I remember when we were kids, my sis and I, we loved sweet Saunf that they gave with the bill at restaurants after the food! In fact, that was the most exciting part of the entire meal.
No matter how yummy the food was,we would crave for the saunf. Yes, they were available everywhere in packs. But no, we only liked the ones at the restaurant.

In saravana bhavan, it used be on the Cash Counter, out of our reach. We would keep jumping up and down for the bowl. Our dad would take it and give each of us some.

Later, when the saunf small packs replaced the bowls, we were disappointed but still loved it all the same. We would pick up the little packs given and munch on it all the way back home.

This was when, till when i was like 10 or 12, and my sister, 5 or 7.

As we grew up we learnt to do it in a more sophisticated manner. If it was given with the bill we would casually pick a few of those and get up and leave. 

If it was on the cash counter, we would gracefully  (or so I think) walk past it. We can’t go pick it from the bowl there. Not happening. Why? The adolescence and wanting to be all cool and stuff right?

So yesterday, our Mum and Dad were at the restaurant waiting for us. We got there and ordered the food and finished it off in no time. There were people around. A lot of them. Some our age, and some older. 

Mum and Dad had to get something on the way back home so my little sister suggested we go home while they did their shopping.

We got them to agree and got up to leave. I could see all eyes on us. We walked a little away from the table and I turned and said ‘See you. Come soon’ and everything cool! They were like “Okay!”

I am the epitome of coolness eh? 

But that only lasted a few seconds. We were a few feet away from the table when the waiter walked past us.

‘Prateeksha. Harshini. Thogoli! ‘ (thogoli = take, in kannada). We heard mum and dad both calling out in unison!

We stopped and turned thinking it was probably the key. 

Nope.

Sweet Saunf packets.

My mum and dad both had one in their hands for us. I giggled nervously and my sister hung her head down dramtically, facepalming later.(the adolescent here).

‘ We don’t want’ I signalled and we both ran down seeing a lot of eyes on us as we went. 

When they reached home,’ why didn’t you guys eat? You love it no?’ the cuties asked us. We explained our idea of ‘cooool’ in  public, atleast infront of the kids our age. They sighed, probably realising we are now very different from what we were 10 years ago.

‘Your dad has brought the packs though!’ She said and we both grinned.

You might say it is nothing at all. Because it really isn’t. 

Just that, no matter how old you become, your parents only see you as the little dependent whiney kids that you were , years ago.

And you saying ‘No!we don’t want it’ is never going to stop them .  They go all ‘ But you loved it before.’ 

Getting you whatever you love, no matter what, tops their priority list. No matter how big or small or what it is. ‘You like it? You are getting it!’ Is their motto.

At the end of the day, only they know the child in you. More than you do.