It sucks to be a grown up. Now don’t go and jump at me
and say “what rubbish! We are living the dream, man! No curfew hours or moms
acting like traffic-helicopters hovering over us! U’ve lost it dude!” Just take
a step back and think. What was expected off you back then? All you had to do
was study or show up at a few family functions where awesome food was provided
FREE! All you had to do was ask your mom, “Ma, what’s for lunch?” Then make a
sour face if she said the dreaded word which begins with a ‘V’ and ends with ‘able’.
All you had to do was sneak out and have a dosa or a pizza and life was set. Now
let me give you the low-down on what it means to be a grown-up.
- You’ve got to work your ass off because no one is going to give you pocket money anymore for that pizza or dosa.
- If you are a woman then too bad… even the aforesaid pizza or dosa you will have to provide for by standing near a stove in 38 degrees temperature.
- Growing up means, leaving the best piece of fish/meat/cake/chocolate for the fruits of your loins; no matter how much you deserve it because you have cleaned it and cooked it and the entire process took the same time it does for one to travel to Andheri and back.
- Growing up means you have to deal with nincompoop type of bank clerks who you will very willing kill and go to jail because none of them get your drift.
- No one is going to pick up your shoes or your clothes are not going to wash themselves.
- Growing up means that there is nothing like a free-lunch anymore. Even that wedding you went to as a kid, now you will have to pay for that food in the guise of a ‘gift’.
- Growing up means surviving mini heart attacks every time you drive on roads ruled by colour blind bus drivers.
I could go on and on… but you get my drift, don’t you
now? I am sure I have missed on tons of things that grown-ups do… but then you
will figure out that staying a kid is the biggest joy in a human’s life. Staying
a kid means…
- Hugs and kisses even when you don’t ask for them.
- Food that heals your soul.
- Small achievements that are feted as if you have climbed the Everest.
- Having a mom at your beck and call.
- Having a dad stand behind you to catch you in case you fall from you cycle.
- The only race you run is on the sports field. And even if you loose you still manage to have a great time.
- Ringing doorbells and running away.
- Feeling as if you can conquer the world with your two-bit knowledge.
So my babies, enjoy the moment. Enjoy the calm before
the storm i.e. is otherwise known as adulthood steps in. Feel the wind in your
hair when you ride that cycle because soon the pandu-mama is going to fine you
for not wearing a helmet. Eat to your heart’s content because soon you will be
counting calories. Save your pennies in the tin box because soon you will have
to fill up tons of forms to have access to YOUR own hard earned money. Enjoy the
age of Nokia right now so that when you buy the Nexus yourself, you will feel the
sweet pangs of success.
So you see, it sucks to be a grown-up but a grown-up
you’ve got to be. Till then, ring all the doorbells and run and hide and giggle
in glee when the neighbor opens the door semi-nude covered in shampoo cursing his
luck. Be ‘I’ because as a grown-up you’ve got to be ‘We’.
