Expressions

Appa, what is an oxymoron? I asked when I was six. A quick answer from appa made me feel proud, yehh my appa knows everything.

Appa appa do you know how to play kabbadi?? I asked curiously when I was ten, waiting to teach him how I played kabbadi that day, but a detailed explanation about the game only made me cut short my days' events in just two lines.

Tell me Appa where do we use Bakelite?? I asked thinking myself an expert in science as soon as I joined my bachelor's in Science. He casually answered, in pressure cooker handles. A small sense of disappointment sank in me, how does he know everything?

Appa do you know that formation of the stars there is called the Great Bear, I said pointing towards the sky showing a set of stars in the form of Ariel detergent powder spoon. He replied, yes and that is also called the Great Dipper. In the coming days my early morning walks turned out to be detailed astronomy classes. He showed me Orion, pole star, Venus, Jupiter, and Cassiopeia. Hmmm I thought is there anything that I know and Appa doesn’t know?

One day when myself and Appa were waiting for one of his friend, I saw Lakshmi passing by and my college memories rushed in my mind, with a Jubilant mind I said, Appa appa do you know what is her name??? Before giving him an opportunity to reply I said 'Lakshmi'. My appa looked at the passing by elephant and asked how do you know?? Did you read her name tag???
I snapped, "Can you see any name tag around her??? But I know and I’ll not tell you how". A small smile cracked in my lips. Ahh finally there is something that I know and appa dosen't :)


Ananthi Sankaran