I was travelling in a bus from the railway station to my college.
The following is the conversation I had with the lady sitting beside me:
LADY : endha college (which college?)
ME : (trying not to sound too proud)NIT
LADY :???
ME : (correcting myself)REC
LADY :oh! endha ooru?Kerala va? (which place are you from?Kerala?)
Anki : (snigger,snigger ,snigger)
ME : (fuming and thinking) everyone knows our college is filled with mallus and more mallus and more mallus...
ME : (telling her)illa ... chennai (No... chennai)
The lady first looks at me as though I am a mentally retarded person.Then her expression changes to pity and she asks
LADY : en ma chennai-la evalo nalla college-lam irruku ... Sathyabama , Jeppiar college ... edhuluyame seat kadaikalaiya? ( There are so many good colleges in chennai like sathayabama,jeppiar college etc. Didn't you get admission in any of them?)
ME : (no words coming out of my mouth)um... um ... um
Anki: (by now red with laughter snigger,snigger,more snigger)
LADY : (unmindful of the laughter and discomfort continues proudly) en ponnu sathyabama college-la padikara (My daughter studies in sathyabama college)
ME :(fervently praying the bus reaches my college soon)oh appadiya! (Oh ! Is that so?)
As soon I caught the first glimpse of the college from the bus, I rushed from my seat to the door ... not because I was eager to get back but because I'd been embarrased enough for the day.
PS 1: You might be wondering why I've written the conversation in Tamil and then translated it... well as HT says : things sound more embarrasing in tamil ...(HT : tamil-la sonna dhan oru punch irrukum)
PS 2 : ....
PS 3 : nothing ... I love PS3
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
From the pages of an unopened book(2)
As the day dawned, he continued staring at the sky through the open window of his bedroom. He had occupied the couch next to the window more than 6 hours before after an half-hour's effort to get some sleep proving futile. As if the sight of the orange sun gave him new energy,he suddenly stood up and looked around himself. He noticed that nothing had moved since the time he had occupied the couch, including his friend who lay peacefully asleep on the bed next to his.
He had always envied his friend ever since he had known him.His friend was so calm even in nerve-wrecking situations.He had often wondered how.But,today the sight of his friend's calm face was testing his nerves.Impulsively, he went and shook him. His friend grinned with half-open eyes on seeing his tensed face and muttered, "Hey, chill dude.It'll turn out alrite". Unconvinced, he gave a watery smile to his friend who had drifted back to sleep."I mustn't annoy him too much. It'll mean trouble for me only.",he thought,rebuking himself. He paced the bedroom a few times befor picking up the file that lay on his bed. He held it carefully and flicked through the pages .Curriculam vitae,certificates,transcripts,... yes everything was there. He took a closer look at the transcripts to see if someone may realise they were fake."No",he thought "I'm just being too paranoid."This file was the result of 48 hours of hard-work.It looked too perfect for anyone to doubt.He wondered if he had forgotten to include something."Passport,perhaps?",he questioned himself,"Did they ask for passport during job interviews?".But he had no chance of knowing as he had been unemployed from the day he had dropped out of college.
Today's was once in a lifetime opportunity. It could make or break his entire life."No",he told himself "I'm not going to spoil the day by being tensed.In the end, the confidence with which I speak is only going to prove decisive.Even if they ask for passport, I can make some excuse."
The clock struck 7 times indicating the time. He rushed to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast for him and his friend. He returned with a tray having 4 sandwiches and 2 glasses of milk. His friend who had woken up by then, grinned and took the tray from him.By the time he had finished his glass of milk,his friend had devoured the sandwiches and the milk in his glass."We'll start in an hour.And buddy, you'll mess it up if you look so tensed",he friend said walking out of the room.
Exactly an hour later, he was driving the scooter with his friend at the back. They reached the police checkpoint and there was a long queue ahead.He had anticipated this. But,he knew his nerves wouldn't stand the wait.To his friend's surprise,he cut the queue and drove towards the policeman.Before his friend could come of the shock and rebuke him for his hasty action, he was already talking to the policeman. The policeman watched disinterestedly as he rambled on about how crucial this job was to him and if he didn't reach the place in another 20 minutes,it was as good as gone.
"You think the other people in the line are standing here because they want to?Are you the chief minister's son or something?",the policeman shouted,glaring at him.
"Saab,please saab.If you leave me early, God will bless you, my ammi,abbu,my entire family will bless you.Saab, please I really need this job ..."he pleaded.
The policeman cut him short saying, "Acha, you are begging so much so...".Then he came closer and whispered"100 Rs."
His friend who was really amused by now took out a fresh hundred rupee note and slid it into the policeman's half-outstretched hand. The policeman gave a brief grin and moved slightly back allowing them to proceed without checking.
He started the scooter and drove at full speed. Just after he turned around the corner, he stopped the scooter and got down.He wanted to jump up, throw his hands up in jubilation but he didn't want his friend to think he was too excited. He carefully removed the packets of cocaine tucked carefully on the inner side of his jean which were held tightly with his belt.As he handed them over to his friend, he said "That guy didn't even ask for the file to see if I'm really going for a job interview".
"I told you that policemen in this country aren't so thorough.They just want money we give them.Ok, then I'll go and deliver this to the party.I'll tell Salim bhai how good you were.He'll be really pleased to hear how you managed to escape without checking and he'll allow you to join our gang also. We need young people like you. Toh kal Salim bhai ke adde pe aajana"
He had always envied his friend ever since he had known him.His friend was so calm even in nerve-wrecking situations.He had often wondered how.But,today the sight of his friend's calm face was testing his nerves.Impulsively, he went and shook him. His friend grinned with half-open eyes on seeing his tensed face and muttered, "Hey, chill dude.It'll turn out alrite". Unconvinced, he gave a watery smile to his friend who had drifted back to sleep."I mustn't annoy him too much. It'll mean trouble for me only.",he thought,rebuking himself. He paced the bedroom a few times befor picking up the file that lay on his bed. He held it carefully and flicked through the pages .Curriculam vitae,certificates,transcripts,... yes everything was there. He took a closer look at the transcripts to see if someone may realise they were fake."No",he thought "I'm just being too paranoid."This file was the result of 48 hours of hard-work.It looked too perfect for anyone to doubt.He wondered if he had forgotten to include something."Passport,perhaps?",he questioned himself,"Did they ask for passport during job interviews?".But he had no chance of knowing as he had been unemployed from the day he had dropped out of college.
Today's was once in a lifetime opportunity. It could make or break his entire life."No",he told himself "I'm not going to spoil the day by being tensed.In the end, the confidence with which I speak is only going to prove decisive.Even if they ask for passport, I can make some excuse."
The clock struck 7 times indicating the time. He rushed to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast for him and his friend. He returned with a tray having 4 sandwiches and 2 glasses of milk. His friend who had woken up by then, grinned and took the tray from him.By the time he had finished his glass of milk,his friend had devoured the sandwiches and the milk in his glass."We'll start in an hour.And buddy, you'll mess it up if you look so tensed",he friend said walking out of the room.
Exactly an hour later, he was driving the scooter with his friend at the back. They reached the police checkpoint and there was a long queue ahead.He had anticipated this. But,he knew his nerves wouldn't stand the wait.To his friend's surprise,he cut the queue and drove towards the policeman.Before his friend could come of the shock and rebuke him for his hasty action, he was already talking to the policeman. The policeman watched disinterestedly as he rambled on about how crucial this job was to him and if he didn't reach the place in another 20 minutes,it was as good as gone.
"You think the other people in the line are standing here because they want to?Are you the chief minister's son or something?",the policeman shouted,glaring at him.
"Saab,please saab.If you leave me early, God will bless you, my ammi,abbu,my entire family will bless you.Saab, please I really need this job ..."he pleaded.
The policeman cut him short saying, "Acha, you are begging so much so...".Then he came closer and whispered"100 Rs."
His friend who was really amused by now took out a fresh hundred rupee note and slid it into the policeman's half-outstretched hand. The policeman gave a brief grin and moved slightly back allowing them to proceed without checking.
He started the scooter and drove at full speed. Just after he turned around the corner, he stopped the scooter and got down.He wanted to jump up, throw his hands up in jubilation but he didn't want his friend to think he was too excited. He carefully removed the packets of cocaine tucked carefully on the inner side of his jean which were held tightly with his belt.As he handed them over to his friend, he said "That guy didn't even ask for the file to see if I'm really going for a job interview".
"I told you that policemen in this country aren't so thorough.They just want money we give them.Ok, then I'll go and deliver this to the party.I'll tell Salim bhai how good you were.He'll be really pleased to hear how you managed to escape without checking and he'll allow you to join our gang also. We need young people like you. Toh kal Salim bhai ke adde pe aajana"
Friday, December 5, 2008
Addicted!!!
One of the many things which me and my family don't(or should I say didn't) have in common was the craze for coffee. Its fantastic to note how the craze runs through generations in my family.
To my knowledge one of the greatest addicts of coffee was :(:( my grandmother. Her craze for caffine is unmatchable.She used to drink coffee at 9:30 in the morning, 1:00 in the afternoon and 5:00 in the evening. You might be thinking thats not much. But what I had refrained from mentioning there was that those were the official ones. Apart from that, whenever anybody ventured into our house (be it the postwoman, our next-house neighbours(ok,thats an endless list),even saleswomen,relatives(that is an infinite list again)),their only way to freedom was to drink the cup of coffee which my grandma thrusted in his/her hands. Only when the poor soul (ok, i agree i'm exagerating their plight bcoz not one of them have ever complained about the coffee, some have even asked for another cup and have thus managed to gain an appreiciative smile from her) had started drinking would my grandmother settle down next to them (with a cup of her own,of course) and talk.
The next generation which comprises of my dad and aunts, gleefully inherited this habit from her. But, when my turn came my mother ensured I survived on complan,bonus(yes, there was something like that) etc. etc. I say etc. etc. not because I not remember the names but the list too long because my mother keeps switching from one to another. Ask my mother and she'll tell you in which month of which year I had what (ok, no more praises. Right now, I'm in a state of war with her).So I never even had an opportunity to venture near coffee.
When I came to college, there no mom to stand behind me and watch what I eat and drink. But, I still continued on plain milk (read as water, if you've had milk from the mess) and tea.Reason?Simple. Both of them were readily available whereas we had to prepare coffee.
But, after coming home things have changed. I noticed this shop which has an instant coffee vending machine. The first day I noticed it, I passed by it defiantly looking the other way. I didn't want to get hooked up to anything. But, as I've always felt, its fate that made me go and buy my first coffee there (on the second day of my holidays).Why?Ok, see I have valid reasons. It was raining,I was alone at home,I wanted to have something hot and I had never tried making a single cup of coffee in my life (not even for my grandma who used to bribe me with chocolates).That was the innocuous beginning to this addiction I'm caught in. Now, everyday I drink 2 cups of instant coffee. Everytime I think about coffee I start fidgeting.Sometimes,I wonder if this is how drug addicts feel.
PS:With full faith on my laziness there is a glimmer of hope that I might give up coffee after coming back to college (remember, we have to make our own coffee there)
And most importantly, don't tell my mom. Shhh...
To my knowledge one of the greatest addicts of coffee was :(:( my grandmother. Her craze for caffine is unmatchable.She used to drink coffee at 9:30 in the morning, 1:00 in the afternoon and 5:00 in the evening. You might be thinking thats not much. But what I had refrained from mentioning there was that those were the official ones. Apart from that, whenever anybody ventured into our house (be it the postwoman, our next-house neighbours(ok,thats an endless list),even saleswomen,relatives(that is an infinite list again)),their only way to freedom was to drink the cup of coffee which my grandma thrusted in his/her hands. Only when the poor soul (ok, i agree i'm exagerating their plight bcoz not one of them have ever complained about the coffee, some have even asked for another cup and have thus managed to gain an appreiciative smile from her) had started drinking would my grandmother settle down next to them (with a cup of her own,of course) and talk.
The next generation which comprises of my dad and aunts, gleefully inherited this habit from her. But, when my turn came my mother ensured I survived on complan,bonus(yes, there was something like that) etc. etc. I say etc. etc. not because I not remember the names but the list too long because my mother keeps switching from one to another. Ask my mother and she'll tell you in which month of which year I had what (ok, no more praises. Right now, I'm in a state of war with her).So I never even had an opportunity to venture near coffee.
When I came to college, there no mom to stand behind me and watch what I eat and drink. But, I still continued on plain milk (read as water, if you've had milk from the mess) and tea.Reason?Simple. Both of them were readily available whereas we had to prepare coffee.
But, after coming home things have changed. I noticed this shop which has an instant coffee vending machine. The first day I noticed it, I passed by it defiantly looking the other way. I didn't want to get hooked up to anything. But, as I've always felt, its fate that made me go and buy my first coffee there (on the second day of my holidays).Why?Ok, see I have valid reasons. It was raining,I was alone at home,I wanted to have something hot and I had never tried making a single cup of coffee in my life (not even for my grandma who used to bribe me with chocolates).That was the innocuous beginning to this addiction I'm caught in. Now, everyday I drink 2 cups of instant coffee. Everytime I think about coffee I start fidgeting.Sometimes,I wonder if this is how drug addicts feel.
PS:With full faith on my laziness there is a glimmer of hope that I might give up coffee after coming back to college (remember, we have to make our own coffee there)
And most importantly, don't tell my mom. Shhh...
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