Dhruv was having problems. His American accent was "too much" and his hair was "too long" and he was "too elbowy." His voice, which was cracking, was constantly being made fun of, too. So, no, he didn't really feel like going to Grove School. These were enough reasons for anybody to want to quit, thought Dhruv. But every time he tried to bring it up with Ma and Pa, they would dismiss it.
A conversation with Pa would end typically like this. Dhruv would say, "Sure, Pa, I'm cool with a family of kids sitting on my head in the van. No problem at all." Pa didn't get sarcasm. He'd shut his big, fat Sudoku book and look at Dhruv seriously.
"What do you mean, a family? Do you mean parents come in the bus? That's not possible. I mean..."
Dhruv would try interrupting.
"Uh, Pa…"
But Pa wouldn't hear him. "I mean, how is that possible, Dhruv?"
"Pa, obviously not like a whole family…"
Pa would end the conversation with his views on so many things all at once, that Dhruv would just give up. "See, Dhruv, if you try all this sarcasm-burcasm with me, this is what I will do. If a family does not sit on you, why do you have to say it does? That is not sarcasm, it is just plain lying! Don't try to be oversmart, OK!"
He told his mother. "All these boys in my class, they are very touchy-feely."
Ma said, "What?" She seemed shocked, thought Dhruv, and encouraged by this response, he went on.
"Seriously, Ma. I mean, they keep putting their arms around each other and pushing and nudging and I don't like it at all. They are really messy, also."
She didn't seem too shocked after he said that. "Dhruv, it is very normal to do that. Friends do nudge and push each other around and all that. As long as it is harmless, it's fine. ‘What's the big deal', in your language?"
"The big deal is that they are stinkpots and I hate them!" shouted Dhruv.
"At this rate, you are not going to make any friends. You have to make an effort to be nice, Dhruvies."
