Revelations

Well, regular programming to resume next week. I had, as usual, some revelations in the past week thanks to my illness, and friends visiting, and so on.

1. Women cannot get any rest. Indian women for sure. Housewives, career chicks, masala mommies, all of them, have tendencies to martyrdom. Its nothing noble, in fact, it is quite stupid of them (us). But deep-rooted.

2. Bandra is a jungle. Powai is a jungle. Both places have, of course, non-traditional set-ups, like in place of the thick undergrowth we have drains and feet. In place of the overhanging trees and greenery there are the buildings. Like insects and other creatures teem in tropical jungles, so do people throng in these urban jungles. Like animals pee to mark their territory, so do people pee, though not always to mark their territory, but just to show that they have the requisite plumbing. Now what are the cars, trucks, autos, push-carts? Poachers with guns and hats?

3. Summer is upon us. Amchi Mumbai is breaking spontaneously into sweat. The fans whirr ineffectually overhead. We balk at the pedestal fans which can fit little fingers in. We seek cold water (NO! DONT DO IT. That is probably what causes soar throats). Its time to think longingly of hill-stations, Antartica, or at the very least, of some place other than Mumbai where parents or other such relatives/friends one may impose upon, live. Just make sure the place has only a reasonable amount of load-shedding.

4. Have handed in form with immunisation certificate, birth certificate, service-book record, and what not in school#2 with dusty floors. Teachers have looked longingly at me, they have smiled. I have carefully dressed so as to look responsible and so on, office staff has responded better. It takes three minutes along a shady, tree-lined road to get there from my office. The school-yard has ancient trees. It has the smell of summer-time, exams, results, P.G.Wodehouse, visiting friends on my red bicycle, those are recalled with a pleasant ache.

5. I am teaching Kannada to child, why lose a language? I say bollocks to people who tell me that its confusing for children to try to pick up a lot of languages. I say don't tell the kids that they are languages. Teach them songs. We are all about songs. Recommendations on good kiddie books in Kannada/Hindi/Tamizh are also welcome (I cannot read Tamizh but might be a good time to learn, or others in the house can read them to her).

6. One friendly visit happened on Saturday. The night stretched out almost into day. Was nice. Wish I could remember what we talked about. But the biscuits left with us are yummy, they remind. Like Ashima and Ashoke in The Namesake, we may be accused of parochially hanging out only with friends we went to college with. Yes, I think that would be a fair accusation.

We are off to Phuket tomorrow. Wish me patience! Night flight, change of airports in Bangkok, hyper-active child, and so on. Hope to visit Zoo, Aquarium, and Elephant something. And when I return I will be a year older, hopefully endowed with a few white hairs.