Adi halts midway. “Na, brooo. I’m not bullshitting. I’m
telling you the truth – I am the best,” he directs his index finger
towards his countenance, “just look at my face. Just look at it bro!”
I observe the unfailing glint of humility in his eyes – something
that is as landmark to my Adi as breath is to air. And yet to trouble him I look
at him disinterestedly and reply, “Haan mere bachche, you are the best...at
bullshitting, don’t I know that? Isn’t your ‘face’ the best proof of that?”
Before I even know it, he swerves into his Taekwondo
leap and knocks me down. When I am flat on my back on the grass, he comes close
to me and raises his eyebrows, twice, quickly, in a typical mischievous Aditya
fashion. “Lagi toh nahin na?” His biceps, no less than bazookas, are within my
eyesight, all set to fire off at me if I don’t tell him what he wants to hear,
so I internally measure my speech and speak up feigning innocence.
“You are the BEST, my Adi,” I say gulping, “and that is
the truth, and you know that na mere bachche,” I pause, “and your face, err,” I
stutter and stammer as if to show I am still mortally terrified, “is the living
proof of that na mere brooo!”
He inches his head slightly away from me, narrows his
eyes, scrutinises me for a few seconds, and then gives me his hand. I heave a
sigh knowing full well that my acting has paid off better than his - while the
hotshot monkey gets paid for his skill because he is a famous actor and all. To
keep up the tempo, I stand up with his support, ooh-ing and aah-ing. He breaks
into a loud laugh. I squint. He pats me on my shoulders; “You are also
the best, bro! Truly. And I’m not bullshitting,” he points his index finger
towards his countenance again.
“Also?” I ask, aghast.
“Drama,” he mutters coolly, as I turn and RUN away as fast as I
can!!!
The picture above is of his bazookas that he unleashes
on me every time I poke fun at him. The picture below, well, that’s the look on
Adi’s face as I’m running away after the, “Also?”
Phew! Kids these days I tell you – they
are no less than actual Mafia dons! But what to do, I still love my bachcha,
because he is indeed the BEST, and it is these intimate brother-brother moments
that make life so much more worth living. What say? Wouldn’t you all agree with
me?
(c) of images and words belong to Aditya Seal and Farahdeen Khan
(c) of images and words belong to Aditya Seal and Farahdeen Khan
