THE HAPPENING

This weekend was a result of lack of options. When the options before you seem bizarre and stale or not worth it you turn to your last resort and in my case it was visiting my Grandparents place. It’s a place called PANDALAM, usually pronounced by me as PAADALAM. Blame my utter nonsensical knowledge of the language or my lame tongue. Well continuing, it’s a place where my Lord AYYAPPAN was bought up. I have no clue where he was born. It’s the jungles nearby I suppose. Blame my eccentric knowledge about my religion. So the Lord was born (somewhere), was found by the king of PANDALAM and bought to his palace and was raised their. That’s the only reason I proudly tell people where my momma is from. The Palace with its THIRUVAABHARANAM (jewels and ornaments) kept and guarded safely within and the place where he learnt his archery and so it goes on. Pardon my ignorance. As a kid I was not much of a story listener nor did I ever like the subject History during my school times.

 Anyways this weekend was a total getaway but the starting was a little smudged. The usual 2 hours journey to the destination from Ernakulam is 2 hours max but due to the so called construction work going on it got stretched to a mighty 7 hour journey. The train was stinking and the water got over under mysterious circumstances (this is where I blame the Government). But to make my journey more entertaining or in other word hair pulling where the famous for their pervert thoughts the locals (Mind it!! IYAM AE MALAYALEE)

The worst part is where a woman is being teased by a man and no one will bother to help her out of the situation. But they are ready with their comments and lame jokes ones the situation has been dealt by her in her own way.

So I am busy listening to some music and gawking outside the window when this old man (old enough to be my grandfather’s father) comes and sits in front of me. He acts like he is looking outside but his tiny beady eyes are hooked on me. He is staring big time and not moving his eye even after I m showing a sign of disgust. Suddenly he points at the half empty lays packet beside me and I give a “protective about my chips” look. After about five minutes he wants to buy my sandal that too just one of them. What on earth does he need it for? The conversation goes like this

FRUSTRATED OLD JERK- Ennique oru cheripu vikkyuvo? (will u lemme buy one of your pair of sandal)

ME- Enthu (what?)

FRUSTRATED OLD JERK- Oru Cherippu (one sandal)

ME- Manasilla. Onnu enneechu pogumo ( I don’t feel like. Will u get up n leave)

That bloody mongrel winks and smiles and goes. The people who had been watching this noon show suddenly get the voices and say

MONGRELS- ENTHU PATTI. (what happened)

MACHO GUY NO 1- Was he teasing you?

ME- No..i guess he was probably drunk. He wanted my chips, my phone, my sandals.

MACHO GUY NO 2- you should have shared your chips

MOGRELS- HAHAHAHAH

MACHO GUY NO 1- If he wasn’t this old I would have beaten him

I rolled my eyes and continued with my music while these macho guys continued debating about the entertainment with their eyes glued on me. This is the situation mainly seen in Kerala. They have an opinion on everything but an action for nothing. Everything is news for them and a new topic. I was lucky that the journey ended within an hour of that happening.

But the weekend was a joyful one. Food so yumm that I could drown if I even think about it right now. Grandparents running around getting my wishes fulfilled. Early morning faint chants from the temple calming everything down. The green and misty land caressing every soul. A weekend well spent.