"Maakhan-chor"

'And since I've took to general reading, you've took to general writing, eh, sir?' sad Mr. Omer, surveying me admiringly. 'What a lovely work that was of yours! What expressions in it! I read it every word - every word. And as to feeling sleepy! Not at all!'

I laughingly expressed my satisfaction, but I must confess that I thought this association of ideas significant.

-Charles Dickens, David Copperfield.

===========================

This reminds me of an incident of my childhood, one that, in fact, I brought up in conversation with my family barely a couple of weeks ago.

But first, a little bit of a prologue. When we were little children, Piggie and I, we both loved mummy's home-made (as it is always made in India) fresh curd. We especially loved the cream floating on the top, and fought for it fiercely. Of course, mummy served us with equal portions but each of us would try to get the "bigger half" if possible. By fair means, usually. And, to be really honest, I haven't outgrown that yet... when I was home last I insisted on being served more than a half "because you get it all the time, and I don't". And if Piggie tried to argue, she was silenced by a mere mention of the incident I'm about to relate.

That day, I think it was a holiday, one of the rare days me and Pigg were home for lunch. Mummy had it all served and ready for us to get to it. I might mention that the curd (with "equal" cream) was sitting in two little bowls, one for each of us. Just before sitting at the table, I said I wished to use the bathroom, and absented myself for a couple of minutes. I got back to the table, and with a mental 'cheers!' to the yogurt, I was about to dip the spoon into my bowl, when Piglett irrelevantly commented, "And I did not eat any of your cream!"

Of course, then I looked closer at my bowl and found the cream conspicuous by its absence. I would've stolen her bowl of yogurt but for the fact that she had, very circumspectly, eaten the cream in her bowl too, in anticipation of my action.

Thinking of which, I might add, I am not at all surprised at her chosen career. Little "Liar!"