I had a phone conversation with one of my younger brothers sometime back.

He is famous for being Dodo (yeah, that’s his name) as much as for his mischievous behaviors. And of course me and other siblings for being Dodo’s brothers. I am like Dodo’s brother (most of the people do not even know my real name but they know me as Dodo’s elder brother).

He got admitted into school very late because of my father’s irregular nature of the job he was in. And when he finally got admitted to the school, he was like tallest or the eldest in his class that his teachers didn’t need to look for someone else in the class to monitor the class. There used to be complains from the other kids about Dodo bullying them as class captain. Someday, a woman would pop out in front of the house with her kid and complain to Mom about Dodo asking them money and other stationery stuffs. There was also time when he was put inside the water pool by headmaster of his school for making some other kid sit inside it. He was so ill-behaved then and his manners today with age has not pruned yet into a polished form of a wit and understanding kid of his age should normally be into. It has rather become some kind of trouble to parents and other people around.
I received a call from Dad some weeks ago. It was Dodo who got himself into problem again. This time he and his friend cut the electricity wire of some building in neighborhood. The folks have complained to the police and had asked some huge money as compensation for the damages caused by the kids. It was good that Dad knew the folks and they finally settled for some petty amounts. He seemed frustrated and worn out in his voice. Dodo is the eldest amongst the siblings who are with the parents and he has gone wayward of being a good son and a good brother to my youngest brother and a little sister. Dad asks me to talk with Dodo, and that he’s done with telling Dodo.

I could make out how scared and uneasy he was when he said “hello” to me. Instead of being a second to what Dad must have already been, I changed the whole situation with my first question to him, “Bro, I am coming home soon. Do you want anything from here?” there I get the kid’s happiness, “When are you coming?” he sounded suddenly sound and ecstatic that he didn’t even let me answer him, “I want a small mobile”. I don’t know what he meant by small mobile, but I needed to cheer him up and make him happy, “Okie…I will bring you one.” “Bro, you mean it?” “Ya, I will bring you a small mobile if you promise me to look after the sister, study properly, and that you would never do anything naughty?” after being silent for some time, he happily replies, “You can ask Apa or Ama from now onwards if I am being naughty or if am not looking after sister or if I am not studying well. Get me one small mobile okie?” “I will keep on asking about it to Dad.”

Last week I receive a call from home and Dad assured me that Dodo is doing fine so far. And in all these conversations with Dad, Dodo comes to the phone and like an ultimatum, says to me “Bro if you don’t bring me a small mobile phone, I promise I would become one of the naughtiest boy around”…I replied him “You just keep doing what you have promised me, I will get you a small mobile.” I could hear my little sister crying behind the phone.

Now I am wondering if he keeps his end of the promise, what should be the price I would be paying for the kind of person my brother would become.