Letters To Koko

 Hi Koko,   In the first couple of months of the pandemic, we were all very fearful and cautious. But truly nothing had prepared us for these prolonged months indoors. It’s been more than a year now that you have not gone to school. Oh you are getting schooled alright, online classes, new mode of teaching and assessments are all in place. But nothing can beat the actual school. I wouldn’t trade a day less for my school and I am really sad you are missing out on these precious days when you first make friends and run out and about with them. No, I am not coming from a place of “this is the time when you make true friends” and all that, there is no age to it. The kind of lively person that you are you will make friends wherever you go.  I still remember when you were in LKG there was a classmate of yours who had difficulty in communicating, and you of all the 40 children in class had taken it upon yourself to help him out. Your teacher was so happy to inform that no one had...

  Hi Koko,  You have got a very difficult project from school. You have to say a 5 minute story on friendship. I was not sure what story you would finally present, something from Panchatantra maybe. Eventually you made a story up and presented which was awesome.  But I thought of telling you this beautiful story of friendship which I only recently read in news.  The Olympics are on and we are diligently following the games this year. I don't think a better picture of friendship has emerged than the below: Tamberi from Italy and Barshim from Qatar are high jumpers whose final score could not be settled upon. They were constantly at a tie and the officials on the field finally presented an option to settle it with a jump off. So many years of practice to be settled over just one jump! That's a tough call.  But for these friends on and off field it was not not so tough. They exchanged a glance and they just knew what they would do. Barshim asked the officials if th...

 Hi Koko,  Remember the time my car got towed? It was pretty unforgettable event, yet in case you have forgotten, let me remind you. Your Granny was visiting and like regular Bangalore folks we took her to shops and malls. A lot of people are talking about "revenge tourism" - where people are basically travelling with a vengeance after being restricted within the four walls for months. I don't think enough people are speaking about revenge shopping, which is definitely a malady which afflicts me. If someone asks you, you'd probably say "Please, Ma has so many shopping apps on her phone, she is either shopping or on Social Media. That's her life" I am not a shopaholic, but something happens to me when I enter a perfectly fragrant shop with its bright lights and beautiful shoes and bags and jackets. They are all so gorgeous and God save me if there is a discount ongoing - I will buy something, even if I don't need it.  Anyway, I digress. That day, we v...