A Date!

 

My week day mornings are frantic. It’s because a tiny human has to get to school on time.

I wake up groggy - ever so dearly pining for just 5 mins more of deep sleep. But alas. My needs take a royal backseat. I somehow manage to push through the morning chores and brace myself. 

The next part is tough.

I have to awaken THE tiny little person. Now this person is mercurial. Some days are sunshine and roses. He’ll wake up with a huge smile and a hug and share fresh anecdotes about his dreams. Most Other days, it’s like the dragon pulled you down his dungeon. He’s angry, upset and totally betrayed by his mother who dares to wake him. And for what……School?? You must be kidding him!!!

But well, we gotta do what we gotta do! So I seek patience from the Force. Because guess what, I’ve already lost it a couple of times in a span of ten minutes.

After a lot of talks, negotiations, threats and ultimately literal begging, he relents. He gets up, drudges through the chores and somehow gets ready in time, give or take a few precious morning minutes. 

I've known of a lot of homes and families which play devotional songs in the mornings and it’s a beautiful hum and background music to the whole house. In my house though, you'll hear the constant hum of things like “just eat that” or “no you can’t throw food on the floor; Empty threats like  “pick that uppppp or else….” ; “no you can’t go to school in your night suit”; “yes you are a boy not a car” and more such interesting things.

But anyway, we are out the door and on the way to school. The journey to school is another chapter in convincing arguments and negotiations. I am beginning to thank my stars that I didn’t choose a career in law because every morning is epic evidence of how I am so bad at it. 

The actual moment when I drop him off at school though, is poignant. He feels miserable. I feel sad. We hold hands for a second more than required. He has moist eyes and I have an emotional lump in my throat. His eyes and ears are longing for me to say “chuck school today, let’s go home” …. But that doesn’t happen. He walks in slowly, deliberately and with a tinge of disappointment at how his morning has gone so far. I watch him. I feel like bringing him back and telling him chuck school today, let’s go home!! But that doesn’t happen na :( 

And so, he goes in. I linger a little longer …. I don’t know why. 

But then I leave too.

Now the next few hours are mine and only mine. Till I go back to my boss of 4 years, I am a free person. Well, it’s a date alright :)

I go for a yoga class sometimes and stretch and move to provide some much needed TLC to my ageing, aching muscles and joints. 

Sometimes I go and see my erstwhile staff members - they are also called my parents. You see, not too long ago, I was the boss and they were the captives, working day and night like I’m doing now as karma comes back in form of a tiny person of my womb :) They let me live the illusion of a bygone life, even if for just a few hours :)

Then there are those days when I meet my friends. Oh ! This, I must tell you, is one of my favourite things to do on a date with myself. These rendezvous are the joie de vivre of my life. They remind me of the girl I am before I became the girlfriend, before I became the wife, before I became the mother! They remind me life is simple and joyous when you share a wonderful, throaty laugh over an absolutely silly age old joke with people that matter.

And then there are days, when I spend those hours with just myself! I find a cozy spot in a restaurant or cafe, I order something completely and sinfully loaded with calories or a green tea, there is just no in-between. So whatever the mood, I order food accordingly and sit :) I watch people around, I think of how so many lives meet and intertwine with each other every day and how everything, just everything enriches us every day! I philosophically remember my carefree teens and twenties and how I really feel like a different person before and after the birth of my little one. 

I think of how my best friend has evolved with me from being my college classmate, to a person of interest, to someone I dated and then married, and is now an awesome father! Then I remember the little fights we have ever so often and make a mental note to give him the silent treatment till he apologises for whatever has happened (whosoever’s fault it may be).

Then as I casually glance at my watch, I’m reminded that it’s time to get back on duty and fetch my tiny boss. And so, I save this document and remind myself to publish it on my blog, for you to know, how I date myself for a few hours, everyday :)