“You know how dad hates you wearing shorts,” is her morning greeting,
Appalled, I can’t comprehend why the target is always my dressing.
Let me take you back to how it all happened,
To an incident when my wardrobe was threatened.
I’d had this unresolved debate with my father on so many occasions,
His land, his laws was how he played – “No shorts; no further discussions.”
“Trackpants obstruct my movement at the knee”, I pleaded,
“Is the world a fool to not feel this ridiculous point?” he pouted.
“Shorts are soooo comfortable. Ask the world to try them once,” I defended,
“How can it? It is at ease with trackpants. You must change,” he demanded.
“I am accustomed to shorts; how do I switch?” I meekly resisted,
“It’ll take time, but you’ll get used to it,” he pitilessly persisted.
There wasn’t any neutral solution I found; so, I gave up,
Gave up on sports completely to avoid the ‘shorts breakup’.
Years passed and this morning seemed to be a new start,
Mission “Abandoned Shorts’ Reprise” didn’t make it to the chart.
I gave in this time and paid heed to my mother’s suggestion,
Covering the shorts, I jumped into trackpants as a pretention.
In a by-lane, I dismounted and peeled off the intolerable sweatpants,
As I sped, the cool morning air and my bare calves began their romance!
“Aaaah! Freedom!” the heart rejoiced, making peace with the brain,
I discovered how on countless times desires have been crudely slain.
A son helming the family business wasn’t asked if he desired to lead,
What if he found happiness in sewing silks, chiffons and tweed?
The boy gave up on his ‘shorts’ and donned the ‘trackpants’ feebly,
A ramp might’ve shone in something spectacular if he’d fought fiercely.
Ambitions are smothered, aspirations are hacked silently,
Disregard these big words; even quirks are hushed clinically.
There’s nothing wrong in sporting sweatpants and not shorts, I clarify,
But let’s not authorise others to rule us while our innate strengths crucify.
We have built a world where we behave in ways to please others,
Let’s not be beggars but choosers to the plentiful that life offers.
Find the courage to acknowledge and respect your instinct,
Else, our uniqueness will become indistinguishable and extinct.
