Childhood

I just got out of Anu’s class. I had to be a part of her class project on star student of the week. Anu was the star student of the week this time. We had worked on some old photos of hers with the family and weaved stories around them on a display board. Anu had come up with a list of her favorites and facts. And this time the favorite food had changed from carrots and broccoli (a lie) to soft tacos from Chipotle (somewhat true). The project needed that one day of the week a parent had to come in and talk about the child—some childhood memories to share with the class. The night before, Anu had wanted me to run over the stories that I was likely to share with her class as she was not sure of my ability or content. I had said No –that I was quite capable of recounting stories of her childhood better than her. So this morning I was thankful of my blog and read through few of Anu’s witty remarks as a 4 year old—like the Julia story of her first ever hated day care—where after being bullied by Julia for a month Anu had come home with a purple note that said “Aparna spit on Julia today”. It was hilarious! Then there was the question answer session like in the Bill Cosby show with Anu which I had blogged:

Me: Where is God?
Anu: God is a rainbow that flies over the clouds
Me: What happens when parents die?
Anu: Children become parents.
Me: Who is the president of America?
Anu: Johns Hopkins.
Me: Anu, No, who is the president of America?
Anu: Ok Ok, I know, its George Bush.

And more recently at a friend’s house: the girls are playing pranks calls on the friend’s parents. They are calling the cell phone of the friend’s dad and saying “This is pizza hut calling, free pizza for our first caller, make your order now”. So the dad who recognizes the voices of the kids' goes “So what kind of topping is free?”. Anu answers “Anything that you want Sir”. So the dad wants to strike a fast one, “Can you give me free potty topping?” Anu answers, “In that case Sir you have to bring your own”.

Anu’s class kids are having fun. They have laughed at my jokes and Anu feels that her mom hasn’t made a fool of herself and that her colleagues have understood my Indian accent. I hand out some gummy worms and candies and walk out of the class waiting for school to end to give her a ride home. I choose a bench to sit; right in front of the office, check my SMSs and sympathize with the wailing, sobbing and whimpering kids walking in and out of the office room either with a twisted finger or a bumped head or cut knee. Most are sent out with an ice pack as the school cannot afford a nurse.

After a bit I hear, “One hundred twenty four, one hundred twenty five, one hundred twenty six…" and so on. I look up to see a little boy sitting on a chair outside the office smiling and counting to himself. I smile back and my question answer session with him begins-- for the next 40 mins --until the bell goes off. Here is an excerpt:

Me: Are you on time out?
Boy: No.
Me: Then why are you not in class?
Boy: Because I cant go in.
Me: Why?
Boy: Because I have dog poop over me.

Much laugher from my side.

Me: How did that happen?
Boy: I didn’t know it was dog poop. I have never seen any before.
Me: Did you wash your hands?
He looks at his palms and says “No”.
Me: Well then don’t get them close to your mouth.

He makes a display of wanting to lick his palms and laughs.
I laugh with him.

Me: What grade are you in?
Boy: First.
Me: Whats your name?
Boy: Jadden Redford Don Dakota
I am not sure I hear the first name properly. Jane?
Jadden: No Jadden

But he is still lisping the D. I leave it at that.

Me: Wow that’s a short name!
Jadden: You think its short?

He recites it again.

Me: So which one is your last name?
Jadden: Redford that’s my dad’s name. Then Don and Dakota, my grand parents.
Me: Hmm….Do you have a sibling in this school?
Jadden: Yes
Me: Which grade?
Jadden: 3rd
Me: Any other?
Jadden: I have 10 brothers and sisters.

I am laughing again. He is a short and cute, has short black hair. He is in a black sweat shirt, black jeans laced with dog poop and a nice pair of shoes.

Me: 10 of you?
Jadden: Yes and we are 14 people at home including my parents and grandparents.
Me: Wow! You must have a big house.
Jadden: Yes.

My phone rings I look at the text. Meanwhile I hear “one hundred twenty seven, one hundred twenty eight…” Jadden is counting.

Me: Why are you counting?
Jadden: I am waiting for my dad to come pick me up.

Then he lifts his legs on the chair and shouts, “Look, look I am flying” and makes a face like he actually is.

Next moment he asks me, “Can you do this?” He is twisting his fingers like we do when we want to show a camera shot.
Me: Hmm..“can YOU do this ?”. I bend my fingers down like I usually do ---my fingers bend backwards quite a bit.
He is very interested. His eyes widen. He says, “Wow”. His next question has me in splits.
Jadden: So, are you Spanish or French?
I make a straight face and say, “I am Indian”.

Indian…..Jadden is thinking.

Jadden: So you must know a lot of Indians?
Me: Yes I do.
Jadden: Wow! I don’t know any.

Again his legs go up on the chair. “I am flying”, he chants.

My phone rings. One hundered eighty five…I hear on the side.
We both hear music playing from the auditorium. The school band is practicing.

Me: I love this music. Do you play any instruments?
Jadden: Yes I can play the drums, and the electric guitar.
Me: Wow! That’s cool. Do you sing?
Jadden: No.
And in a moment,
Jadden: Yes I do.
Me: Sing something.
He sings something. I cant understand.

Jadden: Well do you know this song?
Me: Which one?
Jadden: Girls go to high school to get more Jupiter, Boys go to high school to get more stupider.

I laugh. He has it wrong.

Jadden: Whats Jupiter?
Me: It’s a planet I think.
Jadden is thinking…why should girls get into a different planet to go to high school.

Again, “Two hundred twenty six, two hundred twenty seven”…followed by some, “I‘m flying” and this time adding “Why isn’t my dad coming?” But it doesn’t really bother him.

Me: So Jadden, how old is your oldest brother?
Jadden: 19.
Me: Does he go to college?
Jadden: I don’t know. But he can drive by himself.
This is followed by--
"My brother has a jacket that says “I fall for chicks”. I know what that means. It means I like beautiful girls".
Me: Are there any good looking girls in your class?
Jadden: Yes. Two. Lisa and Cindy.

I smile.
Jadden: I have this red box, (he opens his hands like an oyster opens its face). When the box opens it says, “Will you marry me”. That makes Lisa and Cindy laugh. They say, “You are weird”.
This is followed by--
Jadden: Do you know I have a girl friend?
Me: You do?
Jadden: She is 18.
I smile again.
Jadden: Her name is Ashley.

Some more flying in between.
Jadden: Three hundred seventy six, three hundred seventy seven…where is my dad?
And in a moment,

Jadden: Can you whistle like this?

Jadden whistles. I admire.

Jadden: This is how you whistle when you see a pretty girl. Can you whistle?
Me: I can. But its too loud. You will have to go outside.
Jadden: Well le’ts go outside.
Me: No we can’t go out of the school remember?
Jadden: O!

More of “I am flying”.

Then
Jadden: Do you know whats inside my backpack?
Me: No whats in it?
Jadden: Nothing

His bag is lying next to his jacket on the floor. Jadden leans over to his bag. He can barely reach it. He calls the bag “Come!” The bag doesn’t move. Finally he leans over the chair a bit more and reaches it. He brings the bag to his lap and chides it like a child.

Jadden: So you want to see whats inside my bag?
Me: Yes.

It’s a big adult back pack. Jadden opens all the zippers and flashes the inside to me.
Jadden: Nothing.

I am laughing.

Me: Why do you carry it to school then?
Jadden: Well here I have something.

He flushes out from one of the side pockets a tiny green marble that’s painted red on one side.

Jadden: It’s a plum red grape green marble.

Just then the bell goes off and children start coming out of the class. I see Anu come by. I walk over to her and we pass by Jadden sitting on the chair—flying. I stop and say “Anu this is Jadden”. Anu has sheer shame and bewilderment on her face. What is Mama doing talking to a school kid, she is thinking.

"Jadden", I say “This is Aparna. She is Indian”. Jadden almost looks scared. Too many odd things happening to him today: dog poop on his pants, two Indians and dad’s not here yet. He has stopped counting and Anu and I walk to the car.

My blackberry camera has stopped working. Otherwise I would have taken a photo of Jadden Redford Don Dakota and if it wasn’t for the dog poop I would have hugged him too.

My best day ever.