#earliestmemory

The first graphic novel I ever saw was - “Hush” by Rajiv Eipe. Nilanjana was reading it in Pilani. From the name - “graphic novel”, I gathered that it would be like a cartoon series, only longer. Something like Tintin, or of the Superman/Spiderman comics category. I was looking forward to reading it once she finished with the book.

But when I borrowed the hardly-50 page novel, I didn’t like it at all. Back then I was much more innocent (a kid, really), and unaware of the complex realities of the world around us. It was all beautiful and rosy for me. I didn’t understand why someone would draw and write about such dark & unspeakable, adult things - depression, homosexuality, blood, power, abuse etc.

The sketches very vivid, and powerful. But the theme had me greatly dislike the book. Till a long time later, the memory of this book led me to not pick up a graphic novel.

Two years ago, though, I read “Persepolis”. It is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in war-struck Iran. I really liked the characters & the story, the consistency of the drawings. I followed it up with “Kari” by Amruta Patil, and “Maus” by Art Spiegelman. The aversion of “graphic novels” has gone and I’m looking forward to reading many more such novels.

*I meant to do this yesterday but I forgot*

I have so many to be honest. It is.literally hard to pick the earliest. But here goes nothing…

I was about 4 when my parents and I were moving into the house my mom stays in now. I remember watching my parents move the last of the things and actually being excited about moving.

The earliest memory is when i fell out of the water tap. I remember it so distinctly so let me tell you the story. One day i was looking through bts pictures when i felt a slight tap on my back. I spin around to see the tooth fairy behind me. He was male, about 5’7-5’9 and around the age of 20. So, being the 5 year old i was, i asked him why he was wearing a sink tap on his head. He told me it was for the fairy dressing up party but i didnt believe him. I felt so angry because the tooth fairy was lying to me, lying through his belly bangles. Do you know what i did? I started climbing on him so i could turn the water tap on his head so he could get a cold. He told me i was a naughty girl and that he would send me into the pipes. I started to laugh and so did he. He brought his hairy tooth out and said ‘zingumulaay zumugaliba ey sum dum day kumula skunday ola’. I started to shake with fear and the next thing i knew i was in the water tap. Years and years i would shout out for help but people thought i was singing. So i eventually found a way out. I jumped over the witches, fought with the four legged masked orange banana skin and attacked the wall of earth. This is how i came out of the water tap.

TRUE STORY

Anyway, thats the end of my story and hopefully i will tell you one of my stories another time. Adios! And have fun out there

Mom and I went inside a pet store and I got distracted by this beautiful and colorful bird. Mom called for me to come to her the way she always did when she saw me distracted and the bird micked they way she said my name! It amazed me even more. I ran to my mom and the bird kept saying my name. My mother and I still recall this day every once in awhile.