee for me. I took my
coffee and sat on the balcony where I can see minnie in the garden. She is
walking from left to right studying loudly, with a scale in her hands waving as
if she was teaching to someone. Suddenly she took her scale and shook and hit
one of the branches of curry tree.
Suddenly I shocked and shouted "Oi ! what happened ?
she turned and raised her head and replied "Nothing
atha ! He is not listening, he is playing with rose tree."
"wait I am coming, I put my coffee there and went down
to the garden.
"who is not listening sweetheart? I asked her.
"This is my class atha!" pointing out towards the plants in the garden.
"These are the toppers of the class", showing the
leafy plants in the front row."These are the mischievous ones "showing
the rose plants.
"Be careful with these rose plants, they might hurt you",
I said.
"yeah atha! they are very annoying, they don't even
allow me to punish them. so whenever I want to punish I just pluck their
flowers ", She replied very innocently.
I chuckled suddenly, "That's so cute "
"Finish the class quickly and come sweetheart, we will
go and play on the beach" , I said and went inside.
Children are the cutest and they will search for something
good and interesting in everything. Spending time with children will keep us
energized throughout the day and we will learn something exciting everyday
which is a must in our boredom and stressful days. Only because of her, I spent
the whole vacation in my brother's house and I bookmark each and every moment I
spent with her and carry a bag of memories until the next vacation.