Everyone has a magic person in childhood to remember. To me it was mottai uncle as I fondly nicknamed him. Today he is a High level Police officer but to me he will always remain Mottai uncle of my childhood. I think to dad he was one to be loved for no reason except love for itself. He must have been then in his twenties, working as a lecturer in English and simultaneously preparing for the Civil Services.Dad would tell me not to disturb him when he was studying so I thought Mottai uncle was also in school just that he was way ahead of us.He was admired by all of us within a range from 2 year olds to ten year olds. We listened to him better than we did to anyone else. And he still found ample time to spend serious time with us. He just seemed to know everything. He knew how to dance, he knew karate, he knew which fruit of a tree tasted best. He would just turn round the corner of the street and we would all rush to him. He would call out my name and I was the youngest in the group and always could perch on his left arm all the way down to the candy shop down the street. And he was someone who just knew that childhood is to be enjoyed the best way. I was allowed to go with my natural instinct to plunge both my hands into the coloured candy jars.
I guess he spent his earnings then on our candies and sweets. Then he would line us all up and train us to dance and then some karate.The day he cleared his IPS training he kept his word and enacted the police robber gang chase. We his little friends had to run the sandy ground while he would chase us on his bike. He hated sadness in any form. While at pre school either dad or he would pick me up in the evening. So the evening when I got that famous red mark F for failing in English(I scored 8/100) it was he who came to take me home. He noticed my sad silence and told me that F stands for First not Failed. That logic of his stopped my unshed tears at the taunts of others and I loved that red coloured F on my report. As we walked home, he footing the distance and me perched on his left arm with my orange mickey bag hooked on his right, I had the winner's smile.
I guess he spent his earnings then on our candies and sweets. Then he would line us all up and train us to dance and then some karate.The day he cleared his IPS training he kept his word and enacted the police robber gang chase. We his little friends had to run the sandy ground while he would chase us on his bike. He hated sadness in any form. While at pre school either dad or he would pick me up in the evening. So the evening when I got that famous red mark F for failing in English(I scored 8/100) it was he who came to take me home. He noticed my sad silence and told me that F stands for First not Failed. That logic of his stopped my unshed tears at the taunts of others and I loved that red coloured F on my report. As we walked home, he footing the distance and me perched on his left arm with my orange mickey bag hooked on his right, I had the winner's smile.
Dear Anusha, I am really touched and I am sure uncle will have tears rolling when he reads it. even today he believes in being happy whatever may be the circumstances and makes others happy.
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