It started off as any other ordinary Sunday. Before long, my sister from Palakkad announced her plans to come over by noon with lunch for mom and me. In the meanwhile, Preetha was already in - she'd graciously cut short her Sunday off to look after our culinary requirements - and was in an advanced stage of preparing the dishes.
Padmakumar, Rema and Achu reached us around 12. Achu, on completion of his probation, was back in Perundurai, short of Salem, on a quick visit for a month to oversee the production requirements and hence, could be at his house for the weekend. The lunch was, therefore, heavy but thoroughly enjoyable. Mom's bag was packed and though she was a bit reluctant at first, gave in and was all set as travel gives her the jitters, the aches and the pains.
They left soon after teatime and had reached their destination by a half past 7. Meanwhile, I'd returned from my customary walk that was given the go by all this while due to Lekha's absence and mom's reluctance to be all by herself at home! The whiff of air and the expending of energy rejuvenated me. The house was very quiet, indeed, except for the television that I'd switched on to see my favourite programmes.
* * *
What a match it was? The 20-20 game between India and Australia proved to be absorbing till the end thanks to Virat Kohli's fireworks with the bat, Dhoni's all round show and the bowlers restricting the Aussies from notching up a mammoth total. I'd refrained from watching the game, as usual, as I consider myself a 'Jonah' for our team if I were to watch it but my friends and relatives kept updating the game every now and then.
Australia has always pulled off victories and have shown the ability to play as a cohesive team when it mattered most and I thought that the odds were in their favour to get into the semifinals. But what a match? The Indians deserved their victory and to me, it's now almost sure that we're gonna win the cup! Incidentally, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka from the subcontinent, are out of the reckoning! India, therefore, needs to get their flag flying.
Well played India. All the best for the two remaining matches!
* * *
I'd called up my cousin this evening to get some information that would help me in my forthcoming presentation at a seminar. She'd by then received a call from the person whose decision to stay single is attributed to my insensitivity. Let me recap......
I'd met the sisters, at Bombay, in the early '80s and we got to be friendly and were in touch despite my movement out on transfer from the city. I'd told her father - during one of his visits to me - that I was interested in marrying his older daughter. I was told by them that the elder one was earmarked to marry her first cousin, a decision taken since their childhood - a commonly acceptable situation among us Nairs - and so, why don't I think about marrying the younger one? I remember giving my famous statement, "Love is not answering a MAT question in an examination where if (a) is not the right answer, one can tick (b) instead."
But what I didn't realise then was that my smart Alec answer was downright insensitive - though I must confess that I didn't realise it then, the dumbo that I was! - so much so, that the younger one was 'crushed' psychologically and had taken the harsh decision.
I'd always wanted to ask a few related questions to the person, on realising the colossal damage that I'd brought to bear upon her...
- Am I worth wasting your life?
- Would you've ever accepted me as yours never having got over your sister?
She'd asked my cousin to convey her condolences to Lekha on the passing away of her father! Damn sweet of her!
Tailpiece.
Fixed up with Asok regarding my journey, early morning the day after, to partake in my father-in-law's final ceremonies ending with the immersion of his ashes at Thirunelli in Wyanad.
Padmakumar, Rema and Achu reached us around 12. Achu, on completion of his probation, was back in Perundurai, short of Salem, on a quick visit for a month to oversee the production requirements and hence, could be at his house for the weekend. The lunch was, therefore, heavy but thoroughly enjoyable. Mom's bag was packed and though she was a bit reluctant at first, gave in and was all set as travel gives her the jitters, the aches and the pains.
They left soon after teatime and had reached their destination by a half past 7. Meanwhile, I'd returned from my customary walk that was given the go by all this while due to Lekha's absence and mom's reluctance to be all by herself at home! The whiff of air and the expending of energy rejuvenated me. The house was very quiet, indeed, except for the television that I'd switched on to see my favourite programmes.
* * *
What a match it was? The 20-20 game between India and Australia proved to be absorbing till the end thanks to Virat Kohli's fireworks with the bat, Dhoni's all round show and the bowlers restricting the Aussies from notching up a mammoth total. I'd refrained from watching the game, as usual, as I consider myself a 'Jonah' for our team if I were to watch it but my friends and relatives kept updating the game every now and then.
Australia has always pulled off victories and have shown the ability to play as a cohesive team when it mattered most and I thought that the odds were in their favour to get into the semifinals. But what a match? The Indians deserved their victory and to me, it's now almost sure that we're gonna win the cup! Incidentally, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka from the subcontinent, are out of the reckoning! India, therefore, needs to get their flag flying.
Well played India. All the best for the two remaining matches!
* * *
I'd called up my cousin this evening to get some information that would help me in my forthcoming presentation at a seminar. She'd by then received a call from the person whose decision to stay single is attributed to my insensitivity. Let me recap......
I'd met the sisters, at Bombay, in the early '80s and we got to be friendly and were in touch despite my movement out on transfer from the city. I'd told her father - during one of his visits to me - that I was interested in marrying his older daughter. I was told by them that the elder one was earmarked to marry her first cousin, a decision taken since their childhood - a commonly acceptable situation among us Nairs - and so, why don't I think about marrying the younger one? I remember giving my famous statement, "Love is not answering a MAT question in an examination where if (a) is not the right answer, one can tick (b) instead."
But what I didn't realise then was that my smart Alec answer was downright insensitive - though I must confess that I didn't realise it then, the dumbo that I was! - so much so, that the younger one was 'crushed' psychologically and had taken the harsh decision.
I'd always wanted to ask a few related questions to the person, on realising the colossal damage that I'd brought to bear upon her...
- Am I worth wasting your life?
- Would you've ever accepted me as yours never having got over your sister?
She'd asked my cousin to convey her condolences to Lekha on the passing away of her father! Damn sweet of her!
Tailpiece.
Fixed up with Asok regarding my journey, early morning the day after, to partake in my father-in-law's final ceremonies ending with the immersion of his ashes at Thirunelli in Wyanad.
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