Baby Talk

I realised , how much of baby talk I do in my daily conversations, recently when a very funny incident happened. While pregnant with my second one,I used to take short breaks from work to walk about, in my company's sprawling campus in Bangalore. This campus is very unique, it is a ' See it to believe it' kind of place-lush green with , completely in tune with nature-lots of trees and plants of all varieties et al.

Just behind my building, stands a big tree , a very old one with a big hollow bark. As I was passing by, I hear a frantic 'Meow' from somewhere, I couldn't locate, from where. And then I notice this little kitten, hanging from the lowest branch of the tree using its front paws ,to save itself from the fall, crying in distress. It had not even opened its eyes, must've been just a day old.Just above the branch was the hollow bark and inside it was the mother cat and the rest of its litter, the mother cat looking at the young one , not knowing what to do.There were Associates walking about in the stone pavement near the tree, the cat wouldn't be able to come down , I knew that for sure. I stood there helplessly as well,as I had read somewhere that some cats abandon their offspring, if its touched by humans.My instinct was to stand right beneath the kitten with my 'Duppatta' so that if and when the kitten falls, it can fall safely into my 'Duppatta'.

Luckily, I didn't do such stuff, after all what would my teammates think, if they happen to see their Project Manager in such a scene!!!

I was looking around wondering what to do and the mother cat had started thinking of me as an unwelcome intruder and was staring at me. I dare not touch its young one. At this point another associate - a total stranger was coming from the opposite direction oblivious to the whole scenario. He looked at me puzzled, wondering whether I needed any help. The point to be noted is that , I was heavily pregnant at the time and seeing my expression, he was wondering whether I was in distress. He asks me whether I need any help. I blurt out ' Theres a little Pussy cat over there, it needs help'. Now whats wrong with that statement, you must be wondering. Nothing but that I used baby talk when I said pussy cat, to be precise, I said 'Pushi (shi as in 'sssh'i) cat'. ' A what?' says he, quite confused.I point to the tree and he says' Oh , a cat, you mean!'. He shrugs his shoulders as if to say , theres nothing much we can do abt it. The little kitten decided to take matters into its hands and just let go of the branch and fell down with a thud. The mother cat sprang down in a split second and took its young one back to the bark.

The guy smiled at me and walked away and so did I. But I was quite embarrassed . All this baby talk with my first one, was influencing my language in such a big way - but then consoled myself thinking, there would be a phase in his life as well, when he also would be doing such baby talk happily :)