Handling Candy (February 10, 2010)

Girls like dolls, just as boys love cricket bats.

Khyati has many dolls. Candy is one favorite. I am supposed to be Candy’s father as she is Khyati’s sister. So, if I push Candy away Khyati reminds me, ``you are her father, she is your daughter.’’

Khyati loves to skate. We have found a stretch of road in Gurgaon that is smooth and isolated, where I take her sometimes. I watch and walk while Khyati skates. I also have to hold Candy as Khyati wants her to be part of the fun.

As instructed, I have to hold Candy with her face against my chest and other arm around her back so that people are not able to make out that she is a doll. Somehow, Khyati does not want people to know about the real Candy. It probably embarrasses her.

Khyati keeps an eye from a distance, sometimes looking back while skating and waves to me in case I am not holding Candy the way she wants me to.

Candy is about three feet tall, head to toe, a bit big for a doll. She wears Khyati’s old shoes that dangle and beat against my body when I carry her. Khyati also dresses Candy with clothes that don’t fit her any more.

All of this is very well, except that on-road Candy draws many stares from people and passersby who wonder why I am clutching the doll the way I do.

An elderly gentleman stopped by and said that when he saw me from a distance, he was worried that I was not holding the ``baby’’ right. Later, he realized it was a doll.

I have told Khyati several times that we should leave Candy in the car.

She says that is impossible as Candy would cry all alone scared. I have told her that we could leave her sitting on the car dicky, watching her skate. She has a point that would be too dangerous and someone (other kids) might steal Candy.

Last week, I finally found a way out of my uncomfortable public situation.

I told Khyati that Candy has gone off to sleep in my lap so we should make her lie down on the back seat of the car so that she is comfortable. I lock the car so nobody can take her away.

This has worked.

I don’t have to carry Candy around, though Khyati intermittently checks to she whether her ``sister’’ has woken up. I say that she is fast asleep and we should not disturb her.