Of travels and company

 I am not a big fan of travelling and this space has seen much of my travails that accompany my travels. Getting into any transportation, be it airplane/train or bus, makes me queasy for it is a deviation from my daily routine that requires extra attention. I need to be mindful of the date of travel, timings, duration of stay, place of stay, things to carry and things to safeguard..too much of responsibility. As a family we rarely travelled when I was a kid and all these inhibitions could’ve been extra flavor of my laziness. And throw in a bit of travel sickness, you got your perfect recipe ready to avoid any travel. I used to have lot of nauseating sensation whenever the travel involves train. That stench from toilet or even the pantry car for that matter would be revolting to say the least. Ditto for flight travel especially on long distance ones where the stewardess roll in the food cart. Within that closed confines of circulated air that stench would be unbearable. But ever since junior came this scenario has changed a bit. Whenever I travel with him, the way he enjoys the journey, looking out for new things, making friends with fellow travelers, enquiring about everything on the way, climbing and crawling across every space available, watching out for him is a happy and responsible diversion from otherwise monotonous journey. He sets me at ease and I never realize the duration or the distance whenever he is around. When he goes to sleep after playing for a while, I get set by that time and those issues that otherwise trouble me and make me grumpy are either overcome or forgotten. Junior has made me realize so many things about myself that I can keep posting through the year. I am known to hold grudges and when I don’t get a closure, the grudge remains forever, even after I might’ve forgotten the reason or the issue. With junior when I get angry for something he might’ve done, within couple of minutes he will approach me to play. I will be simmering with anger and will chase him away with a stare. He will go to his mom or paati, tell them that I am angry and hasn’t calmed down. After spending sometime with them, he will quietly come and see my reaction. I find it so funny that eventually will crack a smile. He will then jump on me to confirm, if I’ve calmed down and will promise not to repeat that mistake. Initially I found this act of moving on, that too so quickly, very weird and awkward internally, for I generally take weeks if not days to mull over. But with junior I find myself turning from Jekyll to Hyde in matter of minutes and back as well. Recently when I was pondering over the ill treatment meted in office and how I felt insulted, I was feeling depressed and very sad. Junior did something and I roared at him. Few minutes later after I calmed down, I said sorry to him for showing my anger for something he wasn’t responsible. He said, he will stuff my ear with a rubber (eraser). I was confused and asked for the reason for which he replied, that rubber will erase all sad and angry memories and will keep only happy memories so that I can play a lot with him. These were exact words he said repeated verbatim here. I was astonished at the simplicity with which he suggested such a big solution for every problem ever faced by anyone!! I don’t remember the exact quote, but it goes something like, when you’ve good company, even arduous travel will feel enjoyable. Junior is such company for me 😊