A for Aayi*

The monsoons were late. Just before the Ganapati festival, the rains came down heavily. Little Arvind and his mum were stranded at the railway station. Even on the platform, water leaked through the roof. The ladies' waiting room was the only place where one could stay or get dry. The ladies came in one by one and the far end of the L-shaped waiting room became the temporary changing corner as one after another the women streamed in to change sari or salwar-kameez. As three year old Arvind was entertaining himself with a handkerchief, his mother took the opportunity to revise the alphabet with him.
"A for..??"
"Chikoo" said Arvind promptly.
I burst out laughing as his mum looked embarrassed.
"A for!!" she repeated.
"Uncle" came the instant reply.
"Aunty!" I prompted, but Arvind had decided. It was A for Uncle.
Finally, after entertaining himself for a while longer. He abruptly walked up to his mum.
"A for Aayi" he said nonchalantly.
His mother smiled and hugged him tightly.

*Aayi means mother in Marathi