Story so far: On my way to Chennai, I stop over in Kuala Lumpur and do all the touristy things; KL tower, Petronas, Bukit Bintang, Imbi Plaza and Masjid India. Read on… the adventure has just begun
Landed to 35 degrees in Chennai (and it was 8:30 PM). You see, I had not informed my folks I was arriving on the 6th. I had created a full-length drama to impress that I was arriving on the 8th. In fact even the phone call from KL was to prevent the disaster of my parents calling up my office and one of my fellow grad students blabbering that I had already left. Told scores of half-truths (I do not lie), claiming for instance that I will be roaming around all day and may not be at my desk to pick up their call, which was true, only that I was roaming in Kuala Lumpur and not in Canberra.
Already, to cushion the blow of my early arrival, I had forewarned them that a friend of mine was landing with some of my stuff (I had excess baggage) and though they didn’t have to go to the airport (stressed strongly), could they stay home and be ready to get it off her (she would drop it off and take a Volvo bus to Bangalore and she was taking the bus to B’lore because she didn’t get a flight that late in the night and she was flying to Chennai instead of B’lore direct because Malaysian Airlines to B’lore was costlier and unavailable, blah blah). There was also an ulterior motive. I wanted them home. Didn’t want to arrive to a locked house, you see. But mainly, I didn't want to give anyone a heart-attack.
Chennai Airport was just the same (was of the notion that it was now revamped to be of international standards. Hell! NO). Got down singing “Mera Desh ki dardi” to be greeted by a strong, pungent odour of phenyl. We like our airports to look and smell clean. Yeh! Took a prepaid Taxi and reached home to a dumbfounded family – my sister was halfway into her dinner and she was so stunned she forgot to eat; my mum n dad took it well (was afraid they were going to go ballistic). Only grievance they griped about (for the next 3 days) was that they had plans to welcome me in the airport (and that I took a prepaid taxi when my dad bought the car for the sole purpose of receiving me at the airport). Consoled them by offering to go to the airport on the 8th so that they could drive in their new car to re-receive me.
I am not the one to be satisfied by just ambushing my parents, am I? Certainly not! Next morning, just when I was hatching a plan to bamboozle (Wow! Feels so good to use the word bamboozle) my paati*, she arrived home and got mildly surprised (the problem with grandmas is that they are so senile they even forget to be surprised). Now that grandma was ruled out and given that my grandma has franchise to AP, Reuters, BBC, CNN, etc etc. I was forced to settle for less ‘bolts from the blue’. Poor Athai*, she became my bakra.
Our phone, dead when I arrived from Australia, became the phoenix and returned to life (a fact that wasn’t known to our relatives, esp Athai). I called my Athai and took my high-pitched ISD voice and informed her (read yelled) that I would arrive as planned on the 8th but my flight was arriving an hour early. Implored her to immediately inform my parents (by ringing their mobile) and tell them that I have been trying to get in touch with them. Overenthused, my Athai rang my dad in his office to break the good news. My dad, being my dad, played along and told her he was delighted to know that and begged her to call my mom as well.
My mom, who was visiting a friend, also received a call right away with the flight information. Though a bit confused as to why Athai was calling her to update on my itinerary when I was sitting home watching TV, my mom had the presence of mind to thank her and not let the cat out of the bag. And I would have got away with it but for a chance phone call from my periamma* which I had to pick (no one else at home). My periamma who is head of all AP, Reuters franchisees immediately called Athai to announce my arrival adding to much confusion and later confession.
Thus began my holiday in Chennai. Well! I admit there were no whales-mistaken-for-islands or pythons that guard treasures in my adventure… but it was an adventure nevertheless. And it isn't quite over. Yet.
* paati - grandma
Landed to 35 degrees in Chennai (and it was 8:30 PM). You see, I had not informed my folks I was arriving on the 6th. I had created a full-length drama to impress that I was arriving on the 8th. In fact even the phone call from KL was to prevent the disaster of my parents calling up my office and one of my fellow grad students blabbering that I had already left. Told scores of half-truths (I do not lie), claiming for instance that I will be roaming around all day and may not be at my desk to pick up their call, which was true, only that I was roaming in Kuala Lumpur and not in Canberra.
Already, to cushion the blow of my early arrival, I had forewarned them that a friend of mine was landing with some of my stuff (I had excess baggage) and though they didn’t have to go to the airport (stressed strongly), could they stay home and be ready to get it off her (she would drop it off and take a Volvo bus to Bangalore and she was taking the bus to B’lore because she didn’t get a flight that late in the night and she was flying to Chennai instead of B’lore direct because Malaysian Airlines to B’lore was costlier and unavailable, blah blah). There was also an ulterior motive. I wanted them home. Didn’t want to arrive to a locked house, you see. But mainly, I didn't want to give anyone a heart-attack.
Chennai Airport was just the same (was of the notion that it was now revamped to be of international standards. Hell! NO). Got down singing “Mera Desh ki dardi” to be greeted by a strong, pungent odour of phenyl. We like our airports to look and smell clean. Yeh! Took a prepaid Taxi and reached home to a dumbfounded family – my sister was halfway into her dinner and she was so stunned she forgot to eat; my mum n dad took it well (was afraid they were going to go ballistic). Only grievance they griped about (for the next 3 days) was that they had plans to welcome me in the airport (and that I took a prepaid taxi when my dad bought the car for the sole purpose of receiving me at the airport). Consoled them by offering to go to the airport on the 8th so that they could drive in their new car to re-receive me.
I am not the one to be satisfied by just ambushing my parents, am I? Certainly not! Next morning, just when I was hatching a plan to bamboozle (Wow! Feels so good to use the word bamboozle) my paati*, she arrived home and got mildly surprised (the problem with grandmas is that they are so senile they even forget to be surprised). Now that grandma was ruled out and given that my grandma has franchise to AP, Reuters, BBC, CNN, etc etc. I was forced to settle for less ‘bolts from the blue’. Poor Athai*, she became my bakra.
Our phone, dead when I arrived from Australia, became the phoenix and returned to life (a fact that wasn’t known to our relatives, esp Athai). I called my Athai and took my high-pitched ISD voice and informed her (read yelled) that I would arrive as planned on the 8th but my flight was arriving an hour early. Implored her to immediately inform my parents (by ringing their mobile) and tell them that I have been trying to get in touch with them. Overenthused, my Athai rang my dad in his office to break the good news. My dad, being my dad, played along and told her he was delighted to know that and begged her to call my mom as well.
My mom, who was visiting a friend, also received a call right away with the flight information. Though a bit confused as to why Athai was calling her to update on my itinerary when I was sitting home watching TV, my mom had the presence of mind to thank her and not let the cat out of the bag. And I would have got away with it but for a chance phone call from my periamma* which I had to pick (no one else at home). My periamma who is head of all AP, Reuters franchisees immediately called Athai to announce my arrival adding to much confusion and later confession.
Thus began my holiday in Chennai. Well! I admit there were no whales-mistaken-for-islands or pythons that guard treasures in my adventure… but it was an adventure nevertheless. And it isn't quite over. Yet.
* paati - grandma
athai-aunt
periamma- literally, big mother. wife of big-father / elder sister of mother
periamma- literally, big mother. wife of big-father / elder sister of mother
3 comments:
Good story :)
geez! thanks. good to hear from u.
Nice one da... but you know what, considering the number of stories of students abroad paying surprise visits, parents have begun to expect this!
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