Family is fun & cranky!

This seems to be the season of family get togethers. I just attended 2 in 3 days.

Two conversations from either side of my family:

We were all gathered with my uncles, aunts and cousins from my mother’s family. The occasion was my grandfather’s 12^th death remembrance. One of my uncles expressed his desire that next April my 

 grandmother is turning 80 (i.e based on anecdotal evidence; even she doesn’t know which year according to the English calendar she was born), so we should have a grand celebration of her 80^th birthday.

Grandma: “Who knows, I may not be alive till then. No need to plan it now itself”

Uncle: Don’t worry, if you’re not alive we will celebrate it as your adiyanthiram (the 7^th day of death commemoration feast)!

Laughter all around as my grandma looks comforted.

                                ************

A get- together on my father’s side of the family. My cousins are spread out in various cities of the country, in US & UK. This made me remark to my niece,

Me:  “If you want to go anywhere in the world, just let anyone of us know, we will take care of everything”.

My niece (without blinking): I want to go to Africa

Me: Err…. Sorry, I’m not coming with you.

My sis: Don’t worry, we will drop you at the airport.

                             

                                  ***********

The Crowd Commentary

In the US consulate for Visa interview; some sights:

A lady in her late thirties dressed in a green sari. She had a gold chain around her neck comprised of two thick strands which reached till her tummy. May be she wanted to impress the Visa officer with her show of plenty. May be that would keep him/her from enquiring about the financial affordability of her visit to US!

The young wife who sat next to me, who will be flying Etihad with her hubby to Chicago. Thanks for making that small talk to me which soothed the small wannabe butterflies in my stomach. Also, it made me feel better and confident when I saw the response in your face when I told "Harvard".

The old grandma Vasantha Bhoopathy, whose name I know because I filled up your passport delivery form. Hope you got your passport. Mine is nowhere in sight.

The young girl who came out dressed in the chic office attire of beige trousers, black top and a bright red necklace. I'm sure the VO was distracted by the red of your necklace.

The men, boys and guys. Who notices them who are dressed in drab trousers and shirts?! One however did not escape notice -it would have been difficult not to notice - when he was dressed in a blazer and tie in the sweltering Chennai heat.

All those young guys and girls who came out smiling and were received by their moms and dads with warm embraces and proud faces.

Those hapless fellows who were swamped by auto drivers the moment they stepped out of the consulate with the bewildered look on their faces like prisoners who came out of solitary confinement.

A confluence of dreams, dejection, aspirations, prayers.