And then arrived the Princess, our first and only granddaughter. We could see her in person only when she was almost one year old. Being a girl, I thought she would be less naughty. Surprise, surprise! This girl had her own spark. She was light enough for me to carry on my shoulders, and all she needed was a walk with sounds made at each step and a lullaby—pronto, she would fall asleep. She loved playing outdoors, and my wife would often take her to the park to run around or play on the swings. Even as a tiny girl who hadn’t started walking, her ability to navigate stairs was a great lesson in balance, steadiness, planning, and precision.

When she was around 2 and a half years old, she visited India, and it fully took a toll on me. She had three or four baby dolls, all girls, who were her playmates, and each had a name. I was constantly made to climb up and down the stairs, carrying these dolls—taking them to the hospital, putting them to bed, feeding them, and doing all sorts of motherly tasks. Having never had the opportunity to play with girl children before, I was learning it all now.

One couldn’t help but be in awe of her powers of observation and memory. A keen intellect, she picked up on things very fast. Knowing that I needed light to move around, she would mischievously switch it off and make me plead with her to turn it back on. Whenever we were in the USA, she liked us to accompany her to school and bring her back home. If we missed just one day, she would look so sad. In our old age, we sometimes fell asleep in the afternoon and missed picking her up. She would murmur, “Yeah, I knew you would sleep and not come to pick me up,” making us apologize profusely. But when she reached 5th grade, it became the opposite. Seeing herself as grown-up, she insisted on going alone. Although it wasn’t far, one had to admire her courage—a brave girl.

She had a wonderful ability to observe and assimilate. As she grew older, playing turned into teasing and talking. She would talk at length about her school, activities, friends, teachers, and whatever she had learned. At her age, it was surprising how carefully she thought before buying anything. She would look at the price, weigh its utility, and then decide. But when it came to buying something for us grandparents, no matter the cost, she would insist that we get it. Being a girl, her loving and caring nature came naturally, and she was always a source of solace for us.

And cooking! Yes, my wife and she would always indulge in adventures with new recipes.

This was the sister of the eldest grandson, and the interaction between these two is a story in itself.

To be continued... 43A. Playing with grandchildren- Part 3A