I have a brother. These are four very powerful words. Loosely
translated in hindi it would mean , “Mere paas bhai hai”. (Of course not the “bhai”s
of the “once upon a time in mumbai” kind, but i admit trying to give the same effect atleast once or more in life). I have used these
words time and over in school, to ward- off guys... “bhai” would become “BHAI” then.
Then that guy who’s dying to pass that love letter to you, would think twice, “
arey uska bhai hai re”. The physique of the bhai dint matter then, all it
mattered was that there was a “bhai”.
As you move out of school , and life’s troubles move beyond warding-off
guys, you tell yourself, “I have a brother”. The words still give strength.
I have a brother. My brother has a well-formed face, well
developed, agile limbs, and a teddy-bear tummy he wishes he’d get rid off. We’ve
been in two states for more than a decade now.It took me a moment to count the
years. Of what he has been in this past decade i dont much of remember, but
when i miss him i fly back 2 decades, to afternoons spent roaming in the heat,
emptying the piggy bank, to music played on a stereo taperecorder, to houses of
cassettes, and study times spent planning summer vacations. I remember keeping
secrets... small, stupid things, a broken vase, a quickly gulped lolly. I
remember dueling like we were wrestling for our life... i remember leaving the
game, just when i was gonna lose, i remember the boxful of marbles we’d made as
a team, i remember flying kites, making faces to the camera... tailing him
around.I remember sharing a bed with him,giggling, talking til we fell asleep.I
remember roaming the shops to find a birthday card for him.
What i dont remember is when we stopped scribbling our names
together.
Its been such a long
time we have spent time together, like those casual baseless times, where it is
obvious to be with each other and not an occasion (like diwali). Its been ages
since we fought to rule over the sofa, or for the remote (or for who will go
and switch on the fan). Its been ages since he ruffled my hair.
Why all these thoughts now?
Well we are of that age now, the age of transforming
relationships. There are many “The Day’s” in your life, for those blessed with
a sibling, one of them is the sibling’s wedding.
Life will be transformed, true.
.. and you only wish it was ’92 (it rhymed!!! yeah!)
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