As Vijay tossed around on his bed, waiting for the little sleep fairies to come and take him to dreamland, reading a rather voluminous book on mythology, he began wondering if the fairies were for real or they were just like the tooth fairies or Santa Claus which he had found a few years back to be a sham. It was a heart breaker for the poor kid. Vijay could never ever recall when he exactly fell asleep everyday. He could also not understand how or why he dreamed. That made the fairies seem even more real to him.
His mother turned towards him and said - 'Vijay, if you keep tossing and turning so much how can you sleep ? And if you don't fall asleep, how will your mind ever go for a walk ?'
'What walk maa?', Vijay cut in eagerly.
'You think that after working for you for an entire day the mind needs no rest. That is very selfish you know. The mind goes out to see the world and breathe some fresh air so it can work again tomorrow.', she said with authority.
'But maa, i thought the fairies took us away', he protested
'Arre beta, the fairies take you but without your mind. Why else do you think you can never remember what you dream? How can you remember something when you don't have your mind with you, silly boy', his mother said with a naughty smile.
Vijay was still confused but he was beginning to understand that he would not understand this dream business any soon. Maybe he had to grow up a little more?
'Now imagine you don't sleep and your mind goes away for a walk. Would you like that ? A mindless Vijay. Oh my god! That would be really tragic, don't you think so?', continued his mother.
Vijay was terrified now. Of course he would not want to be awake when his mind left him. That would be most embarrassing. And what if one fine day it never returned ? Nightmare. What would his class teacher say? His friends would tease him no end and the principle would probably send him away from school. After all, what sense does it make to teach someone whose mind is lost forever ?
'And what happens if it is lost ?', he inquired with concern.
'What?', said the mother irritated on being woken up. 'Have'nt you slept yet?'
'What will happen if my mind is lost somewhere and it cannot come back to me before I get up, maa. Say he goes over the bridge into that congested area where the Saturday haats are held. Or he goes beyond the tower and near the highways or if he is hit by a vehicle. What will heppen then maa', said Vijay, stretching his childish imagination in all possible directions.
'What mind ? What are you saying? Uff, badmaash its so late already. What are you saying?', said his mother half awake half in sleep.
'Maa....Maa', cried Vijay as he shook her trying to get her up.
'Hmm... yes yes whatever you say. Now let me sleep', said his mother, lost to sleep.
'What are you saying maa. I think you are - ' Vijay stopped and jumped into a sitting position on the bed and staring at his mom with burgeoning eyes he exclaimed - 'Maaaaa, you have lost your mind. I know now. Your mind has gone roaming. And you will now go to dreamland. Haha, maa you lost your mind. You're a mindless maa now.
No response. The initial moments of excitement had died out for Vijay and he was getting worried now. Now he was thinking what would happen if his mom's mind never came back. Who would cook his breakfast? Who would pack his tiff-in? Who would get him dressed?
He began wondering why he depended on his mother so much. He realized how helpless he was without his mother. He began to promise to himself that he would try and do more things on his own from now on. Then he would probably not have to worry about his mom's mind getting lost.
It was getting too much for Vijay and as he juggled with these ideas, he felt as if something escaped him. He felt light and at ease. The bed melted into a giant pool of water with chocolates,strawberries and various colored toffees floating around. Far away he could see a mountain ,with something written on it - but upside down. It seemed English to him but he could not read it well.
.............
"Wake up beta, you will be late for school. And then you have to take the shortcut that is full of nasty dogs that chase young children', Vijay's mother said as she packed his lunch and put it inside his bag.
Stretching himself and yawning, Vijay looked up at the clock. It was getting really late. He got up and started brushing his teeth. As he looked at the mirror he started accounting for the events of the previous night. He was not sure whether it was a dream or not. Or more precisely, which was a dream and which was not.
Having brushed, Vijay collected his uniform and started dressing up on his own for the very first time. He had always been a drama queen, asking his mom to dress him up.
He struggled in front of the mirror as he tried to adjust everything perfectly.
His mother walked into the room to get him dressed. "Oh", she exclaimed, while hopping a small hop with both her palms coming together to form a clap and planting a kiss on his shoulder, added teasingly- "What's the matter beta, you are dressed up pretty smartly today."
"Oh, nothing much maa. Just a dream I had.", he replied, his mind wandering back into the night. The only thing he remembered clearly was telling himself that he would dress up on his own from now on. He could not remember why or how. But it was done now.
"Must have been a really good dream, then", she said with twinkling eyes.
"Hmm.. Okay maa, i am leaving now. Bye. Love you", saying so, Vijay sped down the stairs and into the road, not wanting to get any more late.
Sighing, his mother said to herself - "Congrats, this plan has succeeded it seems. Though serving an entirely different purpose."
"Nonetheless."
His mother turned towards him and said - 'Vijay, if you keep tossing and turning so much how can you sleep ? And if you don't fall asleep, how will your mind ever go for a walk ?'
'What walk maa?', Vijay cut in eagerly.
'You think that after working for you for an entire day the mind needs no rest. That is very selfish you know. The mind goes out to see the world and breathe some fresh air so it can work again tomorrow.', she said with authority.
'But maa, i thought the fairies took us away', he protested
'Arre beta, the fairies take you but without your mind. Why else do you think you can never remember what you dream? How can you remember something when you don't have your mind with you, silly boy', his mother said with a naughty smile.
Vijay was still confused but he was beginning to understand that he would not understand this dream business any soon. Maybe he had to grow up a little more?
'Now imagine you don't sleep and your mind goes away for a walk. Would you like that ? A mindless Vijay. Oh my god! That would be really tragic, don't you think so?', continued his mother.
Vijay was terrified now. Of course he would not want to be awake when his mind left him. That would be most embarrassing. And what if one fine day it never returned ? Nightmare. What would his class teacher say? His friends would tease him no end and the principle would probably send him away from school. After all, what sense does it make to teach someone whose mind is lost forever ?
'And what happens if it is lost ?', he inquired with concern.
'What?', said the mother irritated on being woken up. 'Have'nt you slept yet?'
'What will happen if my mind is lost somewhere and it cannot come back to me before I get up, maa. Say he goes over the bridge into that congested area where the Saturday haats are held. Or he goes beyond the tower and near the highways or if he is hit by a vehicle. What will heppen then maa', said Vijay, stretching his childish imagination in all possible directions.
'What mind ? What are you saying? Uff, badmaash its so late already. What are you saying?', said his mother half awake half in sleep.
'Maa....Maa', cried Vijay as he shook her trying to get her up.
'Hmm... yes yes whatever you say. Now let me sleep', said his mother, lost to sleep.
'What are you saying maa. I think you are - ' Vijay stopped and jumped into a sitting position on the bed and staring at his mom with burgeoning eyes he exclaimed - 'Maaaaa, you have lost your mind. I know now. Your mind has gone roaming. And you will now go to dreamland. Haha, maa you lost your mind. You're a mindless maa now.
No response. The initial moments of excitement had died out for Vijay and he was getting worried now. Now he was thinking what would happen if his mom's mind never came back. Who would cook his breakfast? Who would pack his tiff-in? Who would get him dressed?
He began wondering why he depended on his mother so much. He realized how helpless he was without his mother. He began to promise to himself that he would try and do more things on his own from now on. Then he would probably not have to worry about his mom's mind getting lost.
It was getting too much for Vijay and as he juggled with these ideas, he felt as if something escaped him. He felt light and at ease. The bed melted into a giant pool of water with chocolates,strawberries and various colored toffees floating around. Far away he could see a mountain ,with something written on it - but upside down. It seemed English to him but he could not read it well.
.............
"Wake up beta, you will be late for school. And then you have to take the shortcut that is full of nasty dogs that chase young children', Vijay's mother said as she packed his lunch and put it inside his bag.
Stretching himself and yawning, Vijay looked up at the clock. It was getting really late. He got up and started brushing his teeth. As he looked at the mirror he started accounting for the events of the previous night. He was not sure whether it was a dream or not. Or more precisely, which was a dream and which was not.
Having brushed, Vijay collected his uniform and started dressing up on his own for the very first time. He had always been a drama queen, asking his mom to dress him up.
He struggled in front of the mirror as he tried to adjust everything perfectly.
His mother walked into the room to get him dressed. "Oh", she exclaimed, while hopping a small hop with both her palms coming together to form a clap and planting a kiss on his shoulder, added teasingly- "What's the matter beta, you are dressed up pretty smartly today."
"Oh, nothing much maa. Just a dream I had.", he replied, his mind wandering back into the night. The only thing he remembered clearly was telling himself that he would dress up on his own from now on. He could not remember why or how. But it was done now.
"Must have been a really good dream, then", she said with twinkling eyes.
"Hmm.. Okay maa, i am leaving now. Bye. Love you", saying so, Vijay sped down the stairs and into the road, not wanting to get any more late.
Sighing, his mother said to herself - "Congrats, this plan has succeeded it seems. Though serving an entirely different purpose."
"Nonetheless."
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