on-the-spot short stories.

why dolls run away on toy cars?

i knew the day would come. my owner is giving me away.

'i am not', i respond to the unmoving barbie. but i'm bound to change, unlike you. always a good listener to my stories, accepting of all my flaws and mistakes. i straighten her arm, wipe her face gently- afraid her eyes would come off. the rubber band have gotten stuck to her peachy plastic hair, and i don't try to do anything about it. she's just as beautiful as she was all those years ago, while i have grown up to be tall, lanky kid, spectacles and all. i put her aside, taking out her huge doll house.

it was expensive, now i see why my parents were so against buying it. they had looked at my glossy eyes, pouty lips, creating a scene in the middle of the aisle. other parents and kids had looked at the spectacle, me refusing to get up clutching the teddy my father had agreed to buy. he had hooked his hands under my pits and lifted me up, apologising awkwardly to the other customers. "stop that. you're not getting the doll house. come on now," when i was about to continue my tantrum i made the mistake of looking at him, whose eyes were as big as saucers, and as angry and strict as they could get. i felt my tears retreat back into my eye-sockets, and only hiccups persisted.

while my father pulled me away, i looked back longingly at the big, pink house, which felt like it was everything i could have ever wanted. my barbie could not only have a bath under that shower head, but it also contained a reading room! she could study while i'm off to the school and then we could tell each other what we learnt that day. i was sure my barbie was bored to death when i was gone.

i saw my mom stare at it too. she leaned down while we were in the waiting line for my teddy. i was happy to get the little bear, but now everything seemed faint in front of the house. before she could say anything, i wiped my eyes and whispered, so that dad couldn't hear, "if it's expensive, we could return the teddy?" she giggled, "they're not the same price, honey." i knew that. but i had no other deal to offer. "we could get you that car set instead?" she pointed to the rack. i contemplated. it was hot wheels, popular among boys in my class. looking at the cars and their assembled tracks, they looked expensive too- i frowned. they were fascinating, sure, but not what i wanted.

"it's okay, thank you," i responded, and skipped over to the counter. the lady smiled as she billed us, and gave me a small wave. i was hesitant, but i waved back. "sir, if you buy something more of ₹100, there is an offer-"

"it's okay, no."

"let's hear it," my mom interjected. thank god she did. the lady continued, towards my mother this time. "there is an offer. we will give you an item worth ₹500 absolutely free!"

"just ₹100?" mom asked. the lady confirmed. just ₹100. hundred bucks in a toy store probably seemed like a stupid expense, but my mom already had something in mind. "would you have a pack of cards?" i was about to suggest the house too, but figured it would be worth way more than that.

"we do," the lady nodded, signalling another worker to get them. we also got uno cards to make it over a hundred. when the transaction was done, she leaned to see me. "what do you want, sweetheart?"

"what do you have?" i asked. can i get the doll set now. "do you have a doll house?"

"a doll house," she got off the counter, and disappeared from my line of vision. when she reappeared, she was holding a transparent plastic box, with a shelf, a cloth rack with different dresses for barbie, and even some heels. "would this work? this is the best i could find," she addressed my father. my father looked pissed, but took the box, leaving my hand. he examined it, clearly not impressed. "how much?"

"₹459"

he looked even more disappointed. then he looked at me. "you want?" i nodded furiously. the purple dress was so pretty. i wanted it to gift to my barbie. i know she would appreciate it. he gave a tired look to my mother, and put it on the counter. "we will have it."

while carrying the bag, and while my father was oddly silent during the ride back, all i remembered was feeling guilty. that look had an imprint on my brain. i would see more of those. silent judgement. frustration. giving up. all those which reminded me of how selfish i'm. how wrong i'm. my father brings home gifts every other night. just two days ago he had brought home a toy gun. why was it a problem when i actually wanted something?

i was happy with the dresses. with the shelf. two weeks later, my father got home with a small hot wheels set. "want some help?" he sat down next to me, as i investigated it's parts. rohit, my benchmate, talked about them all day. it was boring, but i let him rant. sometimes i wanted to go on and on about the new activities i did with my barbie too, like i made her try gymnastics yesterday! but he was way more passionate than i would ever be, and i knew he wouldn't be as good of a listener as her.

so, as far as i knew, and as i could see: it was easy enough. but i replied, "sure." because my father looked excited to be a part of my playtime. i have tried including him before in my tea-snack dates with barbie, but he has always looked disinterested. mom is way more amused. "when i grow up, i'll help you just like this. you shouldn't work all day," i had told her, while she sipped her non-existent tea. she got some rest from her chores when she went along with my antics, so i tried to engage her as much as i could. she had looked at me, like she was proud of me, and i wished the same look from my father.

the expression he held while he assembled the car tracks was so close to it, that i couldn't help feel giddy. i believe, truly, it was the best memory with my toys. not my favourite toy, because that was gifted by my nani on diwali. the doll house. "what will you do with it?" she had asked, as i held the ₹1000 rupee note and held it in front of the tubelight- as i had recently learnt how to check if a note was real or not. "doll house," i had replied, simply. she gave a look to my mother, which i wasn't unfamiliar with, as she leaned back to pick up her suitcase. "a doll house? that is for children." i'm a child, i wanted to reply. but i didn't want to be rude. "try to buy something for school, okay?" i continued examining my note, avoiding giving an answer. i wanted a doll house.

when it came, it wasn't the same one i had thrown a fit about: but it was so special, and i knew the girls in my school who talked so gaily about their barbie sets would be jealous. i didn't tell them though. it was a secret, between me and my barbie. we shared many secrets. she was the only one who kept them.

i pushed the doll house away to bring out the box of hot wheels, all messily packed up and not a thing in place. my name was written in big letters with a little stars surrounding it. somewhere i had the urge to assemble it all over again, which i knew wouldn't take me more than five minutes now that i could see how actually tiny the set was. i guess this is an experience of growing up. i didn't even look towards the barbie, because i wasn't even sure if i would be able to control myself pouring tea to her and give her new school gossip. i didn't want her to realise how much i have changed, how much i have grown, and how big the world is than her small, little doll house.

i picked up the pen and paper and wrote the title the teacher had given us, 'my favourite toy.' i pasted the picture of my father and me reading the instructions behind the box together, identical expressions. i was really his mini-copy. 'one casual day, my father brought me home a surprise. i still remember that day so clearly, even after so many years,' i began. i took a breath. 'i'm sure most of the boys are going to have the same toy in mind as they hear the topic 'my favourite toy,' and i am no different. it was hot wheels. i begged my father right away to help me assemble it.' i pasted the picture of my dad and me celebrating the completely assembled hot wheels set at the end of the essay, and next to it the picture of the old torn box with my messy name on top- 'ravi.'

i sighed. it was over. for all the mess of the room i have made for this essay, i could just hope she gives me a good grade and i could pack these toys up for good. i turned to my barbie, old but pretty, sitting just where i had left her with that classic smile on her face, like always. i felt bad, so bad. it looked so forgiving, for some reason. like she knew everything.

i smiled back. i dropped my pen, put my cheek in my palm, "do you know i have a girlfriend now? i'll tell you, it was so weird. i participated in this cooking competition and she was there too, yeah? and i was like, the only guy there? which felt awkward. then this dude came over like, 'are you a girl?' and vidhi- that's her name, she was right next to me. she said, 'hey, how does that make him a girl? that's just a boy who a girl will like, unlike you. go away,' something like that. the dude got so angry, and they're still mad at each other, but then she turned to m..."