Friday, December 21, 2012

Anjali - Interview with a five year old

Continuing my series of interviews with Anjali, now a six monthly affair, we sat down today after many missed appointments in the last one month, owing mainly to a rather busy schedule of Anjali. It was only when I was close to tears today that she agreed to do this. We stuck to most of the standard questions.

What do you like most these days?
Watching the movie 'Chicken Little'. Days we spent with no Mamma (when Shobhs was away for 10 days in Mumbai attending a workshop). Doing my skit. Dancing. Trying to go to school first.

Who do you like the most?
My parents. My friends. All my classmates.

Why classmates?
Because they are my friends.

What do you do with your friends?
We play at the sandpit. All the time. One time you should come late.

What food do you like?
Chicken biryani. Fried rice at school. Crispy friend chicken. Noodles. Liver. Barbecue.

What don't you like?
Vegetables. They don't taste nice. Only carrot and kakdi I like.
I also don't like putting too much energy into my skit. I don't like that. I don't like skating. So much time I have to do it. I'll be sweating.

What movies and tv shows do you like?
Alvin and the Chipmunks. Barbie and the Nutcracker. Winnie the Pooh. Dora. Doraemon. Chhota Bheem. But that movie was scary!

What makes you happy?
Getting birthday toys. Getting toys from Santa. Playing with my friends. Helping Mamma.

How can we be happy?
Anyway. We just have to enjoy. We have to find a way to enjoy. Just as if you are getting bored in skating. Think of it as if you're playing a race. That makes it exciting.

What do you think of life?
Meaning?

(After some thought)
I don't know.

(After some more thinking she continued)
It's happy. It's sad. It's whatever we think. When we are very happy we are all laughing. That's all about life.

What do you think of your school?
School is fun. Playing in the sandpit. All the bestest. We love school.

What are the things you'd like Santa to get you?
I'd like it if he got me another wonderful gift. Soft toys. Nice little...I don't know. Bubbles jigsaw puzzle.

What are the things that scare you?
Someone dressed like a skeleton scares me. Scary dreams scare me. I get a dream. I am going on a platform which ends suddenly. I jump from the end to the road below. It's very high.

Then what happens?
I get up in my bed. What else?

(I laughed.)
Not funny. Very scary.

What do you do when you are scared?
Nothing. I just feel scared. I feel scared to do skipping. I'll fall or what. I'm very scared.

What makes you laugh the most?
Jokes. Yours.

Who makes you laugh a lot?
Choudary mama. Ranjan mama. Mamma. Mythily atta.

What makes you cry?
Mamma shouting at me. Once I felt sad in school.

What's your favourite story?
Three Billy Goats Gruff. Beauty and the Beast. Cinderella.

You like music?
Yeah.

Which one?
Que la. Diego song.

If you want to ask God for one thing what would you ask?
I want a nice garden with flowers. Butterflies. With nectar in them.

What do you think of adults?
They take care of us. They help us. They teach us.

They're good people?
Yeah.

And children?
They're naughty.

Who do you like playing with?
Manasi.

What do you play with her?
I don't want to tell.

Do you like books?
Clifford. Pepper. Bruno. Bubbles.

Who are your favorite cartoon characters?
Dora. Team Umy Zoomie.

Why?
They make me happy.

What are they teaching you in school?
Maths. English.. Hindi. In Hindi they are teaching pa for 'patang'.

Is it good for you?
Yeah.

Why?
Because otherwise when I become big I won't know anything.

What did you learn so far?
I learnt to read even big words like 'continue'.

What are your favorite games?
Wii. Kinnect. X Box. Football. Cricket. Try to play shuttle.

What do you think of money?
Money helps us get some clothes. It helps us get some food to eat. Toys. CDs. Everything we need. Mamma brought this tree with money only.

So it's a good thing?
Yeah. It's a good thing.

Did you like the interview?
Yeah.

What was the happiest thing that you remember? When was the time you felt happiest?
Getting two toys - one where the two dogs climb up a staircase and another of Doraemon.

And that ended the interview with a rather restless Anjali going off hopping and skipping to watch some cartoon on television.

1 comment:

Gowri Bhavadas said...

Anjali's funda for happiness is quite profound isn't it? Accepting the NOW and seeing the brighter side of things...wow! Wish we could do is as easily as kids :)!!!