The girl with a thousand dreams.

"Mommy, I'm ill. I think there is something wrong with my head.", said the girl. "Why do you say that honey? ... And don't pull your hair like that, they'll come off. Haven't you seen Sharma uncle next doors? you'll be as bald as it gets!" "Really? Then I'm definitely ill, there is something wrong with my head and I'll go bald. I'm scared mommy!" "Now now my honey. If you don't pull your hair, you wouldn't get bald. There nice girl!", the mother smiled. "My cutie pie, now smile." "Ok, if you say so mama. But I'm definitely ill!" "Why do you say so honey?", the mother inquired. "Because, I cannot see dreams anymore. You know the last dream I had was three weeks ago, when we went to Riya's birthday party. I remember it, I was a science teacher in it. I scolded all the students ... hehe ... it was fun! But ... but, I don't get dreams anymore now. Is something wrong with my head? I will not pull my hair again, will I get more dreams then?" "Of course you will, don't worry. People get dreams when they do not sleep properly, or when they forget to brush their teeth before they goto bed. You have been brushing your teeth daily before going to bed?" "Yes momma, but I really like to see dreams in sleep. I use to get a lot of them before the last one. I want to see more dreams ! I want to see more dreams !", the girl started to cry. "Can I not brush my teeth today? I want to see a dream!" "Hush! Keep quiet! If you don't brush your teeth they will rot, and you will look like a crooked hag. What is it with dreams and you?" "I really like them. I get to see new places, new people, and sometimes I get to play with new toys too! There is a place in my dreams where I keep all my toys! I have more than a thousand toys now ... ", chuckled the girl. "One toy for each dream! I always get a new toy in my dreams!" "Really? Who gives you the toys? How do you get them?" "Oh that! Everytime I meet someone in the dream and help them they give me a new toy." "You meet a new person in every dream? But you dont know that many people dear, you are just 6 years old!" "No no mama, they are new people. Each person is different from the next, and each one gives me a new toy. But sometimes I meet people I know also ma, you know I met Kavita auntie at the barber shop in a dream once. She was getting her hair red colored. I asked her why was she doing this, but she said she didn't know why, she just felt like doing it. I asked her was it because she had a red haired doll? And she got really happy, and gave me a lollipop! It was too good." "You met Kavita auntie? Who else did you meet, that we know?" "Oh I met the rickshawalla that drops me to school, he was stealing mangoes from a mangrove. He taught me how to aim perfectly and bring down mangoes using pebbles ... he he ... we use to run and hide whenever the keeper used to try and catch us. But he never caught me, I always hid in the rabbit hole. And then Ruia (the rickshawalla), gave me a mango as a gift. He has a very funny smile too, it stretches from one ear to the other. He never smiles when he drops me off to school, he just keeps sweating and grunting. I liked him in the dream, he was much better there. I think he had a bath in the dream. I'll tell him to have a bath tommorow."

The child continued. "I met an uncle once, he was wearing all white. His hair, his beard, his coat, his tie, his pants, his socks, his shoes, his shirt - everything was white. I met him at the top of a mountain, it was very cold. There was ice everywhere!" "You mean 'snow', honey.." "Yes yes ... snow ... it was so beautiful! but it was very cold! He asked me if I liked it there? So I told him it was beautiful but it was very cold. So he gave me hot chocolate to drink, and a big teddy bear to hug. The teddy bear was very warm, I liked it too. Then he asked me if I liked my dreams. I told him I liked them." "But why did he ask that?" "Oh ! he said he creates dreams and puts them in our heads. Sometimes he puts two people in one dream and the same dream in two people's heads, so that they can share a dream. So I asked him if he could put me and Rahul in one dream. You know Rahul na ... that tall boy in my class. He just laughed, then he gave me a kiss on my head and I woke up! I would like to meet him again, he promised I will see Rahul in a dream. But I'm not getting any dreams! I want to see more dreams ! Mummy!" "Honey I think you should sleep now! You have to goto school tommorow." ------- "Aey aadu ! ek min earing bana kar aati hoon .. jhooti mooti ki! " - there goes my sweetheart Ananya childfully innocent.