Rambling

          I hadn’t thought talking would be so tiring for the listener. I felt that when we went to visit friends or relatives, its a compulsory thing that we had to talk, but if the visitor stays for the night, then what the protocol should be, its a bit confusing isn’t it? I do not know, for the past one week, I had this trend of overnight visiting relatives, big, small, young and old and luckily all in singles.

          Anyway my family members were all present to socialise with them, and as a mother I could socialise them with sumptuous food, which I love to do and escape the talking part. And I was struck by the topics, each and everyone covered. Usually old and very far away relatives had loads and loads to ask to update their relative bio-data of all they know and it actually tilted into the gossipy part which kind of interesting to the younger ones too. But what about the kids who come alone for holidays and is of opposite gender of my kids, they tend to seek my presence and if she is a very talkative child and non-confident personality? Well for me I felt I was jammed in a bee hive. Either I couldn’t understand or she was really frightened of me. Anyway, this experience sent me back to my school days, when I had only relatives to rely on for my holidays, as both my parents were out of station. At that time, most of the families I visited were living in a joint family system, where you could find hordes of family members, grand parents, uncles, aunties, their children, which comes to approximately 25 to 30 members. So it wasn’t much of a strain to talk to anyone. The question everyone asked me was, “Hey Meena, when did you arrive?” and I had to answer only that. I just could loose in this maze of family entanglements. And the area to play was vast and usually, there were no restrictions or constraints and we just enjoyed our holidays. But today I didn’t know, how to make a 12 year old comfortable and I really felt sad. Its not because we are not happy to have her, but I was lost for words and she had lots of things to say to close the gap of uncomfortability.

          When I heard her speak, I thought about the dilemma a priest had to face when he was caught by some evil people. They put him in a room with no windows. It was very difficult for the evil ones to know, whether the priest was there or not as he always sat there quietly and prayed, silently. So the evil leader asked him to say ‘Yes’, whenever they called him. And the priest did as they asked him. It continued for some days. The priest was a wizard, with his magic power, he made all the things in his room to answer yes one at a time and escaped from his prison. One by one the things started answering and the priest reached near the church and only 150 meters more left and at that time all the things finished replying and nothing was left to speak. Hearing no reply from the room, the evil people opened the doorand saw, that the priest had escaped. Luckily they were not able to catch him.

          Seeing his escape I thought, he might have run away from the evil people. But with my experience now I feel that the priest ran away not because of the ill treatment but because of that talking part. Just imagine, to talk without any rest. I really bow in front of the politicians, teachers, lawyers and all the professions who have to mingle with a lot of people. I know they have a topic to talk about, but still, how would they be returning home? I don’t dare think. I would rather immerse myself in a hot water bath and just press my mouth shut.

          Do you know, what I did to my young visitor, I gave her a variety of foods, so that she was forced to munch around and didn’t have to speak and if she had, she spoke about food as long as I had to reply Hmmm, thus making us both happy and comfortable in the safe topic starting from salt and ending in salt in the haven of my kitchen. Isn’t it cool? I’m just happy, that I made her happy, do you know why? Well before leaving she told me, aunty, this is the first time I had to eat such a variety of food in such a short time and I’m really glad I came, you are a real good cooker. Hi.. Hi..

          See you tomorrow.

Meena