The odd man out

Few years ago G one of my colleagues and his 5 year old daughter Sonia and his neighbors son Akhil about six years old where traveling in a car. G was essentially driving with these kids in the back seat.

Adding to G’s driving tensions these kids were creating a big mess at the back seat. They were essentially fighting and yelling at each other. To avoid a scene G thought of playing a game with them, which is called “The odd man out”. So here is how the game works.  In this game G would essentially give them 4 options out of which these kids were supposed to pick the odd one. The kids were thrilled now and they started with the game.

So the first one goes like this: Car, Truck, Bus and an Airplane.
Now G asked Akhil, which is the odd one here:

Akhil immediately said Airplane: G again asked why is Airplane the odd one Akhil? Akhil said, G uncle because that’s the only one that flies.

G Said ok good enough.

Now he asked the same question to Sonia. Sonia, which is the odd one here?
Sonia does not seem to be physically present in the car. She was happily looking through the window and feeling the breeze. She did not listen to the question in the first instance. G again asked her again. Sonia, which is the odd one here? After thinking for a while she said: Appa! it’s Airplane.

G said ok! Why is airplane the odd one here? She said because that’s the only one where they serve the food.
G was literally astonished on hearing her reasoning. He said fine lets go with the next one.

Car, Bus, Truck and a Bike. Which is the odd one out here?

Akhil said G Uncle it’s Bike: Why? Because it has only two wheels.
G said ok now its time for Sonia to answer.

Sonia! Are you listening? G again had to wake her up from her wandering thoughts and get her back on the game.

Finally Sonia answered: Appa! It’s Bike. Why? Because that’s the only vehicle where you can feel the breeze on your face.

Oh Again G was taken aback. The reasoning that this girl has to give is completely different. And they continued with the game.

Now what forced me to blog on this is “The reasoning that these two kids had to give” They were completely different from each other. May be that’s the difference in their gender. May be it’s the difference between their intelligence.

At the age of five these kids had their own ways of looking at this world. I don’t know but it just symbolizes their creativity, their perception about this world or it could even be the intelligence level of this generation kids. And of course every child is unique.

After listening to this story from G, I felt that helping a child learn gives immense satisfaction and the same time we get to learn a lot from them.

Hope you guys enjoyed reading and thanks to G. G is one such rare colleagues that I had got in my professional life so far and he shares such stories with me while he drives me back home from office or vice – Versa.

Thanks G.