Monday, September 12, 2011

The Annual Happiness Tax


The rush of water
In the khudd
Welcomes me noisily
So much noise, incessant
Come here Puja, COME HERE.
No way Sir! I am happy to say hello from afar!

Last morning, we stopped by- Amma, Atreya and I
Tired and hot after our long morning trek.
The water was icy
I dipped my feet till I couldn’t bear the blue pain
Amma, ever the teacher anatomist,
explained about noxious stimuli and nerves in the human body. 

She was the one who started it- the horseplay
Then left before we could drench her proper,
Atreya and I couldn't (or wouldn't) stop 
Hysterical with laughter
Surprised at each other’s boldness
And oblivious to everyone else.

He was pressed down against the boulder
His head half submerged in icy water
Held down by his loving (!) mother
His leg locked around my neck
Till I was down too
Shrieking as the cold water drenched my back.

Dad looked on at us from the veranda
Sipping his hot tea
Shaking his head (disapproving or disbelieving?)
When we waved and shouted,
Although for him it wasn't something new
Not the first time he was seeing us lose our minds near that spot 

We left shivering and giggling
The khudd looked back at us
Somehow a little less noisy
A little less demanding
And why not? 
Had we not just paid it our annual happiness tax? 

1 comment:

  1. Having experienced this first hand, I can now fully associate with this! Yes, this was happiness and there was no tax! :)

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