KriYam OS:The gift of a Sibling

They say blood is thicker than water. I think they are right. If you hail from a time it was the norm to have two or three children, then you would probably agree whole heartedly about the importance of growing up with siblings. These days however, families seem to have shrunk and many parents opt for a single child.

My brother, Swayam and I share a close bond like many siblings do. Research has proved that the sibling relationship has a power to influence who we are and what we turn into as adults. Many of my friends admit to a big influence that their older sibling had in influencing their choice of career. People would say we too have influenced each other but it isn't so. Swayam and I were born as twins, I remember Dad telling me about how happy our grandparents were when we were born. Swayam had always been Grandma's lil Einstein while I was contented with being the Miss. Notorious of our house. I had always been grandpa's lil doll who loved playing with her dolls. No doubt, why I don't look as a girl who played with dolls once, the credit goes to my two minute younger brother Swayam. Swayam had always been my only best friend he is the one with whom I share the deepest secrets of mines. He had always been there like a guardian for me, be it regarding my decision of choosing dance as a career or me marrying Rey. I would not say I had been influenced by him regarding Dance but his passion and his attitude had always been haughty which made me go into it. He never competed with me for anything but dance was the only thing which made him do so. He was affirm that I could dance well, I still wonder how! He never saw me as his sister but as his student when it came to dance, his not so innocuous remarks always managed to leave me speechless.

Sharon once asked me how I was so adamant and remorseless while my twin was exactly the opposite he was a proficient dancer without any haughtiness regarding it and so much forgoing. I don't know the reason but yeah I am apparently proud of him and for the dominance lucky too. I was lucky enough to be gifted with a sibling like him.

There are countless childhood memories that I cherish which I share with Swayam. Actually, a majority of them belongs to only me and Swayam because they are way too special to me. I remember each and everything be it climbing trees, walking through paddy fields, petting puppies, eating ice creams late night snuggled in the comforter, swimming in the river and my fav. Dancing together, there could be nothing like that. Those dance rehearsals in the midst of exams, bunking classes and going to watch movies was just so much fun. People usually do all this stuff with their Boyfriends or girlfriends specifically but I did it with my best friend, my brother, Swayam.

"Ma tell me some more naa." Rishi asked me to narrate one of our anecdotes.

"Okay." I said to him smilingly.

"Umm. Which one to tell you!"

"Ma!" Rishi started yearning.

"Ok! Ok!" I will tell you one.

"Oh yeah that one would be nice." I made a mental note.

"In our times, there was a trend amongst kids of collecting postage stamps and sea shells form the beach. What I owned was a prized possession- a triangular shaped postage stamp, with a beautiful picture of a rocket on it. The country was Mongolia. It raised my status among my peers, the other kids, the stamp collectors."

"She has a triangular stamp."

"From Mongolia!"

"Can we, please have a look at it?"

"There were hushed and awed whispers, from the other kids, Whenever I took out my stamp album. I felt like a queen. Nobody else had a triangular postage stamp. Nor a stamp with a picture of rocker on it, for that matter. It was rare, those days.

Swayam used to longingly look at it. I wouldn't even let him touch my coveted stamp album. It was safely locked and the key deposited with mom, if I wasn't around.

Swayam was not one to give up so easily. What he wanted, he usually got it, Sharon for instance." I laughed at the last remark myself but I got to admit the hard work he did to get Sharon fall for him.

"Ma" Rishi yearned yet again, he was keen about hearing his mother's and uncle's fun incidents.

"Acha as you know your uncle, Swayam isn't amongst those who give up hope soon. He waited for a chance, patiently."

"It came when were returning from school, one day. I was with Sharon, walking ahead and Swayam trailing behind us, as usual. Actually, he had fallen in love with the Sharon at the first instance as he believed Sharon's only job in this world was to make this world prettier with her existence. He was a nave then because he didn't notice that his sister was amongst the most gorgeous girls herself."

"Ahem-Ahem." Rishi cleared her throat indicating that I was going off track.

"The green raw mangoes, hanging in Mr. Sharma's garden, just above his gate, were irresistible. Anyone who has eaten sour green mangoes will know just how much they tempt.

Sharon suggested that we pluck a few. No doubt why is she is like that today! She had always been an adventure lover. For two girls who would be in their 14 would probably consider the same adventure for them.

She and I climbed the gate and reached out, and started plucking the green mangoes. What we did not anticipate was Mrs. Sharma's hawk-like watch over her precious mangoes.

Your uncle, Swayam had always been a legitimate person, the law-abiding. He stood there down near the gate behaving like a nerd. He pretended as if he didn't know either of us. That day, I realized he is a hypocrite, the personified irony.

"Hey, you thieves!" she roared. And then a second later, "I know you--you are Mr.Shikhawat's daughter, Kriya, aren't you?"

I did not answer. We ran with the mangoes and your jerk uncle, Swayam. We did not slow down, till we reached our car which was parked at a distance.

Then we burst into laughter.

Swayam had been a silent observer till then but the gawky expressions on his face made me ponder.

"Here!" I held out a green mango.

He looked at it for a second. His mouth watered at the sight. But he shook his head.

"No," he said. Then, he uttered the dreaded words, "I will tell Ma what you did today."

"Please, please, please, don't," I begged, pleaded.

"We knew what was in store, had our mom found out that I had stolen mangoes. That too, from someone whom they knew.

When we reached home, I asked my mother for the key, to take out my stamp album. She was surprised when she saw me giving my coveted Mongolia rocket stamp to Swayam."

"But why?" Ma asked in surprise.

"Just like that, Ma. I felt like giving him a gift."

Later, that day, the phone rang.

It was Mrs.Sharma, asking to speak to your Grandma.