Sunday, February 22, 2009

My Fairy God Mother Is A New Age Communist!!!

Having grown up on a steady diet of fairy tales from Brothers Grimm, Hans Anderson and finally Enid Blyton, I spent most of my growing years (and adult life too) believing that everyone on this planet came with a kindly Fairy Godmother attached. And why ever not? After all, Cinderella had one and Sleeping Beauty did too. So why not any of us in the real world? Who other than a Fairy God Mother could possibly keep us from hopping, skipping and leap frogging into trouble or bail us out of it...And even more importantly, send Prince Charmings our way?
There was no doubt in my child mind. We all simply had to have a FG*. As a child, I remember devoting much time and energy plotting to net my elusive Fairy Godmother - a mischievous grandmotherly being who sailed on a puffy white cloud above me refusing to put in an appearance to discuss life and its many secrets with me. But as the years advanced, skepticism set in. Forget playing hide and seek, FG never put in an appearance with an umbrella or a rain coat when the storm clouds gathered above me.
At a certain point in time, skepticism gave way to anger. Perhaps it was the disappointment of my child-mind's expectations. Or maybe it was because I felt I have had more than my fair share of woes, most of which were circumstantial and some, I confess,were of my own making. Either way, the quantum of misadventures that came seeking me most definitely qualified me for a FG.
My rage against the recalcitrant FG peaked sometime last week, while I was taking stock of the paths I had travelled. As I stewed and simmered and shook an angry fist at the imaginary cloud above me, a reedy voice piped up peevishly.
"Such a racket!!...What is all this fuss and bother about?"
" Just that you haven't been doing your job!!!.You are never around when I need you" I fumed "You are supposed to be following me around...watching out for me..And I haven't seen you even once in all these years!!!"
" Oh yeah? And just who do you think has been talking to you and holding your hands every time you flirted with disaster???"
" You have????"
My best shot at sarcasm ricochets off FG's hide. Obviously, she is a worthy adversary!
" You are never around!!! Just look at my life....Trouble courts me and you are never around to bail me out"
" Do I look like a goddamn seat belt to you? You need to take responsibility for your life and your actions. I am around to guide you gently, if you would choose to listen to me"
For a whole minute, I was speechless. And then anger once again welled up finding its voice in the form of bitter accusations
"Oh yeah? That was not your line when you sent Cinderella off to a fancy ball in a pumpkin chariot and finery to find her Prince Charming. Or when you put Sleeping Beauty to sleep for a hundred years till her Prince Charming kissed her back to wakefulness!!!"
" That was in the fairy tales...Do you think FGs in the modern world have time or energy for all that jazz???In the real world, both of us have to work hard to keep your life on an even keel. After all, it is your life. You enjoy the fruits of your labour all by yourself, don't you? So you need to work hard for it too. There is no reason I should be doing anymore work than you are"
This I liked...An invisible Fairy God Mother who was not just spouting communistic principles at me but was also rubbishing away my favourite fairy tales!!! The communism I could digest but her take on fairy tales was a little too much for me to swallow and I couldn't resist reminding her about the Fairy in FG.
But much to my surprise, she waved me aside breezily.
" Fairy God Mother...The Voice of Conscience....Gut Instincts...Sixth Sense...Call me what you will....Its all the one and the same...Now, am I to be faulted if your notions and expectations belong in Utopia???"
Her tone brooked no argument. And honestly, I was a tad too nervous to even try. What if I offended her for life?
Just my luck that my Fairy God Mother turned out to be a new age commie!!!


* FG = Fairy God Mother

4 comments:

Roopa said...

Heh heh...that was thought-provokingly funny :). I loved the title. Talk to Saanya and she will tell you about her own take of fairy god parents from her favorite cartoon - Fairly Odd Parents. The godparents there have to grant any wish that Timmy makes. She has been searching for her fairy god parents to satisfy her every whim :). Well, sigh, don't we all!!

Gingerbread & Me said...

Aren't we all children at heart? Last evening, I spoke to an old friend who confided that he still believed in FGs. I think all of us need to know that there is a kindly parentlike figure watching over us..I guess believing is like a security blanket of sorts..
And yes, I look forward to a conversation with Saanya about the vagaries of FG's...
:) :)

Anonymous said...

Hey! Where did my comment of yesterday go?? :(
I simply adore your commie Fairy God Mother! ;) Rekz, this is one brilliant conversation between the pair of you. Hats off to your imagination.

Gingerbread & Me said...

Shail, my FG and I thank you for restoring my faith in myself.
I was at the receiving end of so many "Oh, you are such a juvenile" comments after this post, that I was having second thoughts about writing more stuff like this.
:) :)

Which comment of yours went missing? I don't remember seeing any but let me check...I wud never not publish one of yours, crab mate!!!