Sunday, March 9, 2008

Why Sonny boy goes to school.

Yesterday afternoon, a peaceful weekend afternoon, Sonny boy and his Amma were cuddled together on the bed, for the afternoon nap.
Sonny boy's story had been related, and he had his leg over Amma, and his hand on Amma's ear, and he was all set to sleep. Amma was peacefully re-reading and smiling over Gerald Durrel's My Family and Other Animals..
I LOVE that guy's descriptions...its is so evocative..
...cypress trees were whipped like dark pendulums against the sky..
...the island was drenched with dew, radiant with early morning sun, full of stirring life...
I compare Gerry's life with Sonny boy's, and find it so lacking, even tho' I am glad my son doesn't make friends with scorpions!

But I am digressing. Sonny was half asleep, when he felt me shaking with laughter at the scorpion episode. His eyes flew wide open again, and he looked curiously at the book for a clue to the merriment. Finding none, he looked at me. Amma knew better than to meet his eyes and invite a barrage of questions that would send the sleepy mood flying. So she kept on reading, ignoring the eyes fixed on her.
But the questions were on their way.

"Amma, when I am big...bigger than you.. bigger than Acha, I will be able to shake my eyes?"

Amma registered the question, and in her turn, searched for clues to the meaning behind 'shaking the eyes'. Nope. Not a clue. But now this looked like more fun than Gerald Durrel.

"What, Sonny boy?" when you grow big.., what?
"When I grow beeeeeeg, I will also be able to shake my eyes? Like Amma?"
Now this was getting interestinger and interestinger. Amma had been shaking her eyes?

A totally blank Amma looked at Sonny boy, and regarded Sonny boy...
Sonny boy raised his hand and gently fingered my eye. "
Amma.., when I grow bigger than you.., I will be able to shake my eyes..? For story?

The obscuring clouds moved and revealed light.
Sonny boy was referring to my pupils moving as I read. Shaking my eyes indeed.

"Yes, Sonny boy," a laughing Amma hugged him close. "That is what you will learn in school. To shake your eyes and read your own stories."

Ah! to have the mind of a 4 year old.

9 comments:

Choxbox said...

thats so cute!

btw i must tell you abt this: the bit in that book where the mom wears a black swimsuit and margo says something sarcastic.. well n3 had read this book couple of years back and i was generally asking her stuff from it. when i asked her abt this bit i found that she did not get the sarcasm at all. she re-read it recently and now totally got it - evolving sensa humour and all :)

Pri said...

awww..the innocence of 'kidohood' :D

Swati said...

awww ..thats so very innocent ..hugs to him :)

Swati said...

btw ..sorry cud not catch up with you yesterday ..just left myself online and was busy with cooking. Saw your message much later

Just Like That said...

Choxbox: :-D how old is N3 now? It is a real fun book for kids and adults alike.
I myself used to skip all those 'voluminous' descriptions- its only now I get the romance of it.

Pri: :-) welcome to my blog.

Swati: :-) Shall give him your hug.
never mind, its been ages.. thought we could do some catching up.. saw your message later too :-)

Usha said...

hehehe...Sonnyspeak is getting cuter and cuter but I am also worried that if you send him to school he will not only learn to shake his eyes but he may unlearn sonny speak - dont send him to school yet!

WhatsInAName said...

lol :)
Thats as cute as can be!
May he grow up to be a shake-speare :)

Fuzzylogic said...

*Shaking the eyes trying to catch up all the missed posts* Aww..he is adorable!

Unknown said...

Soooo chweet....when will my brat want to shake eyes!!!!! Am at my wits end trying to make him want to shake eyes.