THE BIRTHDAY GIRL

Today was a perfect afternoon! Astrud Gilberto in the air, Cabernet Shiraz in hand while I cooked Chicken Biryani, Mutton Korma (Thank you Nelo Aapa for this fabulous recipe!) & Raita for my younger sister, Ruth's Birthday lunch with the family! It felt like Sunday afternoon! In fact, I still feel as lethargic as I'd feel on a Sunday evening post a lovely brunch! It was one of those rare days when it was just family (Of course, minus Sherrel Uncle and my baby Franklin)! I loved every second of it.  

I woke up this morning with flashes of our childhood... of my baby sister, Ruth as a tiny tot! Born a year after me, she was the crankiest child we had ever seen! Most of our childhood was spent with my Mother's large hearted (large in sizes too!), spirited, Anglo-Indian side. And I will never forget, my grandmother's sister, Gracy Nana's, "Take that bloody cranky fart away from me!" Cranky fart, a tag, which Ruth was tagged with for a long time to come! (In fact, we still do call her by that name sometimes!) Ruth bawled and whined at a drop of a pin (And she still has her days of whining and complaining about everything)!  

The Birthday Girl!

We'd go to school together. She would walk with me, sporting two little, braided plaits, black soda bottle glasses and the St. Blaise checkered pinafore. As far as I can remember, Ruth always wore a serious, don't-mess-with-me expression... And still does! With her dark brown, oiled hair, she looked so cute in those black oval glasses! (I have no idea what my mother was thinking when she bought them)! Behind those glasses was a beautiful girl who hated going to school, but was the most studious out of the 3 siblings. In fact, she still is!  

But all this makes her sound oh-so-good. She has her crafty side to her too. Ruth was the cleverest (and still is)! She'd leave her books incomplete in a manner that nobody could ever tell it was! And Ramola (our youngest baby sis) and I were trashed for leaving our schoolbooks incomplete! I remember Ruth would stand and gloat, enjoying our torment!  As a kid, Ruth was a worrier. She is perpetually paranoid of accidents, airplanes, sicknesses to such an extent that if she heard a train had derailed somewhere in the country, it would be a nightmare to travel with her even on the mini train in the National Park! This paranoia exists even today. Of course, it's a little toned down now! 

Ruth (second from left) with Mom, Ramola & Yours Truly!

As a kid, she was also the more mature, responsible, conscientious and practical one, as she still is. While Ramola and I chase rainbows and squander away our incomes, Ruth advises us on saving our money. Not to say she is not a dreamer.... Oh she dreams! She's just not too impulsive or spontaneous like Ramola and I.  The "cranky fart" Ruth grew into a fine, mature and a lovely girl. Out went the glasses and the plaits, and what we had was a stunner, with her perfect features, her thin brown hair and her effervescent giggle. Yes, the crankiness had been replaced with a gorgeous smile and a throaty laughter. 

She's loving, caring, and kind-hearted & is finally learning to have fun! She's also a lot more patient, tolerant and less temperamental than the two of us. She's also our Mom's 'hotline'! Both discuss their day to the minutest detail, every single day! The quintessential Daddy's girl, she'd do this every evening with him after returning from work. I know she misses talking Dad more than anything in the world… And if also I know our father well Ruth, he is somewhere out there watching you go about your beautiful life. So keep smiling! Happy Birthday my darling Ruth! Hope God showers you with all the happiness in the world, because you truly deserve all of it!