This is not a post about wrestling, this is not a post about self defense either. This is story of a kid. I don’t know his name. I don’t even remember his face clearly as it was covered with a cloth. But the interaction I had with him is a life time memory. Something which will be engraved in my memory all my life. Something which will inspire me when I am down. Something which will remind me how life blossoms in the face of adversity.
So here I was on a stage with probably 30-40 kids who were suffering from cancer were and were in different stages. We at BBG take pride at organizing events which bring happiness to various people and this was our effort to bring smiles to kids via music.
So here comes a kid, who is probably 6-8 years old, hell bent on making it to top of my head. And as I pick him up, he quickly makes it to top of my shoulders, ready to play Tabla on my head. And the dancing on the stage continues. So my 40 years of lack of exercise shows on my face. I am a bit tired, requesting him to get down, but this guy is a tough nut to crack. He plainly refuses. Oh boy, how do I get him down. I am getting tired. Tried all forms of persuasion and may be mild force. The only thing I could get him to do was, got him down from the shoulders and in my hands and this is the position where he got a wrestler style leg scissors on my legs. This was going from bad to worse. Holding him in my hands and he had a nice grip on my legs. Now what do I do. Short of options, I asked all the other kids around for help.
And they figured out the most innovative way to help me. Yes, they tickled. Ya nothing else, they tickled the kid. And his grip on me became softer. And these memories will linger on and on and on…..