Generic Indian Guy Part 2

Note: You can read 'Generic India Guy' Part 1 here. Dear Generic Indian Dad, I see you all the time - at kids sports classes, at mustafa, at birthday parties, at play gyms. You and I have a lot in common. I share a similar routine as yours - shuttling child(ren) from one activity to another, rationing screen time, feeding them sugar supplanted with some veggies, tiring them out till they fall asleep, otherwise simply known as parenting. I would like to get to know you better, but I hesitate. I admire your copious efforts trying to raise your child to be adorable, curious, competitive yet humble, fluent in your mother tongue yet versatile in French, comfortable with Bharatnatyam and ballet . Basically a Shakrukh Khan from DDLJ without the hamming. I have met you a few times now and always made it a point to exchange polite nods before retracting to my familiar friend circle. I know deep down in my heart, that in a parallel universe we are the best of friends. We are perhaps jointly dissecting the World Cup cricket shots of Rohit Sharma. But not in this world unfortunately. Back at the age of 25, it was tedious to make new, meaningful friendships. Now a decade later it feels downright impossible. You and your wife look like an amazing couple. I see you playing with your adorable child (in a non creepy way). I learnt you have bestowed her with a beautiful Fab India name. The double As in the name as well as the twisted spelling makes the child stand out, just like the other hundreds who have done the same thing. There is no better way to give a child grit, articulation skills, patience and resilience than giving them an awkwardly spelt name. As long as the name has not degenerated to ABCDE, it's cool. You believe you are neither the extreme helicopter parent nor the hands-off kind letting the child discover her true potential kind. You may have managed to find the perfect balance. Good for you. -------------- It was good seeing you again last month. I see your definition of weekend dressing over the decade has progressed from striped t-shirt, baggy jeans and sneakers to relatively tighter shirts and shorts. You are no longer awkward about wearing stunted socks that cling just below your ankle. I suppose you occasionally worry your receding hairline. You hope your Virat Kohli stubble helps balance things out, but secretly know inside it isn't. If it is any consolation, your friends and spouse have made peace with your hair length. So don't worry. -------------- Last weekend when I finally got to know your name, I looked you up on social media. In a non creepy way. I see your LinkedIn profile now proudly displays the word 'Speaker'. I guess that means a lot to you. If we were friends I would probably have liked most of your Instagram posts - your family, against the backdrop of that French Gothic architecture church or some LOTR style New Zealand landscape. But I'll refrain for now. ------------- Let's make a pact friend. Next time when we bump into each other at that birthday party, let's spend some quality time together. I have some great parenting topics in mind - like why is Skye the pink pup from Paw Patrol is an acceptable favorite icon in 2019, but human form Princesses & Barbies propagate stereotypes. And in the spirit of gender equality, whether being a father will also be co-christened in the future as the hardest job in the world. I hope you'll look forward to that discussion. Next time you are standing in the shopping aisle, tediously choosing the right variety of healthy Wholemeal Atta for your family, and feeling anxious whether you have really made the right choice in life - don't worry. I'll always be there for you (in a non creepy way).

Your Generic Indian Friend