Little Typhoon Strikes Back.

The young typhoon was just let loose from the school, conveniently camouflaged as study holidays. What struck me odd was why someone like her needs holidays to study? That too this Typhoon will only indulge in various other activities, other than the intended one.

Sure, she will have plans to study in depth, the capacity and knowledge of others (read me – the Muser) in her own inimitable style.

The activities listed in her mental calendar would have been something like this (compiled with hindsight, of course):

Day 1: Garden plants

I explained to her how plants make their own food – because she always used say that “I made this or that” The discussion started with leaf structure, chlorophyll, sun light, water, co2 and the process of photosynthesis.

Why the leaves appear green, composition of light, VIBGYOR (rainbow) and then I explained to her that the leaf takes in VIBYOR and rejects G, VIBGYOR-G=VIBYOR. The G is now the color of the leaf.

Rapt attention, thinking and then she asked this question: if the sun light has only VIBYOR then what the plants will do?

If we illuminate the garden with VIBYOR light, then how the plants will look like … Green?

For both, I did not know the answer. End of Botanical session and on Day 1, she won!

Day 2: Examples generally, used, in speaking

I was telling her that a particular locality is within 2km ,as the crow flies.

Seizing the chance, she questioned, “How can you say that the distance is within 2 km, as the crow flies?”

I let her know that “The crow flies by shortest distance that is why”

Still, not convinced she said, “The crows as they fly, move to left or right and never in a straight line?”

Becoming a little concerned, I clarified “Exactly that is all I said”

Confused she queried again, “but you just now said they fly in a straight line?”

To which I replied, “Yes, now listen. Can you walk in a straight line on the road? Now and then don’t you step aside to the right or left? Likewise, the crow also tries to maintain a straight line as it flies”.

She stumped me by asking, “Show me one crow that flies straight and then only I will believe that crows fly in a straight line!” Day Two ended in a draw.

Day3: Doubts
She came with a well rehearsed question. She wanted to know why tutoring is required when one is attending school.

Not to introduce other ideas in to her imaginative mind, I explained to her that a farmer prepares the fields, plants saplings, and waters & manures them till harvest time. This way each seed sown gives him many grains.

Similarly, tutoring is nothing but a continuing study and the time invested now will get her good marks in the exams.

After a few moments of silence, a salvo of doubts poured out.
1. Farmer gets more grains from one seed. Likewise, more time on the same subject should get me more time only and not marks.
2. What I will do with more time, re-invest and get some more time?

Do I see a banker, in the making? Stunned I became silent. Should have held my tongue, knowing that girl, but conversationally I slipped and cited the example “What you sow is what you reap”. Yes, in my case it turned out to be 100% right.

Thus ended a close encounter on Day 3, in which she won.

Day 4: Further doubts

Targeting the animal kingdom, she thoughtfully brought an Encyclopedia for reference. You are wondering as to what is her age, is it not?

I don’t because of the above said “what you sow is what you reap” example. We had spent considerable time on turning the pages and even before that she had fed herself with a diet of Jurassic Park animals, Triassic Park ( park added by me for rhyming) animals etc.

Which is the strongest – dinosaurs, brontosaurs, megalosaurus? Where all those animals have gone?  What is meant by strong? – These are her doubts.

After hearing all the soul stirring explanations, on the extinction of these animals by huge asteroid impacts, continental drifts and severe climatic changes etc, she stopped me in my tracks by simply saying “Yesterday, I saw many dinosaurs” (must have been in TV !)

This left me wondering whether she has any further doubts like this! She condescended to say “no further doubts” saving me for the day.

She claimed yet another victory and concluded Day 4.

Day 5:  General Knowledge

She came in, with mischief written large over her face. That look warned me of a tripping session – objective, as always, to catch me sporting a blink. This child can beat Cray-XK6, any day. From previous answers she can deftly frame questions for a later session. This is, probably, her secret of being a perpetual Q-Bank.

Q1: Who found VIBGYOR in the sun light?
A1: A great scientist called Sir Isaac Newton.

Q2; why you are calling him Sir, was he your teacher?
A2: No. He was honoured with a “Sir” title by the Queen of England.

Q3. How am I able to see things?
A3: Light reflected from the things travel in to your eyes and falls on the retina. That is how you see them.

Q4. Who invented the Telephone?
A4. Alexander Bell.

Q5. Was he your teacher?
A5. No. why are you asking me like that?

She explained – Sir Isaac Newton was not your teacher. There is no ‘Sir’ for Alexander Bell; hence, I thought he might have been your teacher. I was left speechless, wondering what a bright idea Typhoon ji!

Q6. Who invented Idly?  On this question, I lost Day 5

I silently cursed the School Authorities, for declaring study holidays for this kid. She sure must be kept there for special classes - very comfortable and at a safe distance from me.