My Early Fantasies

Almost everyone used to daydream in the childhood and during teenage years about various things. Some people even at old age continue to do so. I’m one of them carrying this habit all these years. During school and college time my teachers would often shake me up and ask what I was pondering about. At home Mom finding me in a pensive mood would yell; Utho (Get up)! Do some homework.

Following are my early fantasies I could remember:

1. Someone slapped me across the face. I started shedding tears while enjoying the toffee in my mouth! Bizarre, isn’t it? Here is how it happened; our rented house was just in front of the only Post Office in the town. A new Post Master arrived on his transfer from a comparatively larger town and stayed with his family in the official house attached with the Post Office. It was a decent educated family. One of his sons Tufail became my classmate in fourth grade. Tufail was handsome, taller than me with dark, straight and silky hair which covered his forehead all the time. Once Tufail’s elder brother got angry and slapped him across the face while he was still eating the toffee. He started crying and tears flowed down his face. I still remember and adore Tufail’s crying face. However, my desire remained unfulfilled.

2. Kidnapped by the stature of Behram or Sultana Daku (Dacoit), raised me in the caves, I became a Daku and helped the poor! Watching movies was my prime craze at the young age of ten onwards and I used to like action Urdu films with the basic standard of having at least eight fights in a film. I enjoyed going to the cinema to watch black & white oldies having sword fights while sitting in the front lane. Later I turned to Punjabi films in mid 1970s to enjoy actions of Sudheer, Yousuf Khan and Sultan Rahi, etc. Most favorite films depicted dacoits fighting and looting rich and cruel landlords to help poor and in distress. Alas! No Daku came to kidnap me!

3. Thud; Sound of closing door of a car! This fantasy must be termed as something between strange and nonsense! Unfortunately it is true. I fell in love with the sound of closing doors of cars preferably new and bigger ones. I enjoyed this dull sound as a bystander since I wasn’t able to own a car for better part of the early age. When I did, the charm had subsided but it still dwells within. One more thing; Have anyone ever noticed the aroma of the interior of a new car? I’m obsessed with it. Your guess is far from the reality; I don’t change my cars frequently. Rich relatives, friends and official vehicles provide ample chance of enjoying this peculiar odor. Maddening!