You know what- my son has got a T-shirt for me. Ha ha ha. I don’t know what to do with it. If this is not enough- it is bright yellow T-Shirt with the caption ‘I AM COOL’. He wants me to wear it to office on a casual day. When I looked at him amused, he gave me the ‘please dad- grow up’ stare.

My kids have grown up feeling strongly that I need to grow up a great deal. So they keep on finding out ways and means to speed up my growth process. Apparently the yellow T-shirt with the cool caption is one such way to achieve the goal. There has been a lot of emotional blackmailing going on in my house.

My son has got exactly the same T-shirt for himself and is convincing me that we should wear it together. Ha ha ha. The kids think that I will fall into their trap. No- never. I am happy the way I am. I have four T-shirts and I have been wearing them from last four years. I don’t like all these captions. I have plain T-shirts with neutral shades. They are my comfort clothes. I feel so good wearing them.

I can’t even imagine the look on the faces of my colleagues if I will wear that yellow T-shirt to work. They will be just so happy and it will mean a lot of gossiping. They have all held debates on my facial expressions whenever a colleague has worn such funky clothes to office. I simply can’t do that. I will be the butt of their thousand jokes.

My wife told me that my kids are adamant about it. Now tell me- what should I do? They are sometimes really stubborn kids. Have I ever forced them to wear something or not wear something? Tell me. Yes- I ask them to wear proper layer of clothes in winters. But that is another matter. They can’t force me like this. I am their dad. I am cool. I don’t need a T-shirt to tell everyone that I am cool. I have always been a very cool dad. But no- they are adamant. I think I have to become a not-so-cool dad now.

God knows what things kids get in their heads. Let me take your leave now. They are both knocking at the door. I think they will blackmail be more but I am determined. No cool t-shirt for me. Yes- that is it.

Let me take your leave now. Please take care. Bye.

The ‘common man’ opened to door expecting his kids to throw tantrums but it was his wife who came inside with a sad look. She reported how the two kids were on a hunger strike with the demand that their dad must wear the T-shirt. The common man was baffled. He talked to his kids in detail. Finally they settled upon an agreement. The common man did wear the t-shirt but not to his office. He wore it to the market to buy grocery.