Baby on board!

— Anuj Wankhede.

The train was not exactly crowded — nor was it full. It was late morning which is off peak hours and I’m in the coach reserved for the handicapped (it is neither a full coach nor is occupied only by handicapped)

It goes like this: for every genuine handicapped, there are at least six others who are certainly not handicapped. They vary from senior citizens to students to vagabonds or the perfectly healthy youngsters or the foreign tourists (who have no clue that they are in a reserved coach) quite often drunkards and druggies climb in because for them, destination is immaterial as they are in their own fantasy world.

Nevertheless, it's a shade less crowded in the handicapped than the other coaches.

A young couple boarded the train at the next station along with their kid. Sweet girl maybe four years. Bright eyes and a cute face, white dress and looking like an angel.

Dad was carrying her.

She was excited, looking all around wanting to grab the dangling grab handles.
Mom glared at her to stop her from trying.
Kid ignored mom and continued trying level best.

Score: Kid 1 - Mom 0

A seat vacated, mom sat down and baby promptly gets transferred from dad to mom.
Mom is not at the window seat and baby desperately wants to see outside.

Struggle ensues but baby is in firm grip of momma.
Baby gives up after a while and looks around the compartment.
Mom's grip loosens and baby breaks free, slithering down mom's lap and standing on her feet. Mom had lulled. Victory for kid.

Score: Kid 2 - Mom 0

Inwardly I say "Way to go kiddo" knowing the next attempt will be to get to the window.

I wait.

It's not long.

Mom admonishes kid, dire warnings given "Behave yourself", "This is not home", "Can't you stay in one place?"
Kid is not particularly impressed with all this and looks around wide eyed and suddenly tries to get free from mom's pincer like grip. .

No luck.

Sulk on baby's face.

Gentleman at window seat gets up and mom quickly shifts to it.

Baby is overjoyed. Bonus!!!

The train halts at a station and kid is engrossed seeing the activity all around.

Suddenly, mom thinks the kid should drink water. Out of the purse comes a water bottle and mom tells baby to drink.

Baby has just seen something interesting outside and wants to continue seeing it. But mom has water on her mind. Baby is forced to drink water which she doesn't want.

Baby screams.

Attaboy!!, I say mentally as I wait for reaction.
Mom "Drink water now, afterwards you won't get it, see outside later"
Whatever baby wanted to see had gone away and so reluctantly baby takes a sip.

Suddenly, baby knocks down the water bottle from mom's hand. Obviously, it was a meticulously planned revenge strike by baby!

I’m highly impressed.

Score: Kid 3 - Mom 0

Mom "See what you've done!!"
Kid looks down, impressed by what she'd achieved. But she can't show her pride and instead bursts out crying. This is obviously done to preempt any chance of a physical backlash from mom.

This kid is brilliant!

Score: Kid 4 - Mom 0

Mom wipes the dress with a handkerchief, admonishing "Spoilt the new dress na? When will you learn to drink water? No water now until we reach home"

On cue, baby wants water - now. Stomps feet.

Obviously baby wanted to divert mom's attention from the fact that she had knocked down the bottle.

Smart baby!

Score: Kid 5 - Mom 0

Mom is at wits end and tells baby to look outside even as she struggles to find where the water bottle had rolled off.
From the other end of the coach, there is a cry "Whose bottle is this?"
Visual ID of bottle is done, mom reclaims her property and bottle gets passed back.

Suddenly, baby want to be lifted up by papa who has been standing mutely. Dad pretends not to see her and looks into space in opposite direction.

Smart dad.

Mom "What do you want now? Stand straight"
Baby pretends to be tired and wants to be carried.

I suspect baby has the next step planned.

Baby pulls dad's trousers and dad is forced to look down.
"Sit in mom's lap" he says with a smile on his face and glare in his eyes.

Good move. Pass the baby. Obviously baby has inherited smartness from dads genes.

But baby wants to be carried and I half know why.

I wait with bated breath to see if my suspicion is right.

Dad picks up baby and the moment she is high enough, she makes a grab for the dangling grab handle.

Success!

That had been her plan as I'd suspected and she had won.

Score: Kid 6 - Mom/Dad 0

Having grabbed the handle with one hand, it was just a matter of wriggling a little and getting both hands on it and hanging on like a monkey.

Baby wins 7-0

Few minutes and the family gets ready to alight and I wave to the baby and blow her a flying kiss. Cutely she does too.

Mom "Wait till we reach home...."
As if baby cares!

Kids are so much fun - as long as they are not your own :)