The Troublesome Ride

It was in February, 2018. Veer and I decided to go on a ride and get him some chocolates. Veer had recovered from fever just a couple of days ago. Hence, I was a little sceptical about taking him on a ride. I asked him to wear a sweater, to which he refused saying, "Veer is strong; he doesn't feel cold." I couldn't counter him, but checked with him, "So Veer will inform Papa when he feels cold?" He didn't respond; maybe his silence asked me to shut up.

We started our ride. In between, I started checking his hands to know if he was shievering. When I checked for the first time, he said, "Papa, Veer told you that he wouldn't feel cold." However, I kept checking in regular intervals ignoring his audacious remarks.

After a few minutes, he started shievering. I asked him, "Veer, are you feeling cold." Embarassed, he said, "No." I thought he was just trying to scare me. After a few seconds, he said, "Papa, Veer is feeling cold." I immediately checked his hands; he was shievering uncontrolably. I stopped the bike and parked it on a side of the road. Then, I started rubbing his hands but he started shievering even more.

Instantly, I ran to the nearby shops and asked if they had any blanket. Nobody had one. I went to my tailor and asked for one. He said, he didn't have one. I asked him to give me a new piece of cloth to which he agreed on the condition that I would return within half an hour. Quickly, I wrapped Veer with the cloth which made him a bit comfortable. He said, "Veer wants to go home now."

Taking him home on the bike wouldn't be a good idea then. So I called a rickshaw and took him home. On the way, he kept blabbering something which only he would understand. Within seconds of reaching home, he was put under a blanket, and after a minute or so, he was out doing his own stuff.

I walked back to return the piece of cloth to the tailor and to bring my bike home.

Fruity Saved Me

Yesterday, I bought a jar of candies for Veer while coming back from office. He was very happy to see so many candies at once and gulped a few of them in a way he would have rice. Somehow his mother was successful in distracting him and hiding the jar for sometime.

Today in the morning, I asked him what I should bring from office for him. I expected him to name one of his favorite items like chocolate, watermelon, fruity, etc. To my surprise, he said, "Don't bring anything today. I still have the candies left with me. I like those candies a lot." I was very happy to learn this from him. For the first time, he asked me not to bring anything for him. However, I doubted he would remember what he said till I came back from office.

To be on a safer side, I stopped by on my way back home and took a fruity from a shop. My wife opened the door, and I called out Veer's name as soon as I stepped inside. He came running to me and as usual, said, "What have you brought for me?"

All hell would have broken down without the fruity in my pocket.

I learnt, when it goes against their interest, we shouldn't believe what they say.

The Back Seat

Normally, until now, Veer would sit on the front when we took a ride together. Occasionally this would happen even when a third person is on the vehicle. Today, when he insisted for some chocolates and convinced me like every time, we left home with my bike key. When we were near the bike, he says, "Papa, I will sit on the back seat." I got worried because then it would be really difficult to convince him for anything different. But I gave it a try. I said, "Dear, you will fall down." He replied convincingly, "Papa, I will hold you tight."  Hesitant, I started slowly and rode at a speed of 20 km/h. However, he was comfortable. His confidence made me assured. In 10 minutes, we came back home.

More than me he knows when he is ready. Point taken.