123. The fight with my folks

When I was in class 7,my love for Renu reached its romantic pinnacle. I made a pledge that I would marry no one else other than Renu.That pledge even made me a good boy and I stopped drooling over other girls in class that even included my french teacher.I used to follow Renu everyday to school.Her blue school uniform that swerved with her rhythmic walk is still fresh in my memory. She always had a red rose in her hair.I can still sense the fragrance. I soon found out that she used Hamam soap. The very same day, I shifted my brand loyalty to Hamam soap. Even this morning, I used Hamam soap while bathing ( Yes I took a bath today).

Coming back to the topic on my love for Renu, I soon realised that I could not lead a life without her. So I decided to convey my decision to my parents. After much thought , I decided that I would open the subject matter on a weekend. So when saturday finally came, I woke up early in the morning, brushed my teeth, took a warm water bath(ofcourse with hamam soap) and even drew a faint black line between my nose and my upper lip with my pencil (A sign that gave me enough confidence to talk with my parents). I went to the kitchen made my own coffee and went to the couch and had a refreshing drink only to realise that I had mixed the blackpepper powder instead of coffee powder. But Legends do not go down without a fight. So I drank the whole cup. I even glanced through the headlines in the newspaper ( To impress my dad, cos he always used to tell me to keep myself updated with the developments around me). Then I went to my parents and told them that I need to talk to them. They did not bother me. But when I put a serious face and hardened my voice and repeated the sentence, they knew that I was really serious.

So the next moment we( Me, my mom, my dad, and my sister) were in the drawing room. I was at my personified best and this is how the conversation went.

Me:Hi folks. Without much ado, let me come to the point
Sis: Hey! your bed room is stinking.. Did you pee in your bed again?
Me: Please be serious. I do not want to deviate from the topic
Dad: Ok go ahead.
Me: Look everyone! I am in love with a girl.
Mom: At such a young age? are you not ashamed?
Me: I am 12 now. I will be soon a teenager. ( I even kept my index finger near my nose, so that they would notice my mush and understand the fact that I am a big boy)
Mom: Who is she?
Me: My classmate, Renu.
Sis: That little girl who always hangs out with Shabir?
Me: Do not talk about him.She loves me only.
Mom: But she is from a different caste and religion
Me: I do not care. My love for her knows no barriers.
Dad: So what have you decided?
Me: I am going to marry her
Sis: What if we do not agree?
Me: You mind your own business.
Dad: In that case, you would not get your monthly pocket allowance of Five rupees.
Me: I do not care. I just want to marry her
Sis: I will tell to your class girls that you pee in bed.
Me: Huh! As if I care!!!
Mom: No breakfast for you!
Me: I will eat at Renu's house
Sis: But Shabir eats at her place
Me: Grrrrrr. I told you not to talk about him
Dad: I won't buy you the bi-cycle
Me: I will walk to school
Mom: You are not marrying her
Me: Yes! I am gonna marry her
Dad: I won't allow you to watch Shanti anymore

For the un-initiated, Shanti was a mega series that graced every household in India in the Nineties... For the still un-initiated, Mandira Bedi was the main girl in Shanti...


( I never expected this to come from my dad)
Me: But pappa! You can't do this to me
Dad: Yes! no more shanti at home.
Me: Ok! In that case I am not marrying Renu
Sis: Good for Renu
But still my love for Renu continued...

-Chronicwriter