It’s amazing the lengths some people would go to quit being a corporate slave just because they forget the password on their BlackBerry every two days.
“I think we should have another baby,” suggested mom one morning, twirling dad’s hair as he read the newspaper at the dining table.
Dad abruptly got up and locked himself in the bathroom for the rest of the day.
“I’m getting so fat sitting on my behind all day!” moaned mom one afternoon, reaching for a bag of potato chips from the pantry. “I wasn’t this heavy when I started working, blah, blah; I don’t have time to exercise, blah, blah; Let’s order in pizza, blah, blah, blah ….”
Dad discreetly turned up the volume on the television.
“Do you think I’m a bad mother?” started mom in the car one evening, where dad is forced to be a captive audience. “Maybe I should quit my job and stay home with the children, yadda, yadda; I’d die of boredom, but at least Terri will be happy, no? yadda, yadda, yadda … Hello! Are you even listening to me? nag, nag; I’m talking to you, nag, nag, nag ….”
Finally, mom received a response when she least expected it.
In between pressure cooker whistles one afternoon, while stirring a pot of sambhar with one hand and chopping garlic with the other, mom casually asked dad the following question as he wandered into the kitchen for a glass of water.
“Do you think we should move to India?”
Not really expecting a response, she poked her head into the refrigerator rummaging for a tomato half she had put away.
“OK.”
“Huh? Did you say something?” she asked, her head still in the refrigerator.
“OK,” said dad.
Mom turned to face him in disbelief.
“What? I said, ‘All right,’” he replied and walked away, a trace of irritation creeping into his voice at having to repeat himself.
It was at that moment that mom’s soul left her body and floated to cloud nine, where it currently resides.
This morning, mom turned in her two weeks notice at work.
The humans are homeward bound, to India!
Come summer, the already bursting-at-the-seams city of Chennai will have to make room for new denizens, one of whom is terrified of lizards, while the other is afraid of cockroaches. As part of the No Dog Left Behind program, the diverse duo and their family will be joined by a geriatric canine who intends to blog from his new digs.
Hey, Chennaiites, mujhse dosti karoge?
19 comments:
Welakum home...beleive you me.. its all worth it... take it from someone who came back in 1995
TM,
The move! I never ever knew about this inclination.
In general, I discourage ppl from going back, so that when I go back it will be less crowded:) In this case though, chennai could do with more humor:)
-Sachita
PS: Not a April 1 thingy, I hope.
hmm.. big news this one..
well the electrons seem to not mind and the world wide web is indeed world wide!
happy traveling!
the canine might help chase roaches and lizards for a pastime and all is well, neh?
:)
terri:
that's terrific, just dandy!
and i assume you'll reset your google clock next year, i.e., 1/4/2009 (mark that date, it is how 1st april is written in india).
uh oh! looks like sachita has beaten me to it!
- s.b.
SilentOne
Been reading your blog for a while, love you style of writing.
I think this is an April Fool's joke somehow.
Really? Wow! Not an april 1 story?
glad i came a day late here LOL :)
Welcome back, we say. Must meet when we are next in town.
Hi Terri's Mom,
Reading yr blog for some time and first time to comment. Yes, Ithink its an April fool day thingy. Mom wouldn't have the patience to keep this idea to herself for so long.
If not, Good luck,
Priti.
I'm the anon who commented on the last post abot going back to India, starting a family and home-business. I'm very happy for you. Now please don't say this is an April Fool's Day joke and break my heart.
Terri. Thats big news!
Here I was, happy at having found a new post of yours to read on. Didn't have a clue this was going to hit.
You know, there was this feeling of Terri's turf being just a few states away. Not that we would have ever met, but there was this desi-desi (for lack of better word) feeling in US of A land.
With that in my heart, I feel a little tug at this news.
Meaning to say, I will miss you. From what I don't know.
Let home welcome you all with warm embrace and love. Keep writing and Home ko mera salaam.
Hi!
Chanced upon your blog and it is hilarious..
I have a feeling I have met you (when you were a little pup)
And I hope this (your moving) is an april fools joke...
-Prita (just tell mom that I left a comment...:)
this is exactly how life decisions should be made, just like that, in one word, in the middle of cooking rice and sambhar :D
good luck to you guys! and look forward to your fresh perspective of chennai...
kodi's mom, but what about the endless discussions, the careful planning, the vacillation, asking the opinions of all and sundry? Oh, right, then you might never do it. It’s best to close your eyes and jump.
Prita, are you the same person who watched Mira Nair's Kamasutra with us?
upsi, thank you for your kind words. I know exactly what you mean. Even though we may never meet, as long as we keep blogging, there's a sense of virtual camaraderie that somehow dissolves distances.
anon, just do it.
Priti, mom is surprised at herself since she has a rather big mouth.
Sure, Sue. Let me learn how to drive first.
directhit, don't know what you mean, but thank you (I hope).
candy, I won't lie when you're in a delicate state.
silent one, I’m glad you broke your silence. Maybe I should just move to the U.K. - so many bloggers there who stop by.
s.b., I wonder how long it takes to start rewriting dates Indian style (Note to self - Subject for future post).
sundar, canine is only interested in cats. He considers all other lowly forms as god's creatures.
sachita, where/when do you plan to move?
vijay, we'll be practically neighbors.
Lol.. so mom's recent trip was effectively an advanced reconnaissance trip?
Awesome news :)
yes :)(sheepish grin) Thanks for outing me..
-prita
Wow: that's big news indeed!
Welcome home:)
anantha, it was an "Are you sure you want to do this?" trip. Places change a lot in four years, and not always for the better.
prita, what a coincidence! I found a picture of you last week as I was looking through some old photos and wondered where you are.
dipali, thank you. Maybe one day I'll even make it to Calcutta.
Congrats!
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