Papa has a big problem!

Papa has a big problem. And his father has a bigger one on his hand.

Papa is a 3-year-old boy who lives next door. That’s not his given name; he just calls himself Papa for some reason. Maybe it’s because he wants to be like his father. We will come to Papa in a bit.

Niti (name changed) who stays right next to Papa has received a big toy Jeep as a birthday gift. This is one of those latest ones, where kids can sit inside and drive around. Niti is 7 years old and drives that Jeep like a grown up. Totally owning the inside alleys of our society, as if Kareena (Bollywood Actress) has entered college on the first day.

Niti also ensures that the moment she starts her Jeep, she gives a loud honk in front of Papa’s gate. I guess kids have their own ways of getting noticed and showing everyone that they have arrived.

And Papa is livid inside his house facing an existential crisis. He wants a car, and that too, the same one that Niti has. His sense of self-worth is giving him a very hard time.

Now Papa’s father is struggling to buy a car. Not because he can’t afford it, but Papa doesn’t play with toys for long, a typical kid problem. Papa finds sticks lying on the road, pebbles, and mud more interesting.

And if Papa’s father buys him the expensive car, there is no guarantee that Papa will drive it for more than a week.

So the drama unfolds every evening when Niti comes out honking and acting cool in front of our dear Papa. (By now, my Kannadiga friends would be saying to themselves “Paapa,” which means poor fellow in Kannada.)

It's a familiar scene for many of us, and I see a bit of Papa in myself and others. Maybe Papa is not that alone in his struggle.

P.S. Apple just launched a new iPhone 16.