On Sunday, Monsoon, Bryan and I set out for Linking Road. Mission? To buy Bryan his first pair of jeans (long pants). He told me on Saturday that the boys tease him cause he continues to wear shorts and that he wants a pair of Jeans. I explained to him that he looks good in a pair of shorts because he has good legs and that the guys probably envy him. He has well-developed well-formed hamstrings and calves (a result of playing football) and - "honest to God" - a pair of jeans shorts make his legs look enviable. However, I realized that he had grown up without my knowing it and wanted to look like a big boy.
We were at the "Pepe Jeans" store and I got him his first pair of jeans which did make him look rather nice. I was filled with a strange sense of emotion as I realized that he was now growing into a big boy and very soon he would be as tall as me. Although it was not on the plan, he found a "cool" looking shirt and was longingly holding it at arms length, appraising it. I asked him to try it on and - well - it would go well on his jeans so we ended up buying it. The glee in his eyes and the hug he gave me saying, "thank you da-da" (thats dad and not big brother as in Bengali) made everything worthwhile.
When I returned home, I mused about this and remembered "Fiddler on the roof", a movie that moved me 3 decades back. I can only today identify, with just how the father felt when he stood on the train station, seeing his daughter off as she planned to marry a russian peasant. He sang this melancholy song which matched the even more poignant whistle of a train in the far off distance as it puffed towards the station to take his daughter away;
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little girl at play?
I don't remember growing older,
when did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
when did she grow to be so tall?
wasn't it yesterday when they were small?
Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset
quickly go the days,
seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
blossoming even as we gaze.
We were at the "Pepe Jeans" store and I got him his first pair of jeans which did make him look rather nice. I was filled with a strange sense of emotion as I realized that he was now growing into a big boy and very soon he would be as tall as me. Although it was not on the plan, he found a "cool" looking shirt and was longingly holding it at arms length, appraising it. I asked him to try it on and - well - it would go well on his jeans so we ended up buying it. The glee in his eyes and the hug he gave me saying, "thank you da-da" (thats dad and not big brother as in Bengali) made everything worthwhile.
When I returned home, I mused about this and remembered "Fiddler on the roof", a movie that moved me 3 decades back. I can only today identify, with just how the father felt when he stood on the train station, seeing his daughter off as she planned to marry a russian peasant. He sang this melancholy song which matched the even more poignant whistle of a train in the far off distance as it puffed towards the station to take his daughter away;
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little girl at play?
I don't remember growing older,
when did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
when did she grow to be so tall?
wasn't it yesterday when they were small?
Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset
quickly go the days,
seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
blossoming even as we gaze.
3 comments:
*sigh* As they say parenthood is just a series of good byes. goodbye to sitting in lap, good bye to hugging you and going to sleep... etc. I am already nostalgic about how siddharth was when he was two months old ..
Cherish and relish everything while it lasts. I remember enjoying every bit of it.
Da da ! Da da ! Let’s run for all we can-
Hand in hand, Heart to heart-
Let’s talk now, Man to Man
Before my steps run faster and faster…..
My heart it stopped just for a beat,
My eyes they swelled up in the heat-
Of emerging manhood
As my child hurried to take wings,
My heart cried out, Wait- a moment please
I am not yet ready to let you go
Let me hold you longer in my bosom
Let me regale you with tales you love
Let me apprise you of dangers round the corner
Let me……..Da Da ! Hurry Up Please…
Daniel, you are a great Dad.
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