Life- A Short Story # 7

Princess of my father

As I have mentioned earlier, I had very small dreams. What is a Dream? A dream can be described as a series of images, thoughts, desires, or emotions that pass through our minds. It’s a wonderful thing we can create in our imagination, most often related to our future. It’s something we wish and hope to achieve someday.

I had a habit to be always happy and whatever the circumstances in life were, I never demanded the things my parents couldn’t afford comfortably. Despite my interest in movies, music, and  TV, I never pressurized my father for buying anything he couldn’t afford comfortably at that time.

Back then only a few houses had TV and I with my cousin brothers used to go to watch TV programs at our relative’s house. Many other people from the neighborhood were also there. We used to go for watching “Chitrahaar” on Wednesday and Friday. On Saturdays and Sundays, some old movies were also relayed on Doordarshan.

Then my Mamaji(maternal uncle)also bought a Tv. We all used to gather at Mamaji’s house to watch Chitrahaar and Movies on TV. The whole room was filled with people. Most of them from our locality. But my father used to stop me from going and watching TV at anyone’s home. He didn’t like it at all that I was sitting with all those people for so long.

When I was 14, one evening my father came back from his office early and asked me to get ready. I was the princess of my father and he took me for shopping whenever he was happy with me. He used to buy some dresses for me and we ate some nice food in South Extension Bengali Market. So I thought it would be the same this time too. I didn’t expect at all that a big surprise is awaiting me.

That evening we went to South Extension market and he stopped at a TV shop. I was surprised and asked him if he was going to buy one? He smiled at me and nodded. I can’t tell you how happy I was at that moment. 

I was growing young and my father didn’t like me to go to anyone’s house to watch TV. So he managed to buy one. Now my father is no more but I will always remember how much he cared for me and protected me. At that time an ad was very popular on TV …” Neighbours envy owner’s pride.”

it was an ad for a brand of TV (Onida TV). I used to laugh and say this when our neighbors were jealous when we bought a TV.

Can you imagine Television programs for about 4 hours a day, with only one channel to choose from? Well, that was a reality not that long back. I am talking about the late 1970s and early 1980s. Throughout the 70s, the programming was limited to a few evening hours. 

Romance or love was forbidden and even speaking these words was offensive. I studied in a girl’s school and had no exposure to boys outside my family. Just my seven brothers brigade, who was always there to give me company.

Boys from my neighborhood never dared to comment or get offensive with me because of my BB(brothers brigade).

But there was a boy from some other area, who took the chance to stand on the corner of our street with his friends in the evenings and when I went out with my friends he started commenting something or else. It went on for a few days and when he started to be more irritating, then somehow my BB(brothers brigade) came to know about this.

One of my cousins was more close to me than the other ones. When he heard about all this, he came to me and took me to the roof of my house. He asked me candidly If I had any feelings for that boy. I just laughed and asked him why he was getting so emotional? I had nothing to do with that guy and he can treat him as he wished.

After that, the matter was discussed within the brother brigade and they took care of that matter. From that day forward the boy never stood at the corner of my street. I concentrated on my studies as I was preparing to enter high school.

 Being a teenager at that time was totally different from today. It is always difficult being a teenager. One of the reasons many of us find it so hard is because it is a time of rapid physical development and deep emotional changes.

 These are exciting, but can also be confusing and uncomfortable for children and parents alike. Adolescence is a period of transition and teens have to work through new emotions, thoughts, and feelings.

The problems of adolescence are- mental tension, imitation, sexual abuse, early marriage, and peer pressure. Adolescence is the age of storm and stress. It is associated with many physiological and mental changes and is a time of great emotional upheaval. While going through all this and the pressure of studies, I was trying to do my best in all possible manners. As always trying to be a good girl.