Took the inlaws up to the top of the Stone Mountain today. They were pretty thrilled with the whole experience but in that hot sun with temperatures in the eighties, the ubiquitous sweater and the jacket never came off.

As thrilled as my mother in law was, she saw a parallel in India with everything she saw. The dense trees in the park? Just like Chandrakona. (I have no idea where that is). The larger-than-life carvings of Confederate soldiers on the mountain face? “Just like Sivaji”!!!! Even the bareback shape of the mountain reminded her of the shape of a rhino she had once seen in India!! It was hilarious as well as instructive to see how human brains essentially learn by drawing linear relationships with known data points it has learnt before!!

Meanwhile, my father in law went to the cafe on the top and asked the lady if they had coffee. She replied in the negative. Somewhat disappointed but not totally despondent, my father in law, in one of those “Let them have cake” moment declared “Okay, I will have tea”!! The lady gave a long stare and said “Sir, we have soda”. I hurriedly stepped in before he interpreted soda as what he uses to clean utensils in India and explained – “They have coke”. “With ice?” he asked. “Sure”, I said. “Then I will wait and have lunch at home”, he declared!

Dang! I had forgotten he was wearing a jacket!!! 🙂

Getting to know the inlaws’ history. We lit a fire outside, sat in the rains and traced my mother-in-law’s history. Armed with Google Maps, Wikipedia and the Search engine on the iPad, I have tracked down her pre-K school in Humgorh (remote village in Midnapur district), middle school in Khardaha and high school in Barrackpore. She is stunned by the satellite images of her school.

Made another promise. When I go to drop them in India, I will make sure she can go back in history and actually see her schools about six decades later !!!

There are indeed more moments to be created !!!

I had barely entered our house after the run in the rain this morning, when my mother in law started berating me. She looked me up and down, sized me up and asked
“Bristi-tey na hNatlei hochhilo na?”. (** did you have to go for a walk in this rain? **).

As you can imagine, like every self-righteous runner, I took total umbrage at her lack of confidence in me.
“hNatchhilam maaney? jeev baar korey aat minute-e mile dnourolam aar seta-key aapni hNata bolchhen?” (** Who you calling went for a walk? We panted our hearts out as we put in eight minute miles – and you think that was walking? **)

She somewhat relented.
“hNato aar dour-ou. Ei jhomjhomey bristitey aar keramati na dekhalei to hoto”. (** walking or running – what was the big need to show off in the rain? **)

I took the philosophical route – (btw, all throughout my childhood, I had addressed her as Masi – word usually used to address your mom’s sister – and I still call her Masi. Conversely, I call my father in law Kaku – usually used to address your dad’s brother)
“Masi”, I said “bristi-tey prokriti-r oporup rup dekhechhen? Sobuj gaach, chhoto nodi, jhomjhomey bristi, er moto o-kritrim soundorjo hoy? Na poisa laagey, na ticket kaat-tey hoy. Chhotobela-thekey to ma-masi-ra miley konodin bristitey berutey dilen na. Ekhon boro hoyechhi. Ekhon bristi-tey bhijey, jeev baar korey bristi-r jol na khele aar kobey khabo?” (** Mam, have you ever seen the resplendent beauty of nature as the green trees get soaked in glistening raindrops and the rivulets scurry along in heavy showers? You do not need money nor do you need any privilege to enjoy the pure natural beauty of rainfall. All throughout our childhood, you all moms and aunts, never let us go out and play in the rain. Now I am a grown up. If I cannot go stand in the rain and stick might tongue out to find out what it tastes like, when will I ever do it? **)

Thoroughly unimpressed, she said “Aar shorir bhengey porley ki hobey? Tokhon to Sharmila-kei dekhtey hobey” (** And what will happen when your health breaks down? Sharmila has to look after you, right? **).

By now, I was getting an idea about where this was all leading to. It was all about her daughter. Whatever I do, I should not create any more work for her!!! Now that I knew what the game was that I was up against, I knew how to play it. Completely avoided her line of argument and picked up the philosophy bit a notch higher…
“Aa-ha maasi, bhangtei jodi na dyan to notun korey gore-bo ki korey?” (** Mam, if you do not let me break it, how will I ever get a chance to build it anew? **)

Philosophy has nothing on an irate mother in law. “Beshi fyach fyach koro-na-to” boley uni gojgoj kortey kortey nijer room-e choley gelen 🙂
(she asked me to stop blabbering and stormed away to her bedroom constantly muttering under her breath) 🙂