Being eleven years younger than me, as he is, I have never had the sibling love for my youngest brother Namit. He has always been a baby to me! I can distinctly remember the day when he, barely three-days old, arrived home from the hospital. I was a bit unhappy then about him happening to Naman and I, but the very moment I saw his petite form, my heart just melted like sugar on fresh hot doughnuts. Then when I held him in my arms, very fearfully, something changed in me forever that very moment. I felt motherly affection towards him. I felt very protective towards him. I felt very responsible for him.
Over the years however he proved that he was more responsible than anyone else in my house. Those who are familiar with my family, would know that we are a crazy lot. We love each-other a lot, but don't exactly get along all the time; but when we do, we are the best of pals. Everyone in my house is very very pampered by everyone else, and everyone loves throwing tantrums, thankfully not at the same time. Namit, the youngest member of the household, surprisingly behaves as the oldest and is definitely the most mature amongst us all. Throws the least tantrums and fits, is very measured in words and balanced in deeds. In short, he gets along with everyone everytime, and is everyone's favorites. Digression Alert: Result - Extremely pampered, and gets everything he sets his eyes on!
The point I am trying to make is that he really is 'rational', or can be reasoned with, a quality very rare in my family's blood. I recall when he was barely two and half, Namit and I walked past a fancy toy shop and he absolutely loved a toy that turned out to be one of the most expensive toys in the shop. (Don't they always do!). Being older, I just didn't see any value in spending so much on a toy, so I just told him that 'we can't buy the toy because its very expensive' least expecting him not to insist. He just cast another quick desirable look at it, and then said 'I understand. I don't want it'. I hadn't even told him that I didn't have the money because I did, and probably I was going to buy myself prob something as silly with it, but he actually understood that it was not worth it.
Talk about responsibility, he anticipates everyone's needs. He knows what we would need in foreseeable future and acts accordingly in time, often before time. He feels responsible for us, for our happiness, our well-being and our safety. For instance, he would check to make sure that all the doors in the house are locked before going to bed every night. Talk about Naman or I doing that - never! Not until we were asked to.
Oh, I remember how I used to hate going to school (I was in Grade VII) and
not being able to just watch him, the toddler, yawn or smile in his sleep instead (he slept the whole day!). Time passed, and soon it was time for me to head to the boarding school when Namit was three. I was so jealous of Naman who got Namit's undivided attention while I was gone. Ever since, I had always spent a few days of holidays with Namit whenever I visited home until he decided to move in with me in Delhi for an year.
I loved having the baby back all to myself, and his undivided attention. Raghav often jokingly grumbled that I loved Namit more than him, and spent more time with him. I sure did. Raghav, you were joking and it was serious! Being pampered and pampering is in my blood after all! Namit was calm and balanced, very aware of his limits and was very wary of them. When I threw tantrums at Raghav, which is naturally not a rare phenomenon, he tried to do the balancing act. Once when I left the dining table after a rage of fit, which was quite short-lived, he said to Raghav, 'Didi has been upset lately because of the pressure of her office work. She has been a little grumpy with me as well!' Well, he just made it up. He was just trying to make Raghav feel better at the moment, and of-course it worked. Raghav was pleased at his ingenuity and warmth.
He insisted on a single bed in his room, probably he knew that if he has a queen, I may often sleep in his room to give him company while he was up studying until late. So I often told him to come and sleep with us, which he did at times according to his discretion. Once however Raghav got upset with me and slept on the couch (the only time he has slept on the couch) hoping that I would come to fetch him back, which I sure would have had I not just dozed off unintentionally. In the meantime, I had told Namit to definitely sleep in our room, which was much warmer than his (it was a cold day), especially since I was anyway sleeping alone there by then. Of-course I intended to bring Raghav back, but the three of us could comfortably hop-on to the huge bed. But then I dozed off unintentionally and Namit decided it was perhaps best that he sleeps in his room. But he also decided to cover the snoring Raghav with his own comforter. When I got up at 3 am, I found myself sleeping alone. (I hate that feeling! I had never slept alone; always slept with my grand mom in childhood and then with dorm-mates or room-mates in hostels.) I also found a shuddering Namit sleeping in a bedsheet, without any heating, in a freezing temperature - and an uncomfortable Raghav sleeping very awkwardly on the couch. Needless to say that I brought them both to my room.
Raghav hates milk, and its a task to get him to agree to drink it and then to get him to finish his mug. Namit, on the other hand, was very particular about milk. He always prepared three glasses of milk at bed time. It was the first time since school that I had milk so regularly. (Raghav couldn't refuse him although he often left a sip or two in his cup.)
After Namit went back home, Raghav missed his movie-buddy, ice-cream buddy and junk food-buddy quite a bit. Both Raghav and Namit wanted to watch every Hollywood movie that was released. We saw the crappiest ones too! I hate watching movies, but these guys were a majority and they just wouldn't let me be home alone. They were also often found glued to the television during and after the dinner time. Namit took almost 40 minutes to finish two chapatis. Courtesy television. Sometimes he actually had the bite in his hand, and his hand just paused close to his chin. He literally forgot to put the bite in his mouth because the television sequence was either very funny (and he was laughing) or very thrilling (and he was engrossed). Needless to say that although Raghav ate quickly, he was also glued to the television that wasn't switched off until I was heard yelling (in the background), which was conveniently ignored by both at times.
They both loved chips - different varieties though, and gorged on a packet every day. Namit went for Uncle Chips Pudina flavor and Raghav liked Lays Classic. I always stocked on both in plenty in my house. And on Hide & Seek, Namit's afternoon snack. The freezer was always filled with different flavors of huge tubs of ice-creams and at Raghav's suggestion, it was decided that they would just eat out of the tubs. Why dirty the bowls? (Read: Its so much work to scoop out the ice-creams in the bowls). Anyway who else is eating out of these tubs? Guests? They shouldn't mind. If it seems like they may, we'll offer them something else. I still recall that I traveled to Bangalore for a day or two for work, and when I got back, these guys picked me up from the airport and on our way back stopped near the Mother Dairy ice-cream shop and were deciding 'which all' tubs to buy. Surprised, I said that we have lots of ice-cream in the freezer, like many tubs, and was told that they ate them all while I was gone! :)
Now, the bridesmaid Namit! So Namit helped me choose most things related to the wedding. I bought my shoes with him, and he gave a nod of approval for everything else that I bought. Infact he also decided on the furniture for our house. (Raghav and I was found arguing indecisively at the furniture stores when Namit decided to take matters in his own hands!)
On the wedding day, Namit came to fetch me from the spa where I was getting ready, and walked with me all the way to the stage. (Yes, we don't have altars). He held the ends of my lehanga, more to avoid me tripping over it than as a custom, but truly looked like my handsome bridesmaid. He stood on the stage next to where I was sitting through the entire duration of the reception. Like a guard against all evils! True to his rakhi oaths!
Then at some point of time during the reception, I had a little lipstick, and to beat it all, red lipstick, on my front teeth. My mom drew Namit's attention to it, and Namit took out his handkerchief, held my chin, and wiped it clean. Now, isn't that super adorable?
After I was very weary of smiling at strangers in my own wedding, and was very hungry, he escorted me down - again lifting my lehanga and telling me to mind the stairs to avoid tripping over with the heels on, the very shoes he helped me choose. He knew how much I hated (and dreaded) replacing my flats with those.
Most recently, when I got into Kellogg, I actually called him at around 2 am in the morning to tell him about it. He always answers my calls no matter how sound he is sleeping! Actually the catch is that he wakes-up to answer if its really late at night or very early in the morn when everyone is fast asleep - but if its say 10 am and everyone else in the house is up, he would just choose to sleep for he knows that just in case its urgent, others are available. But when they are not, he always is!
So after I told him about my decision, he was so happy and excited that he was at a loss of words. He mumbled a bit - he didn't say congrats though because he considered it his own achievement, and not just mine. He didn't feel happy 'for me' but 'for us'. Such is his love. Am I not blessed?
Namit is probably the only person who is the best just the way he is. Very rare occurrence, especially in men, isn't it? ;)
