Day 2

It was a regular summer day of June. I had seen her yesterday. But, I was not very much enthusiastic to meet her. But, in the evening that day I had to meet her. Actually we had this huge playground with swings and all. And, as a ritual and as an escape from the boring, confined lives of home. Most of us went in the playground. It was part of our social life much like Facebook is these days. It was also a legitimate excuse to talk things that might have been inappropriate to the prying eyes of our parents.

So, as I rushed to the swing that evening, I faced a strong opposition in the form of Leelavati. She was there in the playground before I had reached. And, thus ended up chatting up with a couple of more regular dweller of that place. As I went straightaway for my turn post Rita had her swing-trip, as it was 'the Ritual'. She popped up from somewhere and started arguing for something like that she was waiting for a long time and now it is her turn. And, as any other kid of my age would have done it. We both were arguing for ourselves. As I was always a patient person and loved arguing instead of physical fights. So, I was going on for that. But, suddenly somebody screamed from somewhere in the crowd - "Panjaa ladaao! Panjaa ladaao!!" And, thus there were we. Fist-fighting!

Since she was plump and much stronger than I was. So, she certainly won. But, this whole episode was filling me with a sense of ignominy since I was suddenly seeing a liking for her in many of my friends. And, I was hating that terribly.

So, before I could realize that what was I doing, I found myself pulling her hairs as hard as I could and she was hitting me with her hands as hard as she could.

That was it. That is how I first met Leelavati.