Initiation into Day-dreaming

The more I think about it, the more I find Ms D’sa responsible for initiating me into the world of Dreams. You see, when a child spends close to three quarters of his time in the company of a person and that too in the initial stages of his upbringing, it is natural for him to adopt most of this individual’s traits. Especially so, when the referred to person is one Ms D’sa.

Let me take a little time in describing Ms D’sa. Ms D’sa was my nanny and her sheer presence was enough to overshadow most of the other human beings in the vicinity, leave alone the poor inanimate objects however colourful they would be. Ms D’sa was a forty something mountain of a woman whose girth could put a well bred cow to shame and make an adult hippo shy away from the surroundings. Her heart matched her physical dimensions and her display of affection for me could outmatch a rampaging river at the peak of monsoons out to gobble up its own banks. Her colourful attire would pale a Rainbow and the vast expanse of hair on her head could be mistaken for the abode of a gigantic swarm of honeybees.

I can remember Ms D’sa since the time I can remember the huge tree in our backyard. This tree was special because this was where Ms D’sa and I would enjoy our joint afternoon siesta. She would start by rocking my cradle softly and debating with herself on which princely tale to tell that day. Her short narratives of the courageous prince, the lovely princess, ugly ogres and the magical Genie would gradually turn into gentle snores working better than a lullaby to take me into the world of exotic dreams.

Initially, I would dream of being the prince and go through all the heroics Ms D’sa’s prince had accomplished in his fight for his kingdom and the lovely princess. With the passage of time, my inborn creativity started kicking in. The siesta dreams started intermingling with the reality world. The clown skittles would become my soldiers, the shiny flute my sword. The wooden horse would take me across the dark forests, mighty mountains and the never-ending swamps. The adventure would inevitably finish in the embrace of the beautiful princess and a gradual dozing off.

Well! Being a dreamer has its advantages. I realized this very early in my Day-dreaming career. I became a firm believer when the hitherto bleary face of my princess started taking the facial contours very similar to that of Ms D’sa’s lovely niece. With a skin as soft as a rose petal, a complexion as fair as ivory and a touch as exciting as that of the first drizzle on a summer sun parched surface, this amazingly pretty lass walked into my life when I was still learning how to walk unaided on mother earth. A toddler’s fascination could be had by the minimal show of anything out of ordinary. Her golden hair and long eyelashes were as extraordinary as a shining sun would be in the middle of torrential monsoon rains. She was aptly called Rosa and brought a whiff of a Rose’s fragrance whenever she walked by my cradle.

Some of the best moments of my toddling life have been in the company of Rosa. Gradually, I started looking forward to Ms D’sa’s occasional absence as Rosa would fill in for her and her soft whispers to assuage me after a cumbersome bath would set the tone for a blissful day.

The one extremely ecstatic moment for me during the entire day would be when Rosa would change my nappy. The soft touch of her hands would make the nappy-change experience a memorable one. Ms D’sa would also depute Rosa for the job off and on whenever the household chores would keep her from attending to me. The period immediately after bath was when I was given a tender massage with a pleasant smelling baby oil. The massage itself became the sole responsibility of only Ms D’sa after she became slightly suspicious of my extraordinarily chirps and acrobatic antics whenever Rosa was the one using her supple hands to knead my length and curves.

It was the fourth or fifth massage when Rosa’s velvety touch launched me into my sojourns into the dreamland. Only this time, the ogres and beasts were replaced with exotic looking fairies and stunning mermaids. Dark forests and swampy lands transformed into a spectacular never-ending garden full of beautiful flowers and striking plants. My princess, who had definitively assumed the face of the pretty Rosa was standing there in a striking pose inviting me to embrace her right there. The reverie broke only when I heard an embarrassed giggle and Ms D’sa’s unusually harsh voice.

I was thrust harshly into the world of reality and I saw Ms D’sa pushing Rosa away from me and looking at me with bewilderment.

I still can’t forget the glint in Rosa’s eyes and the first experience of an exciting throbbing in my nappy. The Day-dreamer’s exploits had begun.

And I told myself, Dream on!!!!