The Age of Innocence

“Oh my god! My goldfish!”
That was the first thing that came to my mind when this mischievous-looking kid entered my house yesterday.
At first he looked like the one who is going to turn my house upside-down. But soon I could breathe easily because I realized he wouldn’t do anything to my fish.

It was only a matter of time and I started enjoying his non-stop chatter. Most of it sounded non-sensical but I could figure that he was a bright kid, by his naughty replies.

He is just 5 and he already knows he wants to become a doctor when he grows a moustache (he would consider himself an adult when he has a moustache like his uncle!) and he would do it for free and won’t charge any money. But he was sure he is going to be really rich someday (don’t know how!) and he would travel abroad. (By the way, he said he is going to take me with him to America, just me and no one else! : ))

I could see some influence of Indian cinema on him, when he spoke about how he is going to have the police on ‘his side’, by greasing their palms, so that they would do anything he wanted them to do.

For no particular reason he started calling me ‘Monica’, till I corrected him!

He couldn’t sit still even for a minute, forget that even a second! Nor could he stop talking! Everyone just wanted him to shut up for some time, but I could have listened to him the whole day. Who would ever want such an adorable kid with so much energy and so much to say to shut up?

He had a lot of stories to tell from his school, where he beats up boys from his class, and how he got punished for no reason because some girl’s mother complained! Says he has no business talking to girls his age but doesn’t mind talking to older girls like me!

I think he somewhat grew fond of me in those 2-3 hours, the way I had and wanted me to come to his place with him. All I could say to not hurt him was that I would try to come the next day, but I had some work. He took it to heart and said he would come and pick me up at 8am the next day and asked me to be ready. Then he changed his mind and told me to reach his place next morning, since he wasn’t sure he could come to pick me up! And then he says," I hope you do come, because even my uncle says that and he usually doesn’t turn up the next day…"

He's armed without that's innocent within.
- Alexander pope