Teasing

Growing up in a big family like mine, teasing was/still is a part of daily life. Cousins would mercilessly tease, so would elders. My first memories of teasing was in my mamarbari (mama ka ghar) where when I was all of four/five years old everyone starting from my grandparents to uncles to their friends would tease me that my father used to work in a tea shop. Now I have always been my daddy's daughter and very dad proud. To me it seemed like an intolerable accusition to call my daddy a tea shop worker when he actually worked in a tea company and visited tea gardens. I was hell bent on correcting their misconception and in the process would have roaring fights. My mother would be a silent spectator in all this and just smile, taking neither sides. But she says never once did I back down or cry. I remember calling up my dad and complaining about what all people were saying and then asking him to confirm my faith in him or rather the kind of work he did. Like my mom, my dad would also just smile and not say much. This would frustrate me but my faith in my dad would be unshakable.
In school my friends always called me mooti/ fatso. But that hardly had any impact on me, I was/am fat so why fight over an obvious truth? So unbothered was I, that my friends finally dropped that nickname in frustration.
I remember when I was in class ix/x my cousins started teasing me with a classmate of mine. I used to get so very bothered and angry. The angier I got, the more my cousins would have fun.
Over the years I polished my own teasing capabilities. According to my friends I can be quiet lethal and ruthless when I get down to serious teasing. Even my friends in office swear by my lethalness. But lately a strange state of affairs have ensued. Freinds in office are giving me back all the teasing that I have ever heaped on them. To put it in Hindi "chun chun ke badla lena". It is a bit like lif coming to full circle.
One of the major things that I am teased about ruthlessly/mercilessly/heartlessly in office is my Hindi. Oh well my Hindi speaking capability is not really anything to write home about still yaar a hapless Bong gal is trying to pick up a new language, give her some leeway. No these snooty North Indians are after my blood. Can you imagine how difficult it is for me with my broken Hindi to survive in Delhi?
Just remember dear friends every dog has his day.