The book of snippets

Ugly Duckling

"Maha" she shouts. Vignesh starts squirming in her hands and she grunts. But before Maha runs out of her sight. Two lean arms catch her.

Sakthi smiles admonishingly at Maha who is all flowery smiles for her big brother. She complies as he leads her to them, murmuring something along the way about 'bad girl' 'cycle' 'nice dress' 'dirty hands' and 'chocolates.'

He stops in front of her and holds out his hand to Vignesh who has also stopped squirming.

"Ma" he looks at her, "Go eat... Naan paathukkuren."

She finally finds her words and harrumphs, "What are you doing out here?!?"

Sakthi begins to say something but she cuts him off, "You should be in bed. The wound on your calf hasn't healed at all. Who knows what kind of strain you're putting on it by walking around?"

"Ma" he says but she cuts him off again, "And your hand. It was a deep cut kanna. Let it rest and heal. What is your father going to say if he saw you like this?"

Sakthi had gone around the town riding his bicycle. He begged them to let him learn but after the cut in his wrist, they wanted to give it a break. Then he almost healed and begged again. Sivan relented. He learnt how to maneuver a cycle well and then went jolly riding it everywhere.

One fine day, he came home late, limping and bleeding. He bumped into something. He banged up his calf and cut his wrist (again.)

This time, they put him on a strict bed rest. Yet here he was.

"Ma I'm okay" he manages to say with a tired smile.

"You can't even stand right..." she admonishes him.

Vignesh and maha are now holding his hands, so she makes him sit on a raised platform all the while muttering, 'idiot child', 'what will your father say' and 'you never listen.'

She takes Vignesh and Maha from him as she carefully manoeuvres his leg around his seating.

She shakes her head and begins to clean Vignesh's feet who once again starts squirming.

Maha is happily chatting away with Sakthi in his arms. He still extends a hand to Vignesh who holds it in a death grip.

This boy!

Once his feet are washed, she and Sakthi exchange their toddlers.

When they're done with them, Maha and Vignesh look at them like they've committed war crimes. They just laugh.

Then she turns to Sakthi, "this doesn't mean I'm letting go of your little stunt young man."

He looks at her with a sheepish smile and his shoulders.

She shakes her head.

"You didn't have to come out you know..."

He smiles again, "well they were shouting and I am their big brother aren't I?"