We used to live in Shillong those days, mom says i was around two and a half yrs old.. my parents, aunties, uncles and der families, grandpa, grandma..we all lived together in one big house over a hill with a long, narrow flight of stairs leading to the road below.. me n my cousin who was two yrs older used to play in the mud, steal tomatoes from grandma's kitchen basket, collect plums from the ground ..have a great time .. he was the boss and so naturally he got to be the driver and i the passenger of our imaginary bus made out of two jute chairs placed at the edge of the verandah.. we drove only wen it was raining, which was like alwys, considering the fact dat we stayed at a place which was around 50 kms frm Mawsynram(a place which recieves the heaviest rainfall in the world, i dont knw if the stats've changed lately) ..he used to double up as the conductor too.. only wen he was in a generous mood, would he allow me to call out for some time, "Shillong-Guwahati.. Shillong-Guwahati.. Shillong-Guwahati .." well der wer good reasons too.. wat sounds he used to make of the engine, n tyre screechin', gears too..oh he was a complete machine!! i used to practice day in n out to do it like him, he was my hero!
..dat day we were fighting to collect clips to put a screen of saris around our bus, to give it a more realistic attire. Who could collect more clips n reach the verandah first? i snatched all, put 'em inside my pockets n swiftly sat on my tricycle to race towards the verandah.. he was furious, he came from behind and pushed me, i went straight towards the glass showcase and crashed to it.. next i rmbr my mom crying/screaming, tryin' to keep the little finger of my right hand at place as it was hanging jst by a small skin :(
..dont quite rmbr wat hpnd after that, but my little finger's still der :) ..although the 7 stitch marks are quite visible n wen i bend it, it gives a very awkward shape ..HAHAHA!!!
