flying by the seat of my pants

as of 1pm today, i'm partially in charge of vidya, my 28-year-old sister. her full-time nurse has gone to fetch the replacement, this happens once every 6 months. for about five days we're left to ourselves. four adults, one of whom is two-and-a-half year old. and a fussy eater with a strange sense of humour.

currently she's very amused at the sight of her clod of a sister trying to assume responsibility. we did quite well for a while, when she was still reeling from the shock of seeing me up before 5pm. physiotherapy, a change of clothes, and medicines all on time. by the time we got to lunch i was feeling relieved and at peace with the world and my neighbour. and then suddenly she stops eating. just like that.

it was like trying to feed a wall. i tried cunning, hiding the rice under a piece of pappadum. i tried the element of surprise, sneaking in a spoonful when she was distracted by something funny that i had just said. i even - and i'm not proud of this - lied through my teeth, telling her it was all uperi when really it was also rice.

but she's had more experience at this than me. so i gave up, telling myself that she did eat enough. i don't fuss too much about food, i think she'll eat when she's hungry. but this sudden shutting of mouth as though it was filled with concrete alarms me.

the next few days, i am certain, will be filled with similar incidents. i'm going to get the royal substitute-teacher treatment. my tentative grip, anxious gaze and desperate attempts at humour will give me away. it's no use speaking sternly, i suck at that. my mother is slightly better at this because when faced with mutiny, she can say with perfect conviction things like: fine, then sit here all night. sleep in the bathroom, if you want.

i, on the other hand, am too scared she will.