ONE MORE CHRISTMAS TALE
For
more than a week, the ladies and the kids of our housing colony were excited
about the Christmas party they wanted to hold on 25th December, that
was yesterday. It has been a tradition in our colony; so, every year, the
mothers of little and young children take initiative to host this Christmas
event in a grand way… The colony is lit up with lamps and stars… there is a beautiful
crib and a Christmas tree decorated by kids… This time around, the kids had given the
snowfall-effect to make us feel it was so cold out there!
Last evening,
the party went on till 11.30 (I did not attend; my wife did)… with carols,
games, Santa’s gifts, music and dance… and, of course, lovely snacks, too. I had
gone off to sleep quite early as I had to be up at 4 for routine exercises and
walk. Slightly before 12, our doorbell rang. “Who could be this?” was my
reaction as I dragged the sleepy-me to the door. As I opened the door, about seven
of those brats – both boys and girls – screamed, “Merry Christmas and thank-you
Gerry uncle.” They had come with a large-sized gift, beautifully wrapped. “Why
all this, darlings?” I shied. “Uncle, just to say thank-you,” they cried with
joy. (You see, I am the Hon. Chairman, and was a support for this party all the
way!)… I enquired about the party…
whether all had gone well… and they sounded terrific! “Chalo, so sweet of you to remember me… Go home and take some rest,”
I said as I closed the door.
This morning,
my wife and I got up at 4, completed our routine exercises by 5.25 and sharp at
5.30, we were down for our walk. What shocked me was the unpleasant sight: Paper
plates, plastic glasses and gift wrappers and more such waste stuff were littered
all around. I immediately realized, that someone had forgotten to place the
dustbins (drums)… So, a small oversight had caused a rampage in the open space
where the party was held. I immediately called our two young night-security
men, Pandey and Das, and asked them, why they didn’t place the drums near the
venue. “Sorry sir,” they seemed apologetic. Abhishek Patil and Shithij Golecha –
aged between 11-13 and great cricket enthusiasts – were sitting near the
littered site holding their bats. Obviously, it being a vacation, they had come
to practice for their upcoming colony league-matches. But, how could they play?
The open area was littered with mess. “You want to play sweethearts?” I asked. “Yes
uncle,” they replied. “What is the problem?” I checked. “This… They showed me
the mess.” “Did you both attend the party last night?” I enquired. “Yes uncle,”
they admitted. “Did you both enjoy?” I probed. “Very much,” was the gleeful answer.
“Then, why all
kids did this mess?” I asked them.
Well, it was
not their fault… Somebody forgot to place the drums!
“Come, let’s
clean it up,” I bent down to pick the paper plates, plastic glasses and gift
wrappers. I asked the security to bring a trolley bin which was just
twenty-foot away. The moment I bent down to collect the mess, the two kids and
the security guards followed suit… It took just 10 minutes to clear up the mess
and tuck it where it belonged… “Let’s go and wash our hands,” I said...
“Whose house
is it?” I asked the kids.
“Ours, uncle,”
they replied.
“Who should keep
it clean?”
“We, uncle.”
“You both are such
wonderful kids… Thank you sweethearts… Now, go and play,” I sent them off
patting their backs.
As I was doing
my ten rounds of walk, I could delightfully watch how much thrill both Abhishek
and Shithij derived doing what they loved doing the most… Cricket!
Once I went
back home, I made some nice hot tea, filled it in a flask, put a few slices of
plum cake and Christmas sweets in a container and called the security on the
intercom. “Das, can you please come up for a while?” I said.
Das was a bit
apprehensive, fearing one more morning lecture… But, as he knocked the door, he
was pleasantly surprised to find the flask with hot tea and sweet box. “Just
wanted to say, you guys have been wonderful… Thank you.”
Except my wife
and one of our senior-most members, Bhadekar aunty, no one else knows what happened
after the Christmas party…
Today, I wanted
to tell this enchanting Christmas tale… So, I did.
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Anil Bedi
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