On a recent visit to pay his respects to my badey bhaisaheb, s.b., everybody’s favorite commenter, clicked the following photograph in my honor.
Shame on my humans who’ve driven past this very retail strip so many times, yet never bothered to stop to take a picture.
Mom even went to Wal-Mart Supercenter the night before they were scheduled to fly out to Chennai. Her cell phone rang while she was picking children’s underwear and a couple of pillow protectors for grandma.
“Amma, where are you? We’re hungry!”
With one car between the humans and no food in the house, mom made a pit stop at Taco Bell on the way home and ordered the usual – 7-Layer Burritos and Mexican pizza with no meat.
“NO MEAT!” she hollered into the microphone, before pulling up to the second window to pay and to the third window to collect her food. Not trusting the serving staff at a beef behemoth, she swung her car into an empty parking spot and thrust her nose into the pizza to make sure it contained only beans.
By the time she drove home, the family was ravenous and grumpy.
“I don’t like green stuff in my food. This is too yucky, I want rasam,” chorused the kids, before they were satiated with bribes of “I’ll buy you candy at the airport,” and sent to bed.
When dad’s alarm rang at 4 the next morning, he found a bright-eyed mom hovering by the neatly packed suitcases lined up beside the front door.
“Didn’t you sleep all night?” he asked, noticing the clean kitchen countertops and the sparkling floors. “You didn’t have to clean everything.”
“I was spending time with my home before we left,” replied mom softly, turning away before dad could see the tears in her eyes.
It seems those NRIs who moved before us were right after all ... the only thing missing in your new life is your old home.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
A trip down memory lane
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15 comments:
terri:
'they were satiated with bribes of “I’ll buy you candy at the airport,” and sent to bed.'
isn't it funny how a promise of candy is the buzzphrase that opens kids' mouths? v.b. used that trick, like, once per mealtime during our trip (exclusively for our little diva)! taco bell is another phrase that works (but chalupas are the favourites).
it was nice to see the photo show up - thanks!
- s.b.
..and theres a "Anna's linen as well"... (now that you are in Chennai and everything is named after Anna...)
s.b., thanks for the memories!
So far, the kids have declared that Pizza Hut fare tastes a lot nicer here for some reason. Nobody's mentioned Taco Bell yet, and I doubt they ever will. Certain things will not be missed.
vijay, now that you mention it, I'd better start correcting the way the kids pronounce Anna here.
Talking about the way Anna is pronounced, years ago I had to go to the 'unaccompanied' baggage section to collect a suitcase, and my lovely sister responded by saying loudly, wow UK la kooda Anna company irukkaa? :)
At least you've won't have to holler "no meat" so often any more.
I can understand that feeling about your old home. But give it 6 months and you will have 'settled'. And I too believe that pizza hut/dominos tastes better there. Have the kids tried the MC-aloo yet?
Mom, has Terri made and desi mongrel or pedigreed pals yet?
Deepa
terri:
the kids' preference for desi pizza must be the result of the 100% vegetarian composition of the desi cheese. paneer pizza might be a reason too! (yum yum)
deepa:
i thought mom has ensured that terri can touch no dog (either the he or she kind) with a 10-foot pole (or however long that stick is that she carries with her).
- s.b.
Aww Terri.
Home takes time, even to become home again......
All the best.
dipali, thanks. Does this mean I'll eventually get used to the house lizards and start calling them "my pets"?
s.b., not sure what it is. We tried Subway yesterday, and I have to report that Subway tastes awful in any country. Paneer tikka sub only sounds good on paper.
deepa, we're busy trying to make human friends for now. The house dogs are more vicious here because they're constantly tied up. Breaks my heart.
muni, Chennai has a Mc? We'll try it as soon as we get sick of dosas and Hakka noodles.
mg, such a relief! But the choices are so vast now that it takes a long time to order food.
wa, puriyavillai. Explain maadi.
How are Anu and Kuki handling the adventures at school?
They do have companies that do pest control in India now.
-Sachita
Oh, mom. I understand, having been thru a move in the past few days meself.
No updates for while now? No broadband connection in your new home yet?
Look forward to your next post!
- Shree
i still dream of my old home....the day we were leaving, i couldn't sleep either. was wandering around the house photographing each room.
Please tell me you guys tasted 'Chipotle' before you left the US?
chakli, we did go to Chipotle a few times, but never took to it.
Shree, broadband is available, only time isn't.
muser, you had to pick now to move? With a newborn?!!
sachita, I hear lots of complaints about homework from the older one. His backpack is so heavy that I sprained myself while lifting it.
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