Njnjas Vs Spiderman

 Nikhil, 4, would have us believe that the image he has drawn depicts the triumph of Ninjas over Spiderman .  It shows, he says, the Japanesefighters cutting themselves free from a lethal cobweb cast by Spiderman.  But I saw in the painting quite the opposite image -  of Ninjas hopelessly caught up in Spiderman’s web.But then  Nikhil  had the support of. elder brother Sidharth, 6 plus,and , here i was , pitted against two of them in a combat between the Ninjas and the Spider-man, played out in my bedroom. And the brothers chose to fight me during my afternoon snooze time. The San Ramon brothers choose their hero, the location for our mock combat , and their weapon.

Their weapn in Ninja Vs Spiderman combat was their  sketches.  And Sidharth did a full-fledged battle scene on a sheet  taken from his exercise book.  Nikhil, equally prolific,  tried to intimidate me (read Spiderman) in the playroom , with a fresh sketch on the cobweb theme.

When it comes to taking sides the brothers invariably club-up against thier grandpa. In Euro Final soccer they  were with Italy, leaving me to go for  Spain. In NBA series final, they were for Okhlahoma while I was constrained to back the Miami team. In baseball Sidharth/Nikhil , who went to watch the game in the stadium, returned home wearing Oakland team jersey they bought at the venue, putting me at a disadvantage. I  had nothing to show-off my favourite team – Boston.In the backyard basketball Sidharth/Nikhil brothers team up against grandparents. San Ramon Brothers  usually have their way with Mantri Synergy Devils, represented by grandparents visiting from Chennai.