A PROMISE ON EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY

















“Happy 18th b’day dear…
Just remember, you may be legal now…
But, you are also old enough for prison… Enjoy!”

- Advice from an elder sister

Urvi and Nishi, both belong to my twelfth-standard batch (ISC). Today, at 8 in the morning, when they both came to my class, they beamed with excitement… Well, the excitement was understandable as they both turned ‘18’, today…

“Sir, I am ‘18’ today," Nishi said stretching the Cadbury chocolates-box before me…

“Wow, what a day madam… Many, many, many happy returns of the day,” I shook gently Nishi’s hand.

“And, where are your chocolates, Urvi dear?” I asked the other b’day girl who had turned up with her dazzling b’day special outfit… but, solid twenty minutes late for the class!

“Sir, I will bring in the next class?” Urvi promised, “Pakka.”

“And today, you will give what?” I insisted.

“What would I give today?” the b’day girl seemed perplexed.

“Well, give me and your friends here a promise,” I made it a little easier for Urvi.

“What promise, sir?” Urvi asked shyingly.

“You have turned an adult today, right?” I asked.

“Yes sir, but, what promise?” Urvi was almost troubled.

“So, you don’t need parents’ permission from today onwards to take decisions and make promises, right? I continued.

“That’s right sir, but…?” Urvi asked a little irritated.

“So, give me and your friends a promise,” I wanted to conclude, “that, from today onwards, you will be on time.”

“Sirrrrrrr!!!!” the young, pretty lady blushed.

“Come on, my dear friends, don’t tell me you guys are not able to make that one promise… and really can celebrate your new-found freedom.” I added, “Do you still need parents to wake you up from your beds… to coax, cajole and force you to make it on time?... Come on, tell me.”

“Yes sir, we promise to be punctual and regular, from today onwards,” promised both Urvi and Nishi, the birthday girls.

“I am going to blog today on this subject – ‘A PROMISE ON EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY’,” I announced, “Of course, I won’t’ write your names.”

“Why not sir, we want you to write our names,” said bravely Urvi.

“And, Nishi… what do you think?”

“Sir, please write our names.”

So, here it is as I promised my young, dashing b’day girls in the open class. Aditi, Simran, Pooja, Anushka, Divya, Gagan and Mammeen… are the witness to that promise.


GERALD D’CUNHA


Pic.: Mavourmeen Peters

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