Jingling Riches!

This post has no connection with critical money matters. No discussion on share markets or insurance. In short no elderly dialogues.

Times have come and gone but money has always remained the cynosure of all eyes. The key purpose for obtaining money might be different but the urge to possess it has been strong since time immemorial.

If I raise a question..who had a coin bank as a kid? All hands will go up! Yes..shapes and sizes must have been different. The leisurely act of dropping coins in the piggy bank was far more pleasurable than the act of saving money in a poker-faced bank.

As a kid I was the proud owner of three coin banks but my favourite was one earthen coin bank. It had a traditional look with copper glaze. It was a tedious job to retrieve coins from it without causing permanent demolition. Still I loved it because it provided me the scope for using my colors and artistictic excellence. The whole body used to get a colourful look with drawings which now have a name…”abstract art”.

I remember how I used to bother my parents by asking for coins everyday. I used to feel impatient unless and until the bank was full to the brim. When this target was achieved the next goal was to spend the money. An oscillation of yes and no used to happen. It was saddening to spend the money but the thought of buying something with hard saved money was gratifying. I used to spend mostly on icecream sticks, candy floss and stickers. It was like my cave of riches!

With age, my consumption has reduced also. Though often I feel the urge to grab a candy floss, smell it and feel it melting in my mouth. But logic nips the wish. I do not buy stickers anymore. Can not stick them on official reports.

Everyday childhood days are going far and far away. It is bidding me good bye. I try to hold it but all in vain. My dreams of grown – up years have overshadowed the little wishes of childhood. But I know the days can not dissappear for ever. Life is a drawing without an eraser. So traces of early day’s memories will flicker by often to prove its presence…to say that it will be there whenever I will need to stop, stare and enjoy the fleeting glimpses. 

Letter to an old buddy

Dear Tiffin Box,

Please do not be angry for ignoring you for many years. Few days back I saw you lying in the kitchen rack, still sparkling as before. Past memories flashed by. Our association started when I shifted to new school in KG class.  I disliked you because you had a steel body devoid of any colors. You were spacious. So the chance of accomodating more food was high! As a kid I never liked having tiffin. Tiffin time was terror time. Our aunty used to check individual tiffin boxes everyday. And I was always asked to stand outside the classroom to finish my tiffin. You know, how I resorted to tricks. Like hiding grapes beneath banana peals, or hurling them slowly into the nearby dustbin or throwing food out of the window like an imp. I know this can not be a justification to hate you. But let me tell you, I used to like the figure of the swan that is embedded on your cover. I still love it. I used to trace the shape on a paper. It was fascinating to see the image gradually appearing on the sheet. But soon I got bored. I wished for a new one.  Now for a vibrant double container one. After few days, it became cumbersome for me to carry it. You resumed your place in my school bag. I do not remember when I abandoned you again by opting for a new one. This time for a long span.

So many years have passed. I never considered of carrying you in the rest of my school days, college or university days. Now I have plunged into professional life. Things become different with age and maturity. One understands the actual value of things which we often take for granted. I do not create ruckus about eating tiffin now. Infact I diligently carry my lunch box. I love eating grapes too!

The moment I gazed at you, I realised that you are one of the few possessions associated with my childhood days. You too have an important place in my life. You bear the puerile essence of those by-gone days. Yesterday, I took you with me in my office. I hope you liked my desk,though it is more business like. It's different from the desk provided in school. It was wonderful sharing food with an old buddy. You must have noticed the childish glee in my eyes when I was poking you with my spoon.

I have decided not to abandon you again. You still accommodate enough food for my appetite. J

With love..

Yours pal.

Embracing the delight of cartoon shows

I’m still a die hard fan of cartoons, the list includes Tom & Jerry, Shinchan, Doraemon, Kitretsu, Perman and so on…This is a kind of hobby I like to ride with enormous joy. On Sunday morning repeat telecast of Shinchan and Doraemon are aired. So my weekly off day is spent watching the shows for more than 1 hour. Even my childhood days were spent joyously watching a bunch of cartoons. It included Meena, Mickey Mouse and Friends, Duck Tales, Jungle book, Dennis the Menace, Pingu, Alice in Wonderland, Bible ki kahaniyan, He-Man.... there must be more names I’m unable to recall. I cherished them all but Meena, conceived and produced by UNICEF, had a special place. Even now I often switch to Doordarshan in anticipation to see if they are telecasting the show.

Now-a-days, quite a no of channels are there who telecast cartoons 24 hrs. Previously the situation was not so. One had to wait patiently till the hands of clock perched on the perfect time and then it was rush hour. Destination - the beloved TV.

When I was a kid my father used to bring me video cassettes of cartoons mostly Looney Tunes. It was a motivation tool shown to me the same way as ‘carrots’ are dangled in front of employees. My parents tried so hard to motivate me to eat relatively faster because I used to take 1 hour to chew my food. But there is one difference. Employees get ‘carrot’ after good performance. I used to get my ‘carrot’ while performing the art of never-ending eating. :)

Sometimes I ponder over my liking for cartoons. Why do I like them so much? Is it the caricatures, vibrant colors that amuse me or I like that all beings are immortal here in this world or there is always a happy ending or feel spellbound to see weird gadgets solving all seemingly mundane yet complicated problems in Nobita’s life? My analysis failed to suggest any answer. Once I read in an article, children who watch cartoons regularly are unable to relate to reality. May be as an adult I want to cast my eyes off the real world for a while and take pleasure in the ephemeral delight of another world. As long as I’m rooted to reality, I guess a little dose of indulgence is acceptable. :)

    Meena Video Clip