Uncle???????????

Being the ‘shorty’ of the class, I was always made to feel like a kid in a class of teenagers!!! Felt bitter hatred against the people in the class who teased me…..fought with a few too…..and came out ‘tops’ in those fights at times too!!! Being short and skinny and being teased by other people (sometimes even the adults….who used to laugh and say “oh hahaha…..what a tiny fella!!!) sort of developed into an inferiority complex. I went into a sort of shell for many years…..Had that feeling…even in early college days. No matter what exercises I did (swimming, basketball, stretching exercises etc.)….my height did not increase…..my weight did not rise……always looked younger than my age. Finally I gave up on my height and decided to ignore the insults thrown by people regarding this matter….after all god had given me 2 arms and 2 legs and the other senses…..he had not send me to the world handicapped.! This sort of thinking made me a mentally stronger person. Later on weight training helped me to some extent, atleast for gaining weight!! In fact I started feeling happy about the fact that I look younger than my age and started bragging about it…………….until recently there were was an incident which shut my bragging up………………
I had just come back from office and was enjoying a glass of lemonade, mom wasn’t there in the house. The doorbell rang. I opened the door and found two kids standing at the doorstep……both must be around 10 years of age…..they had come to collect some funds for some voluntary organizations through their school

Kids: Uncle, Uncle….we have naaaa…come to collect funds…..Please give us money so that we can give it to charity….

Me: Uncle is not home, boys.

Kids: But if you have money, uncle, you can give it to us no?

Me: Uncle is not home, boys, I told u so….

Kids: We meant you….uncle…

Me (Thinking): These stupid brats……….calling me uncle……

I snatched the paper from their hands in which the entries of the names of the people who had given donations had been made. People had donated varying amounts ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 20…I took my wallet and took out a twenty rupee note, signed my name on the paper and gave it to them.

Kids: Thank you, uncle.

As they turned to leave, I thought of something and I called them back and said

Me: Look here boys…..I will give you this Rs 50 note for your donation if you promise not to call me uncle……if you ever see me again!!!!

Kids (Took the note): Thank you, bhaiyaa!!!!

Me (Thinking): Much better, you little jerks..!!!

Bachpan me ‘chintu’…….abhi uncle………Saala…..JAWANI KIDHAR KHO GAYI??????