The little things you did

The way you couldn’t laugh without clapping,

The way you secretly ate another sweet

And then tried to look innocent

The way you had to know everything!

The way you forgot if you’d eaten lunch,

Or brushed your teeth

Or who we were, sometimes!

The way you spoke in wonderful, impeccable English,

And combed your hair and powdered your face and wore your dupatta,

All neat and proper

And sophisticated and charming

The way you joked and laughed and loved to have fun

We loved everything about you

And we know you’ve gone to a happier place,

And now you’re with a familiar face

Now you can be young and free again

Now you can be Fatti again

But we’ll still miss you,

Amma, Dadi, Nanima; we’ll all

Miss the things that made you

Our little Japanese doll.