We are a famous family now « makeSplash.com by Sush Jaitly

We are a famous family now

October 15th, 2009

Anyone who is on TV is supposed to be famous, or so Mansie thinks. Because if they are not famous they got no business to be on TV. Mickey Mouse, Tom and Jerry, Madeline, Power Puff Girls and Ganesha are all famous because they are on TV. Fair enough. By that analogy Mansie is a very famous girl. And we as parents of a famous girl are also supposed to be famous. Fair again. It so happened that a couple of month’s back I’d put her in a dance academy where she learnt Jazz for two months or so. She’s good dancer and was able to pick up her moves pretty fast. At the end of the learning session the academy organized a stage show for parents to see their kids perform in front of them. Mansie was a lead performer in one of the numbers. And she was rather good on stage, believe me. The show was telecast on the local cable channel here in Delhi. Well, that was it. Mansie was on TV. And therefore she was famous. It doesn’t really matter that the channel is not watched by more than a hundred people on any given day. She doesn’t understand TRPs, yet.

She just couldn’t stop gushing about her program and kept telling me “Mom, this is the happiest day of my life”. “Mom, can you believe it? I’m on TV. Now I’m famous”. “Mom, you and dad will also be famous now.” Well!! Well!! Even in her delighted state she remembered her folks, thank the lord for small mercies!! Anyways, as you can imagine she told each and every kid in her class and the colony about it. And as kids are, nobody believed her. I mean, which kid would agree if you tell them that you are famous. That too when they had themselves not seen the program. As luck would have it we could not get the recording of the show and so there was no proof. Quite understandably, Mansie was dejected. I tried to pep her up but it didn’t help much. She was more or less reconciled to the fact that she was not really famous or in other words she was indeed famous but her friends did not know about it just yet.

That's the cover of the magazine.

And then something happened quite unexpectedly. The wife of one of the senior generals here in Delhi had seen Mansie in one the parties and had asked her to send some kiddie recipes alongwith some pictures, which we did. And we’d nearly forgotten all about it till Manish brought home the annual issue of AWWA (Army Wives Welfare Association) Journal yesterday. There she was, in the kid’s section alongwith her kiddie recipes. And me too, with my tongue firmly in my cheek.

That's the all important page.

For Mansie that was it. It was now confirmed that she was indeed famous. And this time she had proof of her famousness as well. She could now brag about it to all those kids who had dared not to believe her. She was like- “Yes, I’m famous” and “Mom-Dad are you happy that my photo has come in a magazine?” and ” Are you proud of me?” etc etc. Off course she showed it to every Tom, Dick and Harry in the class and the colony. And then proclaimed ” We are going to have a party”. That’s because famous people give parties and this was one reason too many. So party it was for all the kids of the colony. Thankfully her school friends live pretty far off.

Actually, party for these kids is simple. It means Tang (a kiddie drink) and Bingos (chips). Next question was where would we give the party? Since it was just one drink and chips I suggested- park, which is within the colony. Well, it was shot down immediately. Why? Because famous people don’t give parties in parks. It’s either in a restaurant or at their homes. Since I was not keen on restaurant for obvious reasons, it came down to having it here in our house. Another reason why Mansie wanted to have it at home was because she wants to show the magazine plus read out the recipes and have them clap for her. Yet another logic she gave me was that Aleena will also be very happy to see her friends. Indeed that was true, but with so many kids at home I’ll have to be very careful. Firstly, so that Aleena doesn’t get hurt and secondly, Aleena doesn’t hurt anyone. Don’t be so surprised. For Aleena slapping or pinching is a game. And the harder you slap or pinch the better, which I am sure the kids will not agree with.

The grand party has been scheduled for Sunday. Mansie is busy thinking about what she will be wearing that day, what games to keep and which songs to play. I almost get the feeling as if I am celebrating her birthday in advance. But apart from that my main concern is to keep her attention on her last paper which she has to write which is least of her concerns right now. She feels that she knows everything and I am unnecessarily hassled about it. And she lovingly tells me “Mom chill, I’ll do fine. Don’t worry I’ll make you proud again”. Her friends are also quite excited about the party. Few of them have even asked me- Auntie, what are you giving us in the party? Also, since the party is being given by a famous person they’re expecting a lot.

The list of friends is being prepared and each day a few names get added. I feel by Sunday half the colony will be in my house. First, it was just her bunch of friends she hangs out with in the park, then their brothers and sisters were also included. The next day the brother-sister’s friends were also coming and the next day, you guessed it right, their respective brothers and sisters too. I feel like asking her, why leave out the parents? Call them also. But I am too scared to even mention it. She’ll probably go and invite them. And I don’t think mummas and papas will appreciate Tang and Bingo. Anyways, at last count the number had gone upto 28. 28 kids in my house? Together? Did I say party for kids is simple?

If just a photo in a magazine is cause for such commotion at my house I really don’t know what will happen if she was to feature in a newspaper or something bigger? The rate at which she is going, that day isn’t far behind. And she would love to include her friends and folks in her moments of happiness. I can see myself planning and organizing parties after parties after parties to celebrate her achievements. And not to forget Aleena who will also ask for her pound of flesh. Oh God!!! Maybe by then I’ll have a side business of catering and event-management. Actually not a bad idea………Tang and Bingo Event Management Company.