Although I wished well for all a joyful, warm summer, powers
of nature or destiny decided to give me a spoonful of bitter summer lessons.
- Excess heat - despondent mood
- Technical glitches in the distribution of water in our building, that lasted for 3 weeks
- Entertaining some outstation guests in the heat of summer, who generally mix summer with travel (means, I /you are not in their list of fun)
- A family marriage – enjoyable but exhausting especially amidst strangers where you smile and mop sweat on the face alternately.
The entire period of 8 weeks was filled with anxiety, action
and reactions for a young athlete. Imagine stretching your stamina level at my
age. Occasionally I looked towards heavens for respite and savour a cool whiff
of air.
Those summer
vacations….
This refers to those vacations one longed for during
schooldays. The mandatory vacation down south to visit relatives. All vehicles
of transport were a challenge but we enjoyed in the midst of cousins. A few
years later, it turned out to be family vacations which switched from greetings
to a different diet, visit to temples and thinking about night halt while
travelling. If there was a night halt it was a nightmare as each one of us
disagreed on the comfort level for rest. From pillows to beds, to noise, to
mosquitoes.
All these were trivial flaws which were swept aside when one
turned to shopping for trinkets, mementos, gifts. Thank God that phase is over,
and done for me!
Indian summers are beautiful as they offer a unique
experience for all, young and old. The mood gets revived after exhaustion is
followed by a good nap. Tropical summers always await a drenching month when
monsoon sets in.
Aunt paranoia – scary!
The term ‘aunty’ is used randomly in our society where
English is partially used to express or to absolve oneself of the fact that a
smattering of English is okay with the use of the word ‘aunty’, whether the
relationship is viable or not.
Going back to a few decades in the past I did fear some
aunts who were related but I was afraid to approach them due to some of peculiar personality traits.
Aunt #A – A elderly maternal aunt who demanded obedience and
exchange of pleasantries in limits. All because she was a heart patient.
Aunt #B – A distantly located but close in DNA aunt who
expected respect only for her qualifications and position in the family.
Aunt #C&D – Two aunts who were neighbours but as they
often conversed in English (being Goans), we felt it apt to call them ‘aunty’.
Aunt #E – privileged to be called as she was the friend’s
mother so that aunt ‘E’ list was endless.
The day I became privileged to be called an aunt was when
children who were born to kin preferred to call me ‘aunty’. Then arrived my
son’s friends who just jumped at the opportunity to call me aunty to get
favours or requests that affected them and my son and of course some solace for
me.
Riff Raff Aunts
Neighbours/friends who considered themselves younger than I
was to call me ‘aunty’
This last group is dreaded till today as they have the
choicest abuses to offer if you are not agreeable to them. If they are annoyed
with you – they will not hesitate to call you boodiya, chudale, daayin or
khadoos etc.
I avoid the last group not because I don’t own a list of
abuses to hurl back and have scant respect for those who do not hesitate to
scorn.
This is life
This is the way we are,
Let us not bargain anymore from life
Be seen , be there, be firm.
You are not here to reform,
Inform ,
Or deform.
Make peace not war, as the former brings rhythm the latter
only cacophony.
A Friend In Deed!
Yesterday was Friendship Day and I remember a friend of just
a year’s acquaintance during work in a school. She is in touch with me today
even though we don’t meet. She is an epitome of sacrifice and feminity, an intellectual
whose world revolves around her family though she can’t discard them or even can, as none of them
belong to her by blood. But I am proud to be her friend.
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