‘There was a cake, a candle and burnt curtains,’ recalls Nikithaa, 19-year-old student. Last year, on Father’s Day, she had tiptoed to her parents’ room at the stroke of twelve carrying a baked cheese cake topped with a candle. “I only remember saying ‘Happy’, before my dad sprang out of bed and started waving the curtains frantically, thinking the house was on fire,” she laughs. Though her cake lay in a puddle alongside burnt curtains, the mere effort, she says, had her dad beaming.
Failed surprises, quickie plans and nearest showrooms have somehow become synonymous to father’s day blast. One gets to know the day’s arrival only when the top five super dads of the year list is out and the Facebook statuses get revised to exhibit one’s love for dad.
While the hypocrite in us might have a ball, the pinch is felt when you see the gift left forlorn in a day or two. “My daughter was angry that I did not use her perfume. But, how can I use Tommy Girl?” says Kaushik, 54, embarrassed.
Rohit George, an IT employee says, “Dads are like popsicles. They might be in different flavours, but have a heart which melts easily.” Studying the flavor is the tough job.
While moms can nag you to get that silk saree, dads are implicit in their wants. Look out for cues, candid statements and those casual references. “My dad always wanted me to be adventurous. So I planned out a treasure hunt leading to his watch,” says Amritha Ajithkumar. “It went on for an hour and then I realised, probably, I took his advice too literally,” she sighs.
Nostalgic dads are the ones who have their kids’ greeting cards neatly stacked up in the cupboard Buy them those mushy worded cards, the personalised mugs and shirts, because they understand sweetness. So when O S Nair, 93, says he still has the bag which his son gifted him with his first salary, you can guess the daddy in him.
If you still haven’t decided your dad’s flavour, read on – the ones with the George Clooney look deserve a nice massage package, cuff links or the men grooming products; If you have seen your dad doing the jumping jhapak anytime, know that he is the best company for a stand up comedy show in the city; If he critiques home made food, take him to the best cuisine and if he accompanies you for walks, a new pair of sneakers would make his day.
P.S. Keep these away from the idads. Break that piggy bank, go stand in queue and get that fancy ipad for him. If that is tough, just go stand anyway.
