Everlasting conversations

Nischal is bored, and unwell - not being allowed to go run around with his buddies. I blurt out without thinking "Do you want to come to the office?". The phrase barely left my mouth, and his mom pounces on it faster than a leopard on a wounded bunny.  In a couple of minutes he's walking with me - drawing book, pencils and stuff in hand.
I'm still recovering from a dengue-like virus - my walk is more of a panda's shuffle. After a couple of rounds of running ahead and coming back to me, he decides to walk with the panda. The questions start to fly.
"Pappa,  is it true that if you do something very good and die, you will become a God?"
These days, I think teaching religion to young kids is pretty harmful. So, I counter: 
"If you do something very, very good to people, they'll treat you like God?"
"Do you need to die to be treated as God? " comes the next rapid-fire question.
"Not really" I say, "but some people take so much effort doing good stuff that they die from it"

 A few moments pass.
"Pappa, if you do bad things, you'll go to hell.. right?  ..and heaven if you do good?"
" I don't know. People say that, but none have seen heaven or hell ", I say.
"Ajja (grandpa) has seen heaven, I'm sure" he says.
"Maybe, but he's not come back to tell us that, has he?" I reply.
"No..  " comes the reply grudgingly.
I pounce on that pause:  "Do you feel good when you do something bad to somebody? Or rather, when you do something good to people, don't you feel good? " 
"Yes, I do... and I am very careful. I don't do bad things" he says.  My eyeballs nearly slip out through the corners. But I continue
"So, that is enough for you to do good things? Do you need heaven or hell? " I ask. He nods in agreement.

We get to the car by then. The next round of fire starts as we drive out of the gate.
"Why don't we have everlasting life?"
I'm sure that is intended to impress. I don't smile in surprise, or react to the usage. His mom - would stop the car, get on the hood and do a dance number in celebration. Instead, I go ahead with my trap: "Should people keep on being born, and not die?" I ask( he nods ), "then won't the earth get so full of people that there won't be any standing room? "
His eyes widen in realization of the problem. I push further. "What about food? What happens once they eat up all the plants and animals on earth? Will everlasting people live without food?"
He spends a few seconds thinking if everlasting beings can die if they don't eat.
"How about making plants also everlasting?"
"Many a time, we eat the whole plant - like the coriander you love in your daal? Can a plant be everlasting after it's eaten whole?" I ask.

The car is silent for a few seconds. I then break his rumination : "You know, your Ajja is still alive in a way". That perks him up.
"Our bodies have small things called 'genes'. They decide how you look, whether your eyes are like your dad's, how tall you will grow, how smart you'll be.. etc. These genes come inside you from either your dad or your mom."
His face is still blank. I connect the dots some more..  " So, I have genes from Ajja/ Ajji, and you have some of those same genes along with your Amma's. That's why you look like me in some ways, and like Amma in some other ways. So, you're also carrying your Ajja's & Ajji's genes. So, you have some part of your Pappa, Amma, Ajji & Ajja inside you and will have them even after they die."
His eyes widen in amazement at the thought. He takes a second look at himself and smiles.

I push further "So, when you get married & have kids, and although I'll get old and die, I will still be in your kids.." - I stop when I'm faced with his authoritative little palm.
"I'm not planning to get married. I hate girls" he says abruptly and with utmost confidence.
"Yes, that's the way you'll be now .. but .. "
"No, I'm not getting married" he says pulling himself up to his full 7 year old height.
I just nod slowly.. going back to when I used to say such stuff... and see that we've arrived. I start talking about not banging car doors, and watching for traffic.