My Father's Daughter

 Whenever I am at my best, i am my father's daughter. Yes, indeed! I have a zillion examples to prove this statement. On June 21, Papa's death anniversary, let me narrate three major mishaps that prove how a father's love is the best protection. 

The first one was on the day my S.S.C. exam began. Papa, who used to guide me for my language papers though letters as he was then posted in Solapur, had taken leave so that he could take me to the Exam Center, the Tilak Road New English School. 

At the Parvati Post Office Circle,  Mitra Mandal Chowk, there was a puddle of diesel oil that streaked some distance. The scooter skidded on it. I fell down, the scooter on me. Even in that moment, my worry was whether Papa would be hurt. He somehow pulled the scooter up, and we reached the center just on time. My right wrist was swollen. I wrote two papers thus, each one of three hours, and despite everything, scored well enough to be in the top fifty which earned me the National Merit Scholarship.

The second mishap was when i was to appear for the T.Y.B.A. exam. The exam was not even a fortnight away. Grandmother, Aai's Aai, succumbed to a heart attack. Naturally, everything was topsy turvy. As our schooling began early and we were promoted given the good performance, i was not even eighteen. Despite the first encounter with the fact of death of a dear person, i managed to appear for the fast approaching exam, and wrote well enough to be in the toppers' list, yet again with Papa's confidence in me.

The third mishap was when i was to appear for my M. A. Final exam. Grandfather, Aai's father, who was at our place till seven the evening before, succumbed to a massive heart attack early in the morning at his son's place. My exam was at 11 a.m. The news reached us at about 7 a.m.

 Even then, Papa somehow contacted the Head of the Department to find out if i could possibly miss the exam. When it was realised that any alternative would harm my entire performance, he came to reach me to the exam centre at Law College. I appeared for the exam. 

The second day, while i was pillion riding to the exam centre for the second paper, we were caught in a bad summer shower. I wrote the paper, drenched to skin. Well, yet again, i repeated the toppers' list performance.

Now when i think back and remember these mishaps, the only thing that comes to my mind is that nothing seemed to matter (and despite my hyper-sentimental personality then) because i was absolutely sure of the protective gear called Papa's support always being there! Hence the assertion that whenever I am at my best, i am my father's daughter!

Pratima@Dad is always the cool dude!