The handbag (click to read more)

I received the first salary just before Diwali. It was my first job, and all my colleagues were buying something or the other for their family. I had seen such gift exchange in movies, but this was new. Whenever we needed anything, papa never asked us to wait for some occasion or festival. He just bought it whenever required. The Diwali gifts I was aware of were homemade snacks and mithai, or Haldiram's Sonpapdi, or readymade dry fruit boxes.

However, by the peer pressure, I decided to buy a couple-watch for maa-papa and to give pocket money and chocolates to my sister- Choti. Unexpectedly, at the same time, Choti sent me a Flipkart link to a handbag with a puppy face selfie. I almost fell for that puppy face, though I said no.

I reached home on the day of Dhanteras, and I had bought 32 chocolates with me. I gave Choti one when she offered me a glass of water, gave her another one when she picked up the empty glass, or another one when she served me extra Kajukatli! For the rest of the afternoon, she was wandering around me, in case if I needed anything or she just wanted more chocolates. Maa was happy as we were not fighting. Papa was as usual busy on his phone calls.

I certainly knew that Choti would sneak into my luggage for more chocolates. So, I filled up the handbag that she asked for with the remaining fifteen chocolates and hid it in the luggage. In the evening, after the Puja, when she discovered the bag- I have never seen her smile wider than that.

I spent almost all my salary on that handbag. Trust me on this... it was completely worth it!