126. Childhood Reminisces – My Uncle

Another blog on my childhood memories😊.

This is about one of my uncles.  The earliest remembrance of him is a scar that I am destined to carry for life😊!!

I think I was very young then, maybe 4 or 5 years old.  My family had gone to Chennai for the summer vacation and were about to start back for Delhi that evening.  While my parents were busy packing, my uncle suggested that we play air-cricket.  I was supposed to be the bowler and he would be the batsman.  We were in a courtyard and had sufficient space for running around.  For bat, he took on a crowbar-like object which was quite heavy and made of iron and the length of a cricket bat.  I had to do bowling action and he would do the batting action😊.

We both retreated to different ends.  And then, I came in running to bowl and he kept on coming forward to hit the “ball”.  As soon as I finished my bowling action, I did not remember anything😊.  I came to my senses sometime later and saw that everyone was crowded around me.  I was wondering if we were indeed returning back to Delhi that day.  I was later told that when my uncle swung his “bat” he connected the iron crowbar with the side of my forehead, just above my left eye, in the eyebrow😊!!  Thanks to that, I still have a split eyebrow at the place!!  I don’t remember the pain that I would have felt then, now.  I do remember that he got a shouting from my mother and grandmother that time, but not from my father😊!!

During school summer vacations, my mother used to take me and my brother to Chennai to stay there for 2 months.  During one of these times, my uncle took me and brother to see a Tamil movie in a theatre.  The movie ended by around 430pm or so.  It was a Saturday and during Saturday’s, Madras Doordarshan TV used to show Hindi movies.  The movie used to start at 5pm.  After the Tamil movie ended, my uncle said we will go his cousin’s house, which was nearby, and then go back to our home.  I told him that we will go direct to home instead as the Hindi movie will start soon.  He said no and proceeded to walk towards his cousin’s house.  He thought we will follow him😊.

In the meanwhile, I convinced my brother to accompany me for the walk back home and we walked all the way back home, about 15-20 minutes-walk.  Once we were back home, we switched on the TV to watch the Hindi movie.  We found that the movie was the same that we saw in Delhi the earlier Sunday.  Later I learnt that the Hindi movie that was shown in Delhi Doordarshan on Sunday evenings was shown in Madras Doordarshan, the next Saturday evenings😊!!  

Since the movie was already seen by me, I went to the washroom.  During this period, my uncle had returned back.  On reaching his cousin’s place, he found that we were not following him.  He told his cousin’s mother that he will be back.  Apparently, he too came back walking and searching for us during the way whether we had forgotten the way and had gotten lost😊.  He came back to his home, with full of anger😊.  My brother was the first person to see him.  My uncle vented all his anger on him by thrashing him on his back!!  When he found out that I was in the washroom, he came to washroom and banged the door asking me to come out.  Since I had “heard” of the thrashing, it was loud😊, I refused to come out and spent some 15-20 minutes more inside😊.  When I came out after some 20 minutes, my uncle’s anger had subsided and I missed his beating😊😊!!

During my younger years, I was interested in photography and used to click photos regularly.  In those times, you had to purchase a camera roll and then put it into the camera properly so that pictures could be taken.  If the roll was not inserted properly, no photograph would come and the entire roll as well as the memories would be lost forever.

My uncle was going on his honeymoon and I volunteered to put the roll in the camera😊.  I used to put rolls in my camera in Delhi and had taken lots of pictures.  That gave me confidence that I can do the job properly.  My mother suggested to my uncle to go to a photography shop to put the roll.  He said let my nephew put the roll.  My aunt was also in favour of my putting the roll in the camera.  So, I ended up putting the roll in the camera.  After his honeymoon, he came back and gave the roll to the photography shop for developing the pictures.  After a few days he went to the shop to collect the photos.  The photographer told him that all the photos are completely black and maybe the roll was not put properly before clicking!!  My uncle ended up losing all his honeymoon memories because of me!! ☹. Luckily, we had come back to Delhi once my uncle and aunt had left for honeymoon and I was not there when the result came from the photo shop😊.  Although, in hindsight, I don’t think I would have been beaten as my aunt would have come to my rescue😊.

I used to travel across India as I was into sales.  One day I was in Chennai in the vicinity of my uncle’s office.  I thought of surprising him.  Without informing him that I was coming to meet him, I landed up in his office.  He was busy playing “Solitaire” in his office computer😊!!  I asked him if he doesn’t have any work or what if his boss sees him like that?  He coolly replied that he mostly plays solitaire as he completes all his work as soon as he is given the work and doesn’t have extra work.  And whatever his boss asks, he is able to do it within the stipulated time.  So, his boss also doesn’t mind his playing during the office time😊!!  In fact, he boasted that he even plays “Solitaire” when his boss is also around😊!!

Truly, a cool and jovial uncle😊!!

Cheers until next time!

Today’s Observation

There are only two types of girls in this world – one who makes a man out a fool and one who makes a fool out of a man😊