Friday, November 16, 2007

Sixty and Counting

My Dad turns 60 today. Which means he has seen 720 moons. Full moons that is. And Roughly. This figure has not been corrected for leap years, cloudy nights or the evenings when my Dad simply did not want to go see the moon. But you get my idea. Anyhoo. In my family, we always say that my Dad arrived from another planet. There is no doubt about that. Some, actually many, say he came from the Planet of Saints or the Planet of Highly Ethical and Moral Beings (this planet is very sparsely populated) or the Federation of the Extremely Patient Souls (I think he was the sole occupant of that one). Are you shaking your heads and are saying, Naah? These planets don’t really exist? Well, they must. Which other person, in his boyhood would brink back veggies for dinner on the way home from school with the few paisa his mother gave him for a treat in the school canteen? Or never break a teacup or volunteer to put his baby brother down for a nap or pacify the said younger brother when he demanded fancy firecrackers which was an ill-afforded luxury at that point? Certainly not someone from this planet. No way.

But such is the old Dad. No pun intended. And I have known him for more than half of his life now. Wow. That’s a milestone for me too. So let’s trace back some father daughter history and marvel how on earth he managed to retain those four strands of hair on his head.

Age 4: Wow. My Dad knows everything there is to know.

Age 7: My Dad is never wrong.

Age 10: Those who disagree with him are complete loosers. Then again, he might not know everything there is to know. The world is huge.

Age 14: I can’t believe the man in that mismatched outfit is my Dad.

Age 17: He just doesn’t understand ANYTHING.

Age 20: He is such a looser. He needs a life.

Age 24: It’s amazing how much he has grown in the past few years. He actually understands what I say.

Age 27: He is an alright bloke, really.

Age 30: Hmm.. let me send him an email about what he thinks of this.

Age 32: What would he do? Let me talk to him before I decide anything.


So there. We are coming to a full circle! Happy, Birthday Baba. We plan to embarrass you with an obscenely huge party when you visit us over the Christmas Holidays.

24 comments:

Anusha said...

:D thats a stylish birthday wish! happy birthday to your dad!

LOL at the other planets!

Savani said...

k's mom: thanking you on his behalf.

Altoid said...

*In singsong voice* Happy 60th to Dotmom's Dad! :)

Best wishes to your dad, his family and other animals :P

Have a great weekend
-altoid

noon said...

Awn - how sweet - your post for his b'day. And sooo true. Could relate to the timelines so much. Exactly around age 14 I would think that way - god why does he have to do this or that kind of thing. And now I wonder what my dad would have done in some situations! But he was not a patient man in his youth like your dad was. And man his story about the veggies is ammmazing. He really is from another planet! I admire such people. I wish I could meet this person and imbibe some "other planet" wisdom from him. Wished that when I read Moppet's dad post also.
A very happy birthday to your father! Wishing him good health and many many more happy returns of the day!

Sujatha Bagal said...

Ain't that the truth! A very happy b'day to your dad! My parents coming too! Woo hoo!

Preethi said...

Happy bday to your dad... my dad turns 60 too next year.. looking forward to my india trip and throwing him a huge party!!

Fuzzylogic said...

Don't we all come that full circle with our parents?He seems like such a wonderful dad.Hope he had a wonderful b'day!

Savani said...

altoid: hahaha. thanks. this family is a royal zoo.

noon: he is so patient he would make patience blush. and the veggie story.. you shuld hear it from my grandmom!

sujatha: yay! parents!!

preethi: wow. everybody's turning sixty. soon it will be us!

fuzzy: he is, he is. thanks!

Sukhaloka said...

Happy Birthday Dotmom's dad! Happy Birthday to you!

Lovely post.
I think I can identify with the "whoa, he's grown up so much in the past few years!" bit, NOT - repeat NOT - referring to my own father. Although the dad in question is someone who really has grown a lot in the past few years, as a person. :)

I love Lucy said...

Best wishes to your father!

Tharini said...

That was terrific! What a way to say Happy Burdday! He'll be pleased as punch. I can imagine how thrilled u'd be that he's visiting soon.

Shobana said...

Happy b'day Baba and hope we are invited to the party too. Here's wishing you another 60yrs! Yay!!

Anitha(Nikki's mom) said...

beautiful post! I liked that statistic about 720 moons. I heard somewhere that those get to see 1000 full moons are blessed and was wondering how many years one has to live to see them all. Happy birthday to your Baba. I can sense the excitement in your voice about your Dad's impending arrival. Some good times ahead of you.

Anitha(Nikki's mom) said...

btw, did a post on the hot topic that is going on in our mommy blogs. Check it out. I think you could have as well made it as a tag. :)

Choxbox said...

lovely post.

boohoo i want my dad too to come over and i mean NOW.

By Deepa and Supriya said...

Sorry I am late..but it is not yet 12 in my corner of the word..so, Happy B'day Dotmom's Dad!! I kinda know which planet u are talking about..
there is one other inhabitant at my home too who crossed 60 last yr :)

and yes it's a full circle indeed :)

dipali said...

Greetings to the other worldly being who happens to be dotmom's Dad. May he have a long and healthy many many more moons.

mummyjaan said...

How sweet it is to find another human being on the planet who calls her dad 'Baba'.

B o o said...

LOL at the age 24 statement! Happy birthday to your dad and long live Dads!

Preethi said...

Hi, You have been tagged.. go to Incessant Musings

Parul said...

Happy birthday, dotmom's dad uncle!!

dotmom - tagging you.

Jaggu said...

Happy Birthday for the dad...
it wil be my parents turn too after an year...

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

Happy Birthday ! Such a lovely wish and so true !

DDmom said...

Am late here.
That was a very sweet post DotMom. Belated wishes to your Dad, hope he had a wonderful day.