You could make me a cousin

Sairam friends,

I am staying comfortably at my Sister’s home in the U.S. My Sister gave me a seperate room which I really like. I also like the street in which the house is situated. It has lots of trees. There was a neighbourhood party couple of days back and I spoke to some neighbours. One of this men is running for local election and he spoke to me about how he feels President Trump is not the actual representation of American people.

The kids here are really playful. Unlike big cities like Chicago, Los Angeles or New York, people living in Suburbs have more land – More space outside their home and the kids here also have tendency to play outside home.

I am trying to photograph ‘Life of my Sister’s Daughter” and all other experiences.

Last night, a kid knocked the door to ask if Katya can come out to play with her. My Sister told her that its already 8 P.M (It was Sunny day) and gently told her “Why not tommorow”. The American kid was upset and ran away nodding her head.

I could remember the same happening in our childhood back in India. We also have friends in our neighbourhood who come to our home and ask if we can be allowed to come outside to play.

We both went to a near by Library and spent some time there. She kept on telling me ‘I could checkout upto 8 books for you” and hence I asked her to get me a book on Sales

“To sell is Human – Daniel H.Pink”

Something I wish every Indian Kid is exposed to is lots of books and love for reading. Book reading must be a part of our educational culture. Somehow, I hardly see initiatives to help kids learn books are ever taken by Indian schools. Having a library is onething and encouraging kids to love books is another thing. Most Indian schools and colleges just has a library.

We spent over 3 hours in the library where we went without telling my parents. Hence, my Mom started fearing that we were lost. Seems, she started blabering that I took a little kid with me in a new place and have no responsibility. She had even started crying. So my Sister messaged kats. She saw the message and without telling me what was happening at home, started walking so fast. I was wondering why she’s running all the way and kept asking her to slow down.

Finally, as we reached home my Mom shouted at me for which I replied, “We have been telling everyone last night itself that we will be at the library.”

Anyway, I last evening my Sister drove us to Macys store to get me T Shirts. You know the stuff without pockets which men wear…he he…I have never worn a T shirt for years. Even at work, my friends tell me that I must consider wearing one. Anyway, since my Sister got me T shirts, its special to me and I would wear it.

My Sister introduced me to the women taking care of Macys store. She asked me “How do you like it?”. I said the store is beautiful but in India we have so much crowd in all the malls. She told me that since people buy online, stores like this doesn’t pull crowd as before.I told her that I also like it when the store is less crowded.

As we reached home, my Sister for some reason shouted her Daughter. She ran to my room and said “Momma doesn’t love me”.

I kept telling her that every Mom shouts at her kids and she should not take it to her heart.

She kept saying “Momma hates me”

I told her that your Mom is stressed out due to work and you should love her irrespective of what she speaks to you all your life.

I wanted to make her happy and hence playing some stupid games with her.

Since she has neck ache, I was really worried and said kids should not get neck pain like this.

I told her

“I am living too far from you. So you should take care of yourself. I added “I can only pray for you”.

She immidiately starred at me and said

“Where is my new cousin?”

“You could make me a cousin?”

That was a surprise to me as I din’t expect this from my Sister’s little one.

She continued

“Do you have a girl friend?”

Like a typical American who would marry their boyfriend/girl friend, She asked this to me twice as she loves to see me getting married to someone so that she would get a cousin.

She asked again

“Why you don’t have a girl friend?”

I din’t know what to say…

I replied

“Because every girl I liked, din’t liked me”.

I added

“No girls liked me”.

She nodded her head.

She ran to me and slept on my lap for 5 minutes. She’s 11 but still a kid. Its good that I came during this period in her life because now, she knows me. She plays with me. She is able to express what she expects from me.

Last night, as I sat in the backyard of the house with my Brother in law and had a chat with him, it was nice to see the stars. America is beautiful for it has lots of space and there are so many trees in the suburbs. My BIL was telling me about the Native Indians who lived in South Dakota before hundreds of years. The Europeans came, drove them away, had a war and finally, they lost the land which belongs to them.

Seems, the native Americans treated their land as divine and led a very spiritual life. At night, they would have a fire and everyone joins for food.

Life is not about having a price tag for everything. Life is about living in harmony and connecting with each others with love and affection.

As it started getting cold, we walked in the home.

I slept off remembering Sai.

In India, I wake up very late at 7.40

Here, I wake up sharp at 5 A.M.

I go out for a walk happily. Men and Women jogging across me saying Hi, Hello, Good morning but some people who drive past the road stares at me. I don’t know why they stare at me. My Sister says “You must jog and not walk. Since you are walking, they probably stare at you”…he he..

In my trip to the U.S, you won’t see Niagra falls. You won’t see New York. You also won’t see all those glitz and glamour of America.

You will see life as it happens in a small town.

I came here to tell my Sister’s Daughter that we really love her and want her to be successful in life and more importantly grow up as a good girl and she truly is.

Sai blessings

Venkat

Write to venkat

starsai27@gmail.com