Namesake
The crowded mid-day bus stopped at Vazhapadi and Abdullah stepped out with his kid. He asked the conductor to stop for a while, because his wife also needs to come out. The conductor asked for his wife's name. "She is in her green salwar", replied Abdullah. "The lady in green salwar, your husband is waiting for you." There was no reaction in the bus. "What's your wife's name, Sir?" asked the conductor. "We got in from Salem Old Bus Stand". "The lady in green salwar from Salem your husband is waiting for you." The whole lot of people in the bus got impatient, so did the conductor. He repeated the same question with a wild tone this time. "My name is Abdullah and this is my son Munna". The conductor, this time cried aloud, "Ok, ok. Mrs. Abdullah, mother of Munna from Salem Old Bus Stand in green salwar, your husband is waiting for you" All of a sudden a lady who was sleeping all the while woke up and got down the bus. Later, Abdullah with a smile in his face asked his beloved, "Why Shakeela, you slept in the bus again?"
-Sudhin
Based on a true incident.
Pune Doctor and the Chennai Engineer
Everybody was looking forward for this particular day. Our entire training batch had planned for a trip to Mahabaleshwar. My roommates woke up early and were getting ready.
"Wake up Sudhin, Its getting late..."
I too wanted to get up, but then I couldn't even open my eyes.
"Macha, I think I have fever da."
"Oops!!! I think it's the viral outbreak in our area. I heard even our next door batchmate Avi is having the same problem."
Just then, Avi clad in a woolen blanket came to our room.
"Good that I have a company, these guys can go too. Avi, we'll consult the doctor"
"But today is a holiday. The campus doctor wouldn't be available."
"In that case, we need to go Kumar's clinic which is near Hinjewadi Chowk..."
Immediately after our friends left, we started off to meet the doctor. Two nurses were sitting in the reception.
"We want to meet the doctor. Is he in?"
"Doctor ek tasani ethe eteel" *
"What was that, Sudhin?"
"I think she's saying that the doctor is out."
"But don't the people here know English. What do we do?"
"I think she spoke in Marathi. I know little Hindi. We'll manage, don't you worry."
Turning to the nurse, I again asked her, "Doctor Bahar? Kab Vapas?" **
She showed her index finger. Just then I understood she meant that the doctor would be back in an hour. In less than half an hour itself, the doctor arrived. We were asked to come in.
"Sir, hum log beemar!!!" ***
"Hmmm...."
"Bahut mushkil hai" ****
I could understand his patience too. My Hindi was very bad and funny. But we had no choice these people don't understand English. Avi was in absolute silence.
At last, the doctor spoke, "Koi problem nahi... Aap log kahen se hai?" *****
"Chennai Se. Yehan kaam karte. Hindi toda toda aathe." ******
"Kahan Kaam karte ho?" +
"Infosys mein" ++
"Ho!! Infosys mein, kya kaam?" +++
"Software Engineer...."
"Kya? Engineer Ho aur English nahin jaante?!!" ++++
~Sudhin
* Doctor would be in an hour. (Marathi)
** Doctor is out? When he'll be back?
*** Sir, we are suffering from fever
**** Very difficult
***** No problem, where are you from?
****** We are from Chennai. Working here. Know little Hindi.
+ Where are you working?
++ At Infosys
+++ What job at Infosys?
++++ What? You are an engineer and you don't know English.
Who's corrupt?
The residents of Shivaji Nagar were protesting over the bad roads in their areas. They organized many hartals and meetings condemning the action of the local panchayat. The residents had just one thought lingering in their mind, "All politicians and bureaucrats are corrupt."
As days passed, when the local administration saw that the pressure was building on them, they finally decided that they would repair the road. Their plan was to first level the ground with red soil and after a few days lay tar on it.
The lorry arrived and had dumped the soil on the road. Soon after it passed off, many residents started filling their buckets with the fertile red soil to take it to their houses.
Selvi, an active resident shouted to her daughter, "Don't sit simply. Go get it. It’s good for the trees and plants in our garden."
Now you tell me, are politicians and bureaucrats alone corrupt?
Preach One Prac Another
Kumar was helping his son learn Moral Science and Values. His wife Priya arrived to the drawing room.
"Kumar, why don't help him even after 7"
"Don't you know dear? I need to go to the pharmacist to get the fake bills for tax rebate."
Selfless? Love!!!
It was 10.30 a.m. and in an hour Sarah need to rush to the parish hall where she's supposed to deliver a lecture on "Helping Hand to the Old." Back home, her old mother-in-law is yet to have her breakfast.
Deep Rooted Banyan
Deep Rooted Banyan
The traffic is very slow in the road connecting Alwarthirunagar and Ramapuram. The Chennai Corporation officials have been asked to submit the report on the regular traffic jam in this road. They are supposed to submit the report today and the top officials are meeting in the Government High School with the residents.
"The banyan tree near the college is the root cause Sir,” said the officer in charge.
"What could be the solution?", asked the chief officer.
"Nothing than cutting it down."
"I heard it’s a very old one. Are you sure?"
"No way Sir. Thats the only solution."
The corporation came out with a notice to cut down the tree and had also passed it on to all of us living in the area. I'm going to oppose this plan with all my might. This tree is my Uma, I can't see it coming down when I'm alive.
I met Uma when I was in my fourth standard. I was studying in the Porur School and was working part-time as money collector in Venkatesh Annan's six-seated-share-auto shuttling between Guindy and Porur. She was then working with Gupta Garments in Guindy. One day, she got into our auto. On nearing Porur, she handed over a hundred rupees note to me.
"Change illa akka!!! Its five rupees only.", I told her.
"Ayyo, I have no other money. Can you adjust somehow?"
"Not an issue. I'll put from my pocket today. You can give me tomorrow.."
She came in the same auto the next day and gave me the money she owed. She started coming in our auto regularly and we became good friends. Days later, her family came to stay near our house. I started visiting her often near the banyan tree. We used to talk there almost every night for hours. My mother had left this world when I was born. My step-mom was the usual kind we see in certain stories. She wasn't cruel to me, but I was missing that love, that care and affection. I felt that Uma is my amma whom I've been missing all these days. Her marriage was later arranged with none other than Venkatesh Annan. I was on cloud nine when I had to take part in the ceremonies, which were supposed to be done by her brother, she didn't have any though.
Everything was going fine when one morning I woke up to heavy noise outside my home. When enquired, I came to know that Uma had ended her life.
"It was suicide,” cried a lady.
"It all happened after the unearthing of the illicit affair she had with a guy in the export company." said another.
I was taken aback. Uma was never like that. There was something very fishy in all this. But I had no strength to investigate this. I can't dream a world without Uma. I'm going to miss everything - selfless love, encouraging words and above all my Uma.
The following days I spent my time alone under the tree after school and work. It ranges from 9 pm to 12 midnight or full day on a weekend. Nobody questioned me for this change since there's none to care for me. I speak with Uma in my sub-conscious mind sitting there. She even helped me learn my subjects and guided me as a guardian angel.
Now as a manager of a private bank branch, I still visit the place after a hectic day. It is for this reason; I didn't want to see the tree coming down.
I met a famous lawyer Vasudeva Nair and with the help of some of the nearby college students, we started a small movement to prevent cutting the tree that's standing for years. We also filed public interest litigation against the cutting of the tree. We also received the support from certain NGOs. Everybody applauded me for my stand against the corporation, but I never spoke a word about my motive behind it, for I know they'll consider me mad.
(Days later)
Today is the judgement day of the suit we filed. I didn't go to the bank today and even didn't have the courage to go to the court for witnessing the court proceedings. Just then I heard the phone ringing.
"It's Mr. Vasudeva,” told my wife.
With prayers in my heart, I closed my eyes and lifted the handset, "Hello!!! Tell me Sir.”....
-Sudhin.
Jus' Married
Jus' Married
We became man and wife
on the day dedicated to fools by the English.
Her father's main intention
is to convert all of us from black to white.
Foul, cried his follies,
some simply out of compulsions.
Problems were raised from our corners
ever since our engagement.
Some of my cousins' wedding with her sisters
is still a story pending.
Even now my relatives consider her as a burden,
some don't know why...,
some see my dad-in-law as a loser.
Though I'm ignorant of the consequences,
I'm happy for her and this new venture.
Hope it turns out to be good for all.
I'm the good(s).
She's the VAT.
Catch you soon after the honeymoon.
-Sudhin.
Heads and Tails
May-17, 2004, Chennai, India
I have to go to work today. Why on earth do Sundays pass away very quickly? I peeped out through the window and saw a raven sitting on the tree next door. "One for Sorrow." was the thought that went inside my mind. We used to play this prank while at school. I started out for work in my Monday formals and it was not very far off when I stepped my leg on a hot bake of cow dung in the road. It was my brand new pair of shoes. Rushed back home, changed it and it was all jogging to the bus stand. I shouldn't miss the office bus at 7.30 am. But, I missed it by a few seconds. I caught a passing auto and got in at the next stop. Just as I was about to settle down, the driver gave a sudden halt and I landed on to the lap of a lady. The way she looked at me almost burned me to ashes.
"Sorry, that was because of the sudden break."
She didn't even have the courtesy to reply anything. I reached the office on time. I'm involved in a software development team for a major Retail firm in USA. There was a small issue in one of the modules we developed and the client has sent out his apprehensions over it. Finally the blame had come down on me and I was in consistent meetings with my leads. It was in one of the meeting at 11.00 am, my friend Vijayan, a stockbroker and my financial advisor, kept calling to my mobile. When my manager showed signs of irritation, I switched off my mobile. I had to skip my lunch that day for the issue and it was at 4.00 pm that things started settling out. I never had such a worst day at work. It was then I remembered that Vijayan had called me up.
"Hey Ajay, What were you doing?" was his voice in a hard tone
"Macha, big time meeting... Wazzzup?"
"It was a black Monday for market. Sensex crashed over 500 points."
Gosh, I had invested a good part of my earnings in the market on Vijayan's advice. My loss is estimated to be aroung one lakh. I felt too distressed and started off home. Amidst heavy traffic, I reached home at around 9pm and after a quick bath sat for the dinner.
"What’s this Shika? Salt, salt, salt in almost everything...."
"Ajay I'm sorry, I forgot to taste that..." was her reply.
"You'll keep on doing these mistakes."
I rose up and had some lassi and went to bed. Shika didn't speak a single word to me till then and in bed, she was lying facing the other side. I never had a bad day as today. "One for sorrow" turned out to be true. It was all shouting, scolding and swearing the whole day. I shouldn't have done these. The world was a mirror; it reflected the same way I looked upon it. I shouldn't have been rude to Shika either. We had a love marriage, both of us from entirely different family, cultural and religious background. I saw the scar in her forehead. It was the punishment she got from her father for our love. Both of our parents have disowned us since we became man and wife. I kissed on her forehead promising I'll never be rude to her and went to sleep. I also decided not to lose my temper henceforth.
May-18, 2004, Chennai, India
I walked in the roads very carefully and didn't have any problems till I reached my office. My clients have come back to us with an apology stating that our approach was indeed correct and there was oversight from their part. Had I been given an opportunity to think yesterday, I would've brought to everyone's notice yesterday. After a small meeting with my lead, I called up my friend Vijayan to buy some more shares to recover the loss I incurred yesterday. I know its a risk, but something in my mind wanted me to go for it.
I reached home a bit early. I also bought a new saree for Shika. Dal, rice, chappati and kheer all tasted too good today. At night in bed, she came near me took my hands and placed it on her and whispered, “Thanks a lot.”. I became the happiest person in the world when I came to know that I'm going to be a dad.
May - 19, 2005, Dallas, USA
I'm now here for the production support for the same project. Shika and my newborn Akaash are also with me. After Akaash was born, both of our parents reconciled with us. Some of the shares I bought doubled, some tripled and now all in green. Things were cool though some small issues used to crop in between. I started to handle things in a smooth way with no pushing down the stress to anyone else.
I understood that this journey is never a smooth sail. There would be a euphoria followed by a very bad phase. Every downhill would be followed by an uphill and so on.
Buzz Buzz goes my mobile. 10 new Mission Critical Blocking Defects are opened....
-Sudhin
Ultimate
I was moved by these lines – I got them as a forward.
You don’t love a girl
Because she is beautiful.
The girl looks beautiful
Because you love her.
My addition:
You don’t enjoy work
Because it is easy.
The work looks easy
Because you enjoy it.
Some more: (A remake of Superstar’s dialogue):
A girl who cribs about her husband
And a guy who cribs about his job
Never prospers…
-Sudhin
