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TheLittleNarcissistKanikaG

Copyright2014byKanikaG

DedicatedtoSpoonty

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The Little Narcissist

Mama got a new tablet. It hadfront and rear facing cameras.Mama could use it for videochats, as well as to make homevideos. Mama was using it tochat with Tania's aunt Poonam.Poonam stayed in Baltimore inAmerica and Tania stayed inBombay. So they did not oftenget to see each other. Mamathought video chats would be anexcellent way for them to keepin touch. This way Poonam couldsee Tania growing up andinteract with her.

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Tania liked seeing and talkingto her aunt but she was evenmore intrigued by the littlevideo of herself that appearedon the screen. Mama saw herinterest and asked her "Tania,would you like me to make avideo of you?"

"Yes mama!", said Tania excited.

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Mama said "Tania, why don't yourecite one of your nurseryrhymes and do all the actionsfor it. I'll record it on this.Then you can see the video."

Tania recited 'Humpty-Dumpty'and 'Little Jack Horner' makingthe appropriate hand gestures.

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Mama then played the video andTania and mama watched ittogether. Mama thought it wasreally cute and Tania wasfascinated. She begged mama totake some more videos. Mama sawher fascination with the new toyand obliged. They made 4 videosof Tania that night.

The next afternoon Tania asked,"Mama, will you make a video ofme eating lunch? I want to seeit."

"Tania, that is silly. Why doyou want a video of yourselfeating lunch?"

"Please mama, I want it. Please,please!"

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"Oh, all right but this isgetting really silly Tania. Thisis the last video I am making ofyou."

"Thanks mama" said Taniasweetly, ignoring the part aboutit being the last video.

Tania asked to see the video andwatched mama intently. Shelearned how to operate thetablet to play the video.

After lunch mama had some workto do on her laptop. Taniausually spent Saturday afternoondoing some drawing or colouring.So mama set her up with her artsupplies on a big plastic mat onthe living room floor and wentto work in the bedroom.

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An hour later when mama came tosee how Tania's art wasprogressing, she was surprisedto see Tania absorbed in doingsomething on the tablet. Atcloser inspection she saw thatTania was watching videos ofherself. Her art supplies lay onthe mat untouched. She asked"Tania, what have you beendoing?"

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"Hmm.." said Tania hardlyhearing her.

"Tania!", said mama loudlysnapping her fingers to attractTania's attention.

Tania paused the video and said,"Yes mama. What happened?"

"Tania, you haven't done any ofyour art work. Have you beenwatching videos this wholehour?"

"Yes mama."

"But sweetie, you are supposedto practice your art on Saturdayafternoons."

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"I wanted to see the videosmama. I'll do my art later."

Mama was feeling annoyed. Shewas reminded of Narcissus fromGreek mythology. She wonderedwhat she should do so Taniawould not get addicted towatching videos of herself.

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She said "Tania, I have an idea.Why don't you draw a nicepicture now? If it comes outreally nice, I'll take a

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photograph of it and make it thewall paper on the tablet."

"You will make my drawing thewall paper on your tablet?"

"Yes, if you do a good job.""

Tania was thrilled with the ideaand worked hard on her art forthe rest of the afternoon.Temporarily she forgot all aboutvideos. She did a marvellous jobof colouring a beautifullandscape, and mama made it thewall paper on the tablet aspromised. Tania glowed withpride.

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Over the next few days everytime Tania remembered the tabletand asked mama to make a videoof her, mama distracted her andasked her to do some interestingactivity and promised to take apicture of the results. Oncethey made objects from wholewheat dough and decorated them

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with permanent markers.

Another time they made a sockdoll. They made lanterns, kites,jams and many more interestingthings. Each time mama took apicture.

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Soon Tania forgot all aboutmaking videos of herself. Shewas trying to come up withinteresting projects to do. Atthe end of a month mama printedout all the pictures she hadtaken of Tania's creativeendeavours and suggested theymake a scrap book.

Tania felt proud to see all thatshe had achieved in a month. She

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realised it was much moresatisfying to see what she hadcreated rather than watch videosof herself. She rarely askedmama to make videos of her anymore. But she could not resistwatching the video of herselfwhen she chatted with auntPoonam. Oh well, neither couldaunt Poonam. Tania was adorableafter all.

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Landscape picture drawn byAnupama Kumar.

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