4 p.m. Aji waits for school bus No.1 carrying Chiyu from Rustomjees. The helper in the school bus unloads Chiyu into the tugging arms of Aji; the school bag is passed on; Chiyu rushes to Nagarik Stores for her Rs. 5 pouch of Gems or Rs.10 plastic ball of Gems. Every evening, every day; more trips by Shreya and Chiyu on vacations. Nagarik Stores, Shreya and Chiyu are forever; anytime payments; Aji, like all Ajis, protests; her protests have no flags and bytes; mostly harmless squeaks; sometimes diabetic Aji dips into a pouch of Gems. Gems in balls hold some toys; Shreya and Chiyu do not much care. With the rising sun, came one day, Kinder Joy riding a coloured, fresh lorry on the TV screen; Shreya and Chiyu bellowed Kinder Joy; Aji, being Aji, didn't quite get it; maybe something Rs. 5 a packet; she agreed; Nagarik Stores was waiting; two Kinder Joy, Rs. 70; Aji shocked, let out a NO to be heard at the company's Baramati factory; Shreya and Chiyu thought Aji had hurt herself; made inquiries; with Aji unhurt, they signed and sealed the Joy deal. Till date, Aji cannot get over chocolates costing Rs. 35 per piece, gone up to Rs. 40, with boy and girl versions. With chocos come well designed toys (without sharp edges) and over time Ajoba has built a sizable collection, to set up a toy shop; Shreya and Chiyu played or woman-handled the new toys till the next purchase of Kinder Joy; the old toys would be dumped with Ajoba. Add now 3-year old Shruti, an unabashed sabhashi of Kinder Joy, one a day, a must; Shruti glows imagining Kinder Joy; Kinder Joy is her national anthem. Next or perhaps on par is Maggi noodles of Nestle; all like Maggi; Krishna went into a depression when Maggi went off the shelves; she was the first in the queue when they came back. These days Shreya cooks Maggi alone with dear old Aji standing by; she does it well, claims Aji with pride and me tells you reader, Aji cannot do without her Shreya and Chiyu. When Shreya, Chiyu and Shruti become women, they will surely dwell on Kinder Joy and Maggi noodles times with Aji. Am not sure what makes them hits, but hits they are. All the marketing men and women and all the psychologists cannot explain. Children drool. Children joy. Their nirvana moments. Sachin Tendulkar has a lesser following. Manufactured by Ferrero India, a subsidiary of Ferrero International, S.A. at Sharad Pawar's Baramati, enjoys a mega project status; its other products are Tic Tac and Nutella, a favourite of son Ganesh. Tic Tac does not tictac children. Aji recalls the evening when Chiyu and Shreya got Aji, with Rs.15 in the purse,to buy Kinder Joys on loan; or when Kannan searched Chennai at 11 in the night for a Kinder Joy to mollify a wailing Shruti. And today, in the morning watched a friend, a woman beyond age, unwrap a Kinder Joy, lick the choco; the toy she pursed; it happened on Link Road. When she saw me, she put down her aged head, like Chiyu caught in the act. Kinder Joy is a kind joy. Thanks be.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Kinder Joy
4 p.m. Aji waits for school bus No.1 carrying Chiyu from Rustomjees. The helper in the school bus unloads Chiyu into the tugging arms of Aji; the school bag is passed on; Chiyu rushes to Nagarik Stores for her Rs. 5 pouch of Gems or Rs.10 plastic ball of Gems. Every evening, every day; more trips by Shreya and Chiyu on vacations. Nagarik Stores, Shreya and Chiyu are forever; anytime payments; Aji, like all Ajis, protests; her protests have no flags and bytes; mostly harmless squeaks; sometimes diabetic Aji dips into a pouch of Gems. Gems in balls hold some toys; Shreya and Chiyu do not much care. With the rising sun, came one day, Kinder Joy riding a coloured, fresh lorry on the TV screen; Shreya and Chiyu bellowed Kinder Joy; Aji, being Aji, didn't quite get it; maybe something Rs. 5 a packet; she agreed; Nagarik Stores was waiting; two Kinder Joy, Rs. 70; Aji shocked, let out a NO to be heard at the company's Baramati factory; Shreya and Chiyu thought Aji had hurt herself; made inquiries; with Aji unhurt, they signed and sealed the Joy deal. Till date, Aji cannot get over chocolates costing Rs. 35 per piece, gone up to Rs. 40, with boy and girl versions. With chocos come well designed toys (without sharp edges) and over time Ajoba has built a sizable collection, to set up a toy shop; Shreya and Chiyu played or woman-handled the new toys till the next purchase of Kinder Joy; the old toys would be dumped with Ajoba. Add now 3-year old Shruti, an unabashed sabhashi of Kinder Joy, one a day, a must; Shruti glows imagining Kinder Joy; Kinder Joy is her national anthem. Next or perhaps on par is Maggi noodles of Nestle; all like Maggi; Krishna went into a depression when Maggi went off the shelves; she was the first in the queue when they came back. These days Shreya cooks Maggi alone with dear old Aji standing by; she does it well, claims Aji with pride and me tells you reader, Aji cannot do without her Shreya and Chiyu. When Shreya, Chiyu and Shruti become women, they will surely dwell on Kinder Joy and Maggi noodles times with Aji. Am not sure what makes them hits, but hits they are. All the marketing men and women and all the psychologists cannot explain. Children drool. Children joy. Their nirvana moments. Sachin Tendulkar has a lesser following. Manufactured by Ferrero India, a subsidiary of Ferrero International, S.A. at Sharad Pawar's Baramati, enjoys a mega project status; its other products are Tic Tac and Nutella, a favourite of son Ganesh. Tic Tac does not tictac children. Aji recalls the evening when Chiyu and Shreya got Aji, with Rs.15 in the purse,to buy Kinder Joys on loan; or when Kannan searched Chennai at 11 in the night for a Kinder Joy to mollify a wailing Shruti. And today, in the morning watched a friend, a woman beyond age, unwrap a Kinder Joy, lick the choco; the toy she pursed; it happened on Link Road. When she saw me, she put down her aged head, like Chiyu caught in the act. Kinder Joy is a kind joy. Thanks be.
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