speaking Tamil

My daughter speaks Tamil!
Mummy what does mean for go? – போ
what does mean for draw? – வரை
Mummy what does mean for sorry? – மன்னிச்சிரு
மன்னிச்சிரு Mummy, I cannot போ to my bed because I am வரை my colouring picture!

Wall of shame – 1

Today I talked to a Tamil guy.  He started talking about a social get together then I mentioned that there is another such a get together group, and he replied that he is a member of that group as well. So we discussed about a few things. The discussion continued towards where I am staying currently and I had to mention about my family being in a different place. “So,  your husband looks after your kids?”. I said, “yes”. He gave a pause for a fraction of a minute, then turned around and started laughing! I was speechless at his behaviour. I said, “It was nice meeting you, bye” and moved away. He is an IT guy, well educated, working in the UK.

Now, he could behave like this because there is no any law against his behaviour. Is there any law against me putting his name up and shame him here? Until I know that, I am leaving it like this and hoping that him or his friend(s) read this post and feel ashamed of themselves.

Update:  Looks like this guy got some signal or he or his friends read this post or he didn’t think he should talk to a woman who makes her husband look after her children, he kept his head in a different direction when we had to travel in the same lift and cross each other at tea point. Amazing! I mean, amazing specimens indeed!

Don’t be nice to Desis

Warning: contains tamil script.

Day 1: 

I saw that Desi-like-looking guy walking towards me in the going-down-escalator. I panicked. I bent towards him.

“Do you know High gate (or sounding something similar)?”

“Sorry, no”. (looking at the tube map and directing him properly flashed in my head, but, there are staffs here and I should really stop being that friendly in London).

“Are you from Mauritius”?

I smiled. Ah. It is my tamil looks that is making him ask this question. May be he is trying to start a conversation. “No I am from India”.

“Which part of India?” (My guess is correct. he was looking for a reason to start a conversation. Did he have to walk against the escalator for that? how stupid. You got me scared, idiot.) I smiled.

“I am from Madras. The south. Where are you from?”

“I am from Gujarat”. (He looked more like a Punjabi or a UP guy). “Can I take you out for a drink”? (That was too fast. Do you think i am that available-looking? Sure I look tired.)

“ha. ha. errr.. no. thank you”.

“May be a coffee, what do you say?” (ah right. did you mean alcohol when you said “drink”? I thought it was coffee. And when I said no, you have concluded that I am not an alcohol drinker? And you did not think that I was saying no to you? )

“Emmm, It is flattering, I must admit, but no. thanks.”. I put my best lovely smile, no_soul_but_smile smile on my face and thought that, that should convey the message).

“why”? (what? my smile didn’t work?)

“I have to go home” (That damn smile again).

“Where do you work? here (referring to that station)”? (Hello, don’t you think this is getting too uncomfortable? Quick. how to get rid of this guy?)

“Emm, Not here, but, (what is wrong with this guy. should i stop talking? well, i don’t have to be that abrupt). ya, closeby”.. (started walking fast. that stupid smile is still on my face).

“What do you do” (I think I get you. You are one of those guys recruiting girls aren’t you. is my red tops giving such bad signals!. ughh!)

“emm, (what is the plan? why plan? let us see how it goes). I work in the council”.

“I work in Barclays bank. We lend loans to the council, yours” (nodding proudly). (Now the smile on my face has changed. It is still a smile, but, “you_poor_silly_idiot” smile).

“Yeah. Banks do that”. I nodded too.  another little smile. Walking fast.

“Listen. Shall I call you sometime?” (what! how? how are you going to know my contact details?)

“ahheeemmmmm,,, ya, why not” (Ok, bye bye smile).

“Can I have your number?” He has already taken his mobile and browsing through his address book to add my number to it! I am stunned.

“Emm, listen. I have to say I am very flattered. But, thank you very much. I have to go. OK. bye”.

“Why”? (what? Stupid. you are just not getting it, are you? You can’t recruit people by irritating them. You had a very bad training. haaaa. what should I reply? I chose to reply in a very normal way, as if I did not suspect anything at all. I just laughed sadly within myself, but..)

“Well, I am married for a starter”. Smiled as nicely as possible, considering.

“He doesn’t have to know” (Blimey!)

“I am not that kind”. (run_away_from_me_I_might_hit_you_any_minute_smile).

“If I give my phone number, will you call me?” (Bloody hell. That is what I call “confidence”. My eyes widened. I certainly have lost my smile).

haaa… “I wouldn’t”.

“why?” (This is what I call testing my patience).

“Listen. however flattering it was, I wouldn’t want your number. Get it? bye now”. (Little raised voice. that was the best I could come up with).

“OK. It was nice meeting you” (oh and hell with my manners. my hand extended automatically and shaked his hands)

and the automated “and You” from me (Oh please kill whosover got these things into my system)..

 

Day 2 Incident 1:

Very shy_looking_lost desi. “How do you how to get to…” “sorry I don’t know” just walked away.

Felt very guilty. May be this guy was not a bad guy. may be a genuine guy. he looks like very new here. he asked me only because i am a desi and he might have felt comfortable asking me. I shouldn’t have done this. The other guy was different.

 

Day 2 Incident 2:

I wanted water. Went to the shop around the corner in the underground.

“Are you from srilanka?”

“No I am from India.”

“Oh.  from which part?”

“Madras. I would like a vegetable samosa as well please”

“தமிழா” (Are you a Tamil)?.

“ஆமா. (yes)” His accent sounded Srilankan. I smiled, unsure of how to react.

“நீங்க இங்க வந்து ரெம்ப நாளாச்சா?” (Have you been living here for sometime?”

“ம்ம்ம், 10 வருஷமாச்சு. நீங்க? (It has been ten years. You?)”

“நான் போன வருசம்தான் வந்தேன். இங்க தனியா இருக்கீங்களா? என்ன பண்றீங்க? (I came just last year. Do you live alone? what you do here?)”

“I live with my husband”. (smile. the kind of smile I give when I want to say goodbye).

“எனக்கு இன்னும் கலயாணம் ஆகல. உங்களுக்கு பிள்ளைகள்லாம் இருக்கா? (I am still not married. Do you have children)”.

“இல்ல (No)”. (I am giving money and packing my commuter bag to run away from here)..

“எனக்கு கல்யாணத்துப் பார்த்துக்கிட்டிருக்காங்க. உங்களுக்குத் தெரிஞ்சவங்க  யாரவது  இருந்தா சொல்லுங்களேன் (My folks are looking for an alliance for me. Do you know anyone?)”.

(Mummy!!) “இல்ல எனக்கு யாரயும் தெரியாது. (No I don’t know anyone)” (Why on earth this fucking bag is giving me this much trouble. trying to dump everything in). 

“ஏன். பத்துவருசமா ஏன் குழந்த பெத்துக்கல (Why? why do you not have a child after ten years?”. (Mummy!!! Please someone save me here!!) 

“I have to go. Ok”. looking frieghtened.

“பத்து வருசம் கொஞ்சம் அதிகமா தெரியல உங்களுக்கு? எதும் பிரச்சினையா? ஏன் பெத்துக்காமா இருக்கீங்க? (Don’t you think ten years is little too long? is there any problem? Why are you not having child?” (I don’t beleive it!)

“Okeyyyy. Bye” (I don’t know how I did not cry).

“மறுபடியும் எப்ப வருவீங்க (When can I see you again)”? (What? ammmaaaaaaa….. run run run baby run).

 

Day 3

A woman looking something like indian. Could be spanish or Italian. Just met another similar looking (indian or Italian? kind of looking) lady in the previous train. she smiled and talked nice. Just a couple of sentences, but very friendly.

We were waiting for our train. Train arrived. I ran all over the place in the platform, selecting best coach to choose my seat. I came to a conclusion after some running and I boarded the train. What a surprise, this nice looking lady was entering just after me. We smiled at each other, what can I say, she came and sat just opposite to me. It was a four seat with a table at the middle. It was just two of us sitting opp to each other. She smiled. I smiled back.

“Oh I am so looking forward to the weekend” (I started the conversation).

“Me too. I work in the north and coming home for the weekend and….

The conversation lasted until we parted. very nice. She lives just close to where I live. She has come just last year. She is still trying to find her feet. She lives with her family, both are doctors and they have a son. I offered an invitation to my house, thinking that she might need a friend/help. She changed the subject, but continued to talk very friendly with me. I got the signal, and continued the friendly discussion. she told me all about her personal life, but chose to end the relationship there. I just chose to be a listener and smiled at her all the time and acted as if we have been friends for ever. When her stop (just one stop before mine) came, she said “bye. may be we will meet again”. I smiled again. When my stop came I rushed out of the train to get my car, go home and watch my movie Insomnia, which I had stopped half way through yesterday, as I was very tired and feeling sleepy.