Nobility

As I was hovering around the house, doing nothing in particular, a sudden urge hit me. Fresh from a holiday in Coorg, felt this craving for a piece of "chikki", a kind of sweet, brought from this land. Needless to say, I knew exactly where it was and proceeded to extract it from a certain box in the kitchen. To my dismay, I found that there was only one piece left and this being my father's favourite, I couldn't just eat and continue living without remorse. It was time for action, for me to step up to the mantle, take the bull by the horns, use my tact, exercise the grey cells and fight for the last piece. Such thoughts ran through my mind when the idea struck. Simplicity itself, I was surprised it hadn't hit me before.

I would simply offer it to my father, he would say "no you eat." He often did this even though he really wanted it, he would forego it in fatherly spirit. On other occasions, I would have myself have lied that I didn't want the item and force him to come out with his real feelings.

But this time, I had different ideas. It was a simple case of saying "Oh, in that case I'll eat it."

There was something about this scheme that I loved. It couldn't fail, I would get my chikki and my father would certainly hail my selflessness. A win-win situation.

Armed with the piece of chikki, I walked confidently to my father, put on an earnest, sincere, loving expression and suppressing a smile, I chirped "Daddy, laaaast piece of chikki" and handed it to him. The moment of reckoning came and was gone like a blur.

Yes, he did hail my selflessness. He thought it rather noble of me. But my tact failed, I had failed to deliver the goods.

Dad performed the simple action of saying "Thank you" full of love and proceeded to eat the chikki whole.

While I was more dismayed than ever, I did have a good laugh about it later. And it was just a chikki. :D