The Ultimate Hide-And-Seek

My mother has locked me in the attic today. My mistake – doing what is right. I went to the greengrocer today to get the vegetables. The lady beside me was taking the rotten beans from the basket. I stopped her and she started shrieking at the top of her voice. I did not know that she loved eating rotten veggies. The people around were also rebuking me. I guess they were enjoying that she loved rotten food. Had she told me earlier, I would have carried all the rotten food from my neighbourhood and fed it to her. My brother Bhaku pulled me from the crowd and apologised as I misbehaved with the lady. He even asked me to say “Sorry”. I said so, because he is my elder brother and he asked me to do so. But I do not know why I should have been sorry. He came home and was saying gibberish to my mother. She took the stick and kept beating me until I agreed to stay in the attic. I know, now when I am in the attic, she must be crying. When the entire family will have their lunch, my sister will steal some food and bring it here for me. Mother will all the while know what she is about to do and choose to ignore it. However strict she might be, she wants me to be fed. I love eating. When everyone sleeps at night, I dream of food – sweets and savouries, from India or Italy. As far as cooking is concerned, my mother is the best. But, today the food is weird. When she scolds me and is sad, she ends up cooking “WEIRD FOOD”. 

I can hear footsteps. She must be coming to get me. But I will hide and she will not be able to get hold of me. Let me try hiding behind the cupboard. I hid just in time. The door opened and I could not be seen. But the people who opened the door were not my family members, but the cops. Why were they searching for me. I remember stealing my neighbour Nilesh's marbles ten years back. He fought with me and told me that I would never grow up. That is not true. I have grown up in the last ten years or...did my clothes become shorter? But how did the police get to know that I stole Nilesh's marbles? Oh God! Please save me this time. I will never steal again. Neither a marble, not a tissue paper. Now they are beating up Bhaku and telling him that he is a liar. They even told him that I wanted to molest the lady. I don't know what molesting means...must be some kind of stomach upset. They are pulling Bhaku by his ears. Very good – he also does that to me when he wants to punish me. Now they are punishing him because they did not get me. Serves him right. 

They have gone downstairs. The police are beating Bhaku. I can see through the hole in the window. My sister Leela has come to the door and is calling me. She has food. I opened the door and she swiftly entered and closed it. “What did you do in the market?” - asked Leela. I replied “Nothing. I tried stopping the foolish lady from taking the rotten beans. But, she insisted on taking them. You know, she would make a wonderful curry from it. Do you know how to make it?” Leela held her breath and told me - “You fool! She has charged you and Bhaku with molestation. Do you even understand what you have done?” “Yes, I understand that I am responsible for her stomach being upset. Don't tell mother. She will scold me.” I said. Leela told me not to leave the room unless she asks me to do so. She is my younger sister, but can be quite bossy at times. I tend to forgive her. I had my food and slept in the attic. Leela woke me up the next day. Her eyes were red and swollen. It seemed that she did not sleep the entire night. Must be fun. She could have played and I had to sleep. This is injustice. I am angry with her. She told me to go downstairs and not make any noise. I could see a figure wrapped in white clothes in the drawing-room. Did the mother bring a giant doll for me? But why was everyone crying. Mother was sitting near the doll's legs. I went and saw the face. It was Bhaku. But why was he sleeping? I tried to wake him up, but he did not respond. Must be angry because the police pulled his ears yesterday. I said sorry and told him that I will give him my favourite toy train. He still did not answer. Mother kept on crying and Leela was consoling her. They took Bhaku away. Lazy Bhaku did not wake up even then. Mother and Leela hugged me and kept on crying. They told me that Bhaku has died. I don't think so. Must be one of his pranks when we act that he is dead and then scares me. But, this time, it is for a longer time. People said that Bhaku died trying to save me. I was not about to drown that he saved me. Bhaku always acts as if he is great. But in spite of his mischiefs, I miss him. I asked the mother that they took Bhaku away and why he has not returned in the last 3 months. She cried silently. Leela told me to search for Bhaku in the sky. He must be a star somewhere. I keep searching for him. But I know he always used to win our hide-and-seek games. He is a champion at hiding. Soon he will come back and shout at me with a “DHAPPA”.