NY:Broomstick

Lately,a lot of what I've been writing is about people I know and how much they mean to me.While I do like writing these articles and it makes the subjects of the articles really really happy,I don't want to turn this into some kind of an "ode to my friends" blog:P So,here's something funny,hoping to compensate and restore the humor-sincerity balance of my articles:)

I would have been 5 years old at the time.I belong to a typical South Indian family.I was studying in a convent which enforced absurd rules very strictly to the tee.One of these rules was that students should not wear gold/silver earrings(and other ornaments of course).In a South Indian family,wearing no earrings is taken as some sign of doom and every girl is made to wear one within 3 years or so:P

My Mom (well aware of the no-gold rules) sent me off to school with a tiny gold earring which was promptly spotted by my kindergarten teacher who proceeded to remove it and hand it over to me with a reprimand and a reminder of the rules.I was a stickler for rules then and therefore mortified by this transgression.I took the earring home and told my Mom that I would never again wear one of these to school.

My Mom ranted about what a stupid school it was that it didn't let people wear even a earring.Thereafter,she tried to cajole me into wearing it again the next day reasoning that if I wore it enough number of times,the teacher would tire of telling me and just let it be.I refused to break the rule again.My mom didn't even consider artificial jewelry--she dismissed it off with a sneer of repugnance:P

Now we were deadlocked--I wouldn't wear gold and she wouldn't let me wear artificial.Which translates to no earring.She wasn't happy with this because she was the one who pierced my ear while I screamed bloody murder the whole time.She's told me that I was the hardest of her ear-piercing cases and she obviously didn't want to repeat the mutually painful ordeal. :D

Wait here,she mumbled and went off into the kitchen.I followed her in curiosity and saw her take out a brand new broomstick(the stick one not the one made of fibers) from the store shelf.She broke off a tiny piece of one stick into two and dipped both of them in castor oil.I watched in fascination and next thing I knew,it was in my ear.I didn't object because this wasn't gold and I didn't care whether I had a earring or not.

Now comes the fun part.Next day at school.My teacher has an eye out for me,to see if I'm again wearing the earring from yesterday.She's a nun and she's baffled by the sticks she sees in my ears.What are you wearing in your ear ,child? Her tone is one of utter bewilderment.

Broomsticks dipped in castor-oil.Pat comes my totally sincere and non-sarcastic reply.My entire class breaks out in laughter.I can't figure out why they're laughing.I thought this is a state-of-the art earring my Mom has come up with for me:P My teacher is on the bridge--she doesn't know if this is a prank I'm playing or if I'm being truthful:D It does look like a broomstick,must have been her line of thought.Go sit down,she mutters.I happily go back to my place.

When I go back home,I narrate the entire incident verbatim to my parents.My Dad can't stop laughing while my Mom is embarrassed.What will I do with this girl! She goes around telling everyone I put broomsticks in her ear. She face-palms and asks me Why couldn't you think of something nice? Couldn't you say it was a Tulsi twig? What will your teacher and friends think of me?

Hey,you put broomsticks in my ear.That's what I told them.Not my fault:D

P.S:If you didn't know,apparently,a lot of people make their kids wear this kind of earring before they buy them gold ones.It could be a Tulsi twig or a broomstick--basically anything stick-like:P So I wasn't a weirdo or anything--well I was,but for other reasons like telling everyone this:D

I hope you have fun reading this and laughing at the hilariously naive and truthful 5 year old me. :)