Sameen Navaid Hassan

My Earliest Childhood Memory

I’m not quite sure about my earliest childhood memories but from the collection of pictures and videos Addu, (my grandmother) has maintained, I clearly know my childhood wasn't full of pranks, fretting, noisy outbursts and irritating as hell running around.

I was quite the sober one, always keeping to myself. What I do recall is I was gallingly close to my father. I would cry the hell out of my head if a child even got as close as sitting next to Abba. things haven’t changed much in this regard and even the thought of Abba appreciating someone or hugging one of his nieces annoys me!

I also remember my embarrassing to death habit of feeding on milk through baby feeder until I was 6 years old. Yes I would climb up the kitchen cabinet at night and make myself Nido in my special Minnie Mouse feeder. It was only after I was 6 years of age and Muniza, my cousin was born that I reluctantly let go of my special feeder. Oh and yes, I still eat the Cerelac of my junior cousins.

And unlike almost every other kid, I was never scared of anything. I remember Addu putting me off to sleep saying “Churail Kha Jae Gi” (The witch will eat you) and I’d carelessly respond “Mein Churail Ko Kha Jaun Ga” (I’d eat the witch instead). She would threaten me to shut in the dark bathroom and I would vehemently run to the bathroom shut the door and sing at the top of my voice.

My childhood was a collection of bizarre habits and fortunately despite turning 21, my childhood might have gone, the child in me is alive forever!