When the lights went off

I was watching a show on television at 9.00 pm one of the weekdays and I was so engrossed, when suddenly the lights went off. I was raging mad, cursing whosoever were responsible for this at the electricity board. So nothing else to do, I switched on the back-up lights and went out to my terrace, looking at the constant flow of traffic. It was crazy. There was total blackout for just maybe 2 minutes and all the buildings were lit again with emergency lights and back-ups. Made me think about how fast our lives have advanced. How soon we changed from the days of candle lights to inverters and emergency lamps. And as I let my mind wander into the past, some memories came flooding back of my childhood.

Since both my parents were working in the govt. service, we have gone to some places on transfers. And those days we were staying in a small town called 'Devlali' in Nashik. A beautiful place with amazing weather, light outs were part of our routine. We lived in the government quarters, and the lights would go for 3 to 4 hours some times, and there wasn't any particular day or time for the black outs. However, light outs didn't create such a panic like it does now-a-days.

It gave a perfect reason for all the neighbors to come out and sit on the 'verandahs' (front porch). And we kids got together to narrate ghost stories. My sister and me loved to make different hand shaped shadows on the wall.

Those were the days when TV meant Doordarshan. We had no idea of cable TV which came 2 to 3 years later. And when the lights did come, it was a great moments of victory cheers, whistling and clapping.

I remember one event when I was in the second grade and the lights had gone. I was really getting on to everybody's nerve at home, asking them when the lights will come, because I wanted to see a programme on TV. My sister told me to shut up, my Mom was trying her level best to keep me still in one place but I had my own agenda. I was running around the house in circles, when suddenly I banged into the leg of the dining table and went 'thud' on the floor. I could see my parents running here and there for bandages and antiseptic creams. And I was screaming on top of my voice, more so because of the shock of falling than the hurt.

I was so cranky and in order to pacify me my Papa said he's going to show me a magic trick. He told me that if I counted from 1 to 100, lights will come back. Well, I started counting from 1 to 100, but no lights. So he said 'Count again backwards now'. And so I ended counting back and forth maybe about 3-4 times, ( it seemed a lot back then, but I thought if I didn't we would be in darkness for ever). The lights did come and that too 2 minutes before the programme started. But I was fast asleep by then and my parents didn't want to wake me up. I wonder why?

I tried to pull the 'magic trick' on my niece recently( who my sister claims has completely got all my childhood traits and qualities). So she started the counting, but before she crossed her 70th count, the lights came back. And now she is too smart to fall for it again. So I guess, I'll never be able to play this 'trick' effectively like my father did any more!! (Unless of course, there is a whole evening and night of light outs. Pray, it never ever happens.)