* (yes, go down and find it)
Now, a few days ago, I had the pleasure of walking around my current part of town to visit old friends and neighbours*. It was invitation time, and personal delivery was felt to be the most thoughtful way to go about it. Hence, come sunset, witness me trudging along towards old haunts.
I visited five residences in two hours, in itself a feat, and then proceeded to do my duty in each one. I explained in detail the current situation of my studies, my mother's work, my sister's practice for the recital, the trials of arranging an arangetram; the traffic, the roads, the weather.
I then proceeded to partake of the food on offer (at every house, o' the horror. tea, biscuits, juice, bananas**) depending on whether my audience
a. possessed a son in foreign lands (two families)
b. contained elderly members (three families)
c. rejoiced in new arrivals (one family - and that kid is adorable)
d. had just had spats with neighbours over street dogs (one family) or
e. had just returned from holiday (one family).
I also smilingly denied the first reaction to the invitation at every single place of visit.***
Then I discovered, to the accompaniment of indescribable feelings, that I was, in fact, enjoying it all. And hence found myself face to face with a startling and disturbing thought. I am not my mother. I am my ancestors!
bugrit.
* Ah, more remniscence of Jo March.
P.S. This particular footnote wasn't really necessary; I just wanted a new meme to adopt (Plus it's a nice alternative to those parentheses. Also, it has shades of Terry, and you know that's all I need.**)
** Well, some of you know; ekcetera, ekcetera, bugrit.***
*** And here's where you return to the singly asterisked sentence. viz, the title.
* Damn. Necessary, this one. See, once upon a time, we lived in a particular locality (for four years), then moved elsewhere (for three), and then moved back within walking distance of the first (three years ago). Which naturally explains why I hadn't seen any of my erstwhile neighbours in six years.
** That was at my music teachers'. Two smart, funny, energetic cricket-loving delightful old ladies in a little house. More people like that, please.
*** "Oh, you're getting married, ah? Never told us! ahahahaha." (phe.)
Now, a few days ago, I had the pleasure of walking around my current part of town to visit old friends and neighbours*. It was invitation time, and personal delivery was felt to be the most thoughtful way to go about it. Hence, come sunset, witness me trudging along towards old haunts.
I visited five residences in two hours, in itself a feat, and then proceeded to do my duty in each one. I explained in detail the current situation of my studies, my mother's work, my sister's practice for the recital, the trials of arranging an arangetram; the traffic, the roads, the weather.
I then proceeded to partake of the food on offer (at every house, o' the horror. tea, biscuits, juice, bananas**) depending on whether my audience
a. possessed a son in foreign lands (two families)
b. contained elderly members (three families)
c. rejoiced in new arrivals (one family - and that kid is adorable)
d. had just had spats with neighbours over street dogs (one family) or
e. had just returned from holiday (one family).
I also smilingly denied the first reaction to the invitation at every single place of visit.***
Then I discovered, to the accompaniment of indescribable feelings, that I was, in fact, enjoying it all. And hence found myself face to face with a startling and disturbing thought. I am not my mother. I am my ancestors!
bugrit.
* Ah, more remniscence of Jo March.
P.S. This particular footnote wasn't really necessary; I just wanted a new meme to adopt (Plus it's a nice alternative to those parentheses. Also, it has shades of Terry, and you know that's all I need.**)
** Well, some of you know; ekcetera, ekcetera, bugrit.***
*** And here's where you return to the singly asterisked sentence. viz, the title.
* Damn. Necessary, this one. See, once upon a time, we lived in a particular locality (for four years), then moved elsewhere (for three), and then moved back within walking distance of the first (three years ago). Which naturally explains why I hadn't seen any of my erstwhile neighbours in six years.
** That was at my music teachers'. Two smart, funny, energetic cricket-loving delightful old ladies in a little house. More people like that, please.
*** "Oh, you're getting married, ah? Never told us! ahahahaha." (phe.)
No comments:
Post a Comment