The Memo My Daughters Received

Recently, I shared the story of my 15-year-old daughter, Sivakami, who took her first solo flight to New Delhi to visit our older daughter, Gayatri, who is 20 and studying there. Upon her return, Sivakami brought back gifts for her dad and me.

My main point was that I prefer my daughters not to spend their pocket money on us, as it pains me to see them do so. A couple of weeks later, when Gayatri visited us, she was curious about the situation. I directed her to my blog—where else could I be so concise?

To my surprise, Gayatri found the post discussing Sivakami's purchases, including tea tree oil face wash and marker pens. However, it turns out that Sivakami had only mentioned being unable to buy more items because Gayatri was being frugal, a detail I had included in my article.

Gayatri was quite taken aback.

"But it was me who insisted Sivakami bring gifts from the store! I bought those items for you, and I was disappointed that neither you nor Dad called to tell me how much you liked them. I knew the foaming face wash would save you time in the mornings, and I thought Dad would appreciate the pens."

So, it was clear that Sivakami hadn’t actually purchased those gifts; it was Gayatri all along. Moreover, Sivakami had casually remarked that she couldn’t buy more because her sister was stingy and believed spending money was wasteful.

This prompted me to say, “Before you proceed, keep in mind that anything you say or do could become fodder for my writing.”

This leads me to ponder: how can I write about my children's experiences fairly? Am I becoming a Margo or a Christopher Robin in my narratives?

For those unfamiliar, Margo is Gerald Durrell's sister, whose childhood antics are chronicled in "My Family and Other Animals." Christopher Robin is A.A. Milne's son, who appears in the "Winnie the Pooh" tales. Neither Margo nor Christopher Robin was particularly fond of having their lives documented, with Margo even penning her own book later, featuring a foreword by Durrell.

Writers often tread a fine ethical line when it comes to depicting real individuals; those who create fictional characters seem to stay safely on the right side of that divide. As someone who lacks imagination and simply recounts events as they occur, I often feel like I’m on the wrong side of that line.

Perhaps the solution lies in having the people I write about respond in kind. Equal representation, right? Sivakami spends countless hours reading on Wattpad, yet she doesn’t write herself.

Oh well, everything will eventually find its balance. One day, I’ll engage in activities that will compel them to write about me, and we will return to this full circle. Shudder!

In this video titled "You Have The Right To Remain Silent! Know Your Miranda Rights," viewers can gain a deeper understanding of their legal rights and the importance of being informed.

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