Imagine

We all grow up, a little by little. Somewhere in the process, we lose something most precious, most important. We lose our power to dream, dream all those impossible things. And we start believing that our imagination is just imagination.

When I was 10, I used to believe in miracles, used to believe in a number of things. All were mere fantasies, but the best fantasies I’ve ever known. We used to play hide and seek, at Vani aunty’s house. It was my chance, I was lacking by two dips behind my brother. I knew I had to find everyone, else I would lose. I found everyone apart from my brother. He was still hiding. He was faster than me, so I could not outrun him to the dip. Then I saw it, a glimpse of his heel. He was running upstairs towards the terrace. The terrace was locked. I thought I would find him at the top of the stairs. So I ran up the stairs just a little, but enough to see anyone on top of them. I glanced but he wasn’t there. In the split second that I realised he wasn’t there, he raced behind me and reached the dip. I could not understand how he had done it.

Then it struck me, as kids we all had agreed that he had ninja powers, he could teleport. He was the oldest of the lot. He used to tell us stories of how he'd battled aliens and fought against Shreder without the help of turtles. We believed him, he was my hero. I told everyone what I’d seen and we all agreed that it was not fair for him to teleport. None of us had learnt how to do it yet (he told us he'd teach us someday). He gave me a smile that day and took the dip upon himself. I won and I was so proud!

When I think back to that day, I know he could not have teleported. Yet, he did not argue. Be it for making us believe, but I think that day, he did it for me. Today, when I think about it, I realise how important it was that we believed him. How important it was that we could live in a world of fantasy; how important it is to live in a world of fantasy.

I still live in that world and go to the places that I haven’t been to, in a long time. Sometimes, just sometimes, I still go back to my kingdom, where people miss me, where I can fly, where love and fun are the only two laws and slaying dragons and dark wizards are still a daily routine for me; for me, The King!


- Tapas Chitre
tapas.chitre@gmail.com