What can, must?

The car snakes its way
Along the concrete jungle
Black roads hardly visible

Like a new bride's sharp tongue
Like an occupied child's call of nature
Like a virgin boy's first time

Moving along and stopping
As if wondering
"Should I really, now?"

Then thinking of the fire within,
"Yes, or I might just implode."
The car moves along.

How about this weekend?

Emotions, feelings, relationships
All adjourned to the nearest weekend
The injustice of the corporate world!

The Other "The"

Whenever I think of my friends, I consider myself lucky--I (think) I have a good mix--and the best part is that they are of all ages.
But age has a unique way of letting itself known. We'd started a book club in our office, and my older friend suggested the book, "The Kite Runner." I have to shamelessly admit that I am yet to read the book--too much war in the news sort of puts you off reading about it!
In any case, in summarizing the book, my good friend said it was about two boys in Afghanistan during and after the war.
I thought I got what the book was about, but when I peeked in, I realized that "THE WAR" meant the Russian occupation!
I'm sure the rest of the club members wouldn't have thought that "the war" was not the U.S. invasion (is it okay to call it that?) but the Soviet one!

Powerless!

What's with this hypocrisy?
While the state's reeling under a severe power crisis, MK lights up his events--no, not by his presence, but literally!
MK asks business establishments to minimize the use of power and what I do I see the day before yesterday near Anna University?
A function where MK inaugurated 6 new engineering colleges was announced by so many lights that it seemed like Diwali. And tubelights announced MK's arrival all along the main Anna University Road (S.P. Road, isn't it?)
Why, so that people can see where the main road is? It's well lit already, thank you very much! And tons of serial bulbs in the shape of the rising sun--why, why, why?

Of course, they are not the only culprits--I see temples lighting up the Chennai skyline with bulb-portraits of various gods and goddesses--not a good idea when people are facing a 4-hour power cut in the suburbs--where is our sense of propreity?

Oh well, that's my soapbox for the day. I so wish I had a camera phone so this piece would make more sense. I bet wouldn't have had to write anything! Guess I've to keep up with the Moorthys after all :)

What's in a Name?

I think I’m done with the whole dog thing. The novelty has sort of worn off, and so has my patience with his biting! He’s sort of become one more of those things we live with, with mixed feelings—like the Chennai weather, traffic, and the Indian team.

Just passing through some ridiculously-named businesses the other day, and I seemed to have a list of those. I promise pictures soon!

I actually got thinking of this when I saw the word “More” splashed across all the stores I knew by the name “Trinethra.” Now, for those who don’t know the language, “More” means “buttermilk” in Tamil. I thought of about a hundred jokes that people probably make when they see the board—I wouldn’t be surprised if someone actually thinks it’s a store selling buttermilk, or a free buttermilk booth!

And then there’s the three-wheeler by Piaggio, Àpe. It has an accent, like so many of us, but in this largely English-speaking world, would antennas not have gone up, that it means “monkey”?
And as for Tamil, don’t even try. Tamil slang “aapu,” pronounced very much like the name of the vehicle, actually means, “failure.” Good name for a vehicle model, eh?

Moon White Dry Cleaners: Now, they can’t possibly be that clean if their target is the moon’s colour, can they?

Next Asset Furniture: Their tag line? Compromise With Our Furniture! Hmm… maybe I’m not worth much more. Sniff, sniff!

Identity Crisis!

I’m slowly getting used to sleeping with a dog let loose near my bed.
But enough about me—I think Bruce must be undergoing a severe identity crisis now. We call him by various names, and V. thinks that calling his name in baby-ese will somehow endear him—so he calls him “Bloosie,” “Bloosh,” “Blues Clues” (a very famous kids’ show, in my ever-expanding “useless pieces on information” folder) and anything weird that starts with a “B” sound.

Not to be outdone, I have christened him something ever further from his real name—Ambuli. Don’t ask me why—I just blurted it out one day, and it seems to have stuck. What’s more, my parents-in-law have taken to the name too. Of course, there’s the usual derivatives of Ambuli—Ambuja, Ambuls, Bulls, Ambu, Jambu, et al.

My f-i-l has somehow seen his grandson in Bruce. So he calls him Govind Bhashyam! Hopefully, that won’t stick—can’t imagine the kid (they live in the U.S.) coming home to see a dog with his name!

And here we are, complaining that he doesn’t listen to us—he might, if we settle on a name for him!

Bruce Almighty!

Seriously, if it's like this for a dog, I wouldn't mind living a dog's life at all!

• So, Bruce (the name is set now) is so used to the AC, that my usually hesitant father-in-law keeps the AC running longer than usual in the afternoon and at night.
• V. cleans his susoo and poo-poo without even wincing, while he'd make all sorts of excuses to avoid cleaning the bathroom at home.
• And of course, my ma-in-law, who is a total cleanliness freak, doesn't crane her neck at an angle to spot any dirt or dust on the floor.
• Also, usually reticent people come over and talk to us during those rare moments B. does decide to take a walk.
• I voluntarily take my tea with me when I walk him; earlier, I would throw tantrums when anyone so much as spoke to me during my sacred tea-time.
  
  Oh, and here's the funniest thing: V. tells B., who thinks it's the ultimate torture to leave the comfort of the AC room, except to eat, "If you only eat and sleep like this without any exercise, you'll become fat and bulky. It's not healthy, lazybones!"
  
  Hahahahaha!