"Om bhur bhuvah svaha tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat..."

I would usually wake up listening to this song. Yet it would be faint one, comparatively. Now, I didn't have time for Daddy's cassette player. I would get up and only cycle. Many of Daddy's tricks failed, even his dancing trick because I wouldn't leave that thing. It was like get up, go and sit on that red thing and start pedalling. Always backwards.

I think Ammamma and Arun Mama went somewhere because I haven't seen them from many days. Ah yes! Before I saw them last time, they were just waving at me and uttering only one word – bye. I wonder what that means. Also, who just utters one word? Anyways, I was just cycling when Mummy came and tried lifting me from the cycle.

"No, no," I screamed and clutched the handles of it.

"Anu! It's time, you have to brush your teeth. Come out now!" she tried explaining but I didn't listen to her. I shook my head vigorously and screamed one word – no. Now you know who screams only one word.

She gave a light slap on one of my palms. I cried and to nurse that palm, I removed my other palm. With her hawk eyes, she just swooped me out of the cycle. I tried to do slither away from her grip but she was very strong. I knew what brushing meant. I also knew that she will tell me to open my mouth. That's when I decided I won't do it. Mummy is very smart. She would have put that white paste on the toothbrush and kept ready.

"Anu! Open your mouth!"

I shook my head. First, she glared at me. Though I might have to admit that I was frightened but I didn't give up. Then, she gave another small slap on my mouth. I opened my mouth to scream and she shoved the toothbrush into my mouth. She started brushing my teeth. After a few moments I was made to rinse my mouth and then drink milk.

I decided to go in that room where I was trying to climb on the railings, to get some fresh air. There I saw two kids were riding cycles like I had. Along with them there were two women like Mummy walking along with them. Then that happened.

They both turned their cycles towards each other and pedalled. The girl first dashed against the boy and both fell on the ground. Naturally, they started crying. I saw some red thing around their hands and legs. I came inside and looked at my cycle. I wanted to ride it but I was scared. What if I fall down like them? That looked very scary.

"Anu!" Daddy screamed. "I am going to office," he informed, waved his hand. I came into the living room from that room, shaken. I waved my hand at him and he mouthed a bye. He left the house, closing the door.

Mummy was surprised to find me in kitchen. "How come you've decided to come here? What happened to your cycle? Already got bored? It's just been two days since we shifted and you got a cycle. How can someone be bored so easily?"

She was busy doing something on the stove. I took some purple and yellow balls called onions and potatoes. I ran to the living room and put them on the diwan. These silver anklets! Always making sound.

Sure enough, Mummy came and saw me. I quickly climbed on the diwan and started jumping. I didn't notice but a potato came under my foot and I slipped. I feel on the diwan. Mummy took me in her arms and relaxed, "Devuda! Do you have any idea what would have happened if you would have fallen on the ground? Thank God it was diwan."

She placed me next to onions and potatoes and left. I didn't get hurt because I fell on diwan. I must cycle on diwan if I want to not get hurt.

Later, Mummy had finished her chores and was sitting on the floor, to play with me when there was a knock. Mummy opened the door and one lady was standing. She looked like Ammamma but she was different. She was wearing something on her nose.

"Hello, I am Mrs. Iyer, your neighbours," she introduced. Mummy welcomed them and she came sat on the diwan. I looked at her curiously even though she was smiling at me broadly. Behind her came some uncle and he was welcomed too.

"I am Mr. Iyer," he introduced. They were served with glasses of water.

Mummy looked at me. Oh no! She's again teaching me new words! She pointed at the lady and said, "Anu, she's Iyer aunty."

I repeated, "Iyal aunty."

Then directing at the uncle, she instructed, "He's Iyer uncle."

"Iyal uncle."

Both of them smiled at me and I gave a small smile.

"So, are you tenants? Or now the new owners?" Iyer uncle asked.

"No uncle, we are tenants. By the way, I am Chaitra Reddy and this is my daughter, Anika. My husband, Manavendra, left for office some time ago. We are basically Telgites from Bangalore," Mummy informed.

"Oh Bangalore! What a wonderful city with wonderful weather unlike humid weather of Mumbai and Chennai," Iyer Aunty pointed out.

Iyer uncle added, "We have two sons- Suman and Arya. We should have thought a bit before giving them these names."

"Aiyyo, why would you say that uncle?" Mummy asked.

"You see, people here, especially the Western side of India, will name their daughters the name we give to our sons. Names like Suman, Arya and even Surya. You think, if Kollywood star Suriya comes to know about this?"

"How can they do that?" she shrieked.

"That's how this world is. Suman is in eleventh while Arya is in eighth," he said.

Then the trio spoke for some time. Then the duo decided to leave and got up and Iyer Aunty informed, "I love your daughter. She is very bold. Forget calling me very sweetly Iyal aunty, children are scared of me. I think it's these glasses or maybe I look too serious. But Anika isn't scared. This girl has got guts! Great going girl!"

She raised her palm. So did I. Her palm came and hit mine and she laughed, "Yay! Anika gave me a high-five."

Her laughter was contagious. Even I was laughing with her. once they left, Mummy lifted me and said, "You've guts, Anu! My little baby, do you even know what is that?"

She started giggling my stomach and I laughed uncontrollably. We ate our lunches, and Mummy put me to sleep. I slept for some time after which I got up. I decided to go and play by myself. I went without disturbing Mummy.

I went to kitchen, took some onions, potatoes and garlics and dropped it on the diwan. I went to kitchen again and took a big vessel which was kept next to the shelf of onions. Last time, I had done this but last time everything went wrong. While keeping the vessel on the floor, I had accidently dropped it, away from my feet. But Mummy came thinking I might have dropped it on my feet.

I carried the big vessel and placed it on the diwan. I climbed on it and started playing with it. I was so engrossed with it when a sudden shutter sound distracted me. I see Mummy clicked a picture from the camera. She laughed and said, "Anu, what's the hurry for you to cook, huh? Don't worry dear, after twenty-five years you'll have to do this even if you don't want to."

We got ready and went to park. Even though we had come to new place, we would go to same park. I would play with the ball for some time. Then we would go to a shop next to it to buy white packets and sometimes, fruits and vegetables.

At night, Mummy noticed that I didn't touch the cycle. She asked me but I didn't reply. This went on for some days when she finally asked me, "Anu! What happened? Why are you not riding the cycle? Is it not comfortable?"

I replied, "Cycle on bed."

"What!"

"Cycle on bed."

"Who does that? Who cycles on the bed?"

Even after explaining, she didn't seem to understand. I sulked for some time. Looking at my plight, she kept the cycle on the bed. I climbed on the bed excitedly. I sat on the cycle seat and started pedalling. This time, I pedalled properly, going straight and hitting the foot of the bed. Mummy looked at my excited eyes and sighed.

Thank you for reading.