4 April
2020
4 April
2020
A eight year old tradition “grounded”
For the better part of eight years or so, I have been visiting my parents every quarter. Way back in 2012, sitting at a bar in Milton, Sharmila and I had decided that we will make sure that if and when one of our parents pass away, we would not have a regret that we had not been with them for a long time before they moved on.
The trips for me are very short – sometimes 2 days (like the last one) and rarely more than 4 days. In spite of 25 plus trips with predictable regularity, there have a been a few times that I was able to spring a surprise on them by showing up unannounced. Like the last to last trip. Of course, both my siblings and their families were out on vacations not knowing I was going to show up!! Guess who was surprised?
I had to break to my parents that I will not make it this month and in all likelihood, will miss this whole quarter. It is not that they minded at all. They have been hearing about a virus too. I am simply bummed that the tradition will be broken.
Last night, I video-called my niece and asked her to go upstairs to the grandparents. My dad – who has nary an idea about video calling – at first surmised that my niece was showing him a picture of myself.
“Chhobi ta katha bolchhey to. Ekbaarey Bachhu-r golaa-y”. He was startled to realize that the picture was talking too. Even more so since the voice sounded eerily similar to mine.
My niece did a great job of explaining to him in simple terms what was happening. His next question was – who was the other person in the picture (the inset). So, my niece explained that it was of course he himself.
That confused the living daylights out of him. He comprehended the bit about how he could see me and hear me – after all, he has seen a TV. But how both of us, sitting a world part appeared on the same phone seeing and talking to each other at the same time was totally beyond him.
After a few minutes he said something that proved beyond any reasonable doubt that while he did not get the technology, he had a fairly good grip on the broader impact though.
“Taholey to eta korlei paaris. Teen maas ontor ontor plane-r poisa-ta bechey jaabey”!
His suggestion to me was that I video call him every quarter and save myself the airfare!!
My dad, I tell you, will never change!!
Admittedly, the world is no worse for the wear for that either!!
3 April
2020
Idle mind. Devil’s workshop. Etc Etc
30 March
2020
Five years later
29 March
2020
Fifteen years later
Nikita mentioned this morning that we have a picture From the past like the one we took this morning at home. Sure enough, a little search later, we retrieved it.
So much has changed in fifteen years. We have a new dog, newspapers have gone digital and we have moved from the outside to inside.
Good news is that I am still in my shorts!!!
22 March
2020
Sunday morning and COVID-19 social distancing
21 March
2020
Finally relaxing!!!
It was an interesting Saturday between trying to get some crucial office decisions done and trying to evacuate Natasha from New York. This is while New York started canceling flights because some ATC trainee had tested positive for COVID-19.
Finally, everything has settled down. For the time being. And no too soon.
In a stunning reversal of fortunes, now the young ones are yelling when the older ones want to go out for drink.
Great evening with Sharmila and Natasha over a bottle of wine…
17 March
2020
Social distancing
14 March
2020
Our favorite place by the lake is open for the season again!
8 March
2020
It was a full moon that night too!!
Tonight is full moon. In India we celebrate Holi – the festival of colors. The moon looks beautiful if you step out and see it. I mentioned to Sharmila – “The full moon looks perfect tonight”. She laughed out aloud. It took me a second or two to understand why would anybody laugh at a beautiful full moon. I have to take you to a post from over six years back to get the context…. Reproduced from January 7, 2014.
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Last night Sharmila and I were in bed watching a sitcom on TV before going off to sleep when I noticed something small and shiny thru the master bedroom windows in the trees. I was trying to figure out whether it was a reflection of a light inside our house that I was seeing on the window or was it moonlight shining on some ice formation on the twigs. I straightened up and asked Sharmila – “Is that the moon”? And then for good measure threw in “Or is that your face”?
You know you have been married for twenty one years by how romantic values cede precedence to practical values. Sharmila looked at my face and the direction in which I was looking and then looking outside, said “What do you mean? How can my face be over there?”
I almost fell off my bed, guffawing! 🙂
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