Taking care of business

Kids have an amazing ability to see things that others don’t see. Just a couple of days back Sriramji spotted a weird looking insect below his toy box. I couldn’t really figure out what it was, but it did look mean and vicious. We lifted the box up and he spotted two more. The boy jumped up and down and shouted in sheer delight -“daddy look, look” – he said and reached down to pick one sucker up by its neck. I had to struggle to restrain him. “No” I told him “I will take care of that, that’s daddy’s business”

I moved him to a safe distance and quickly stepped into action. The insect trio looked at me viciously through their nickel colored eyes. It was intimidating. I reached for a can of pest repellent spray and doused them with a healthy doze. They seemed unmoved! In fact the enemy drew close to each other, slapped a high five and burst into a fit of insane laughter. I refused to accept defeat and sprayed them my wife’s perfume which is capable of knocking pretty much anything in the vicinity unconscious, but that didn’t help either. I grew impatient. I was beginning to feel sick in my mind. So I took a heavy frying pan, slipped it into a plastic shopping bag and smashed the buggers flat with it. Instant insect chutney! Man I felt so mean.

Kids have an amazing ability to remember things too. Today morning Sriramji picked up a fight with his mother. I heard him crying and soon saw him running to the kitchen nekkid. From there he emerged with a frying pan in one hand and a plastic bag in the other. Still crying and profusely dispensing from his little nose, he handed the weapon to me and pointing to the adversary said “amma shouting mon. Take care business daddy”

Dammit! I felt terrible. I think I inadvertently taught him a bad lesson. I had to give him a big baby lecture to undo the damage I did. But I am very relieved that he did not take care of the business himself.