Amma in America

My parents were here in US for 3 weeks or so, and we had a wonderful time together. Amma never cracks any jokes intentionally , but her innocent comments would keep us smiling any day.

“Why do  people need a shop just for nails – oru hardware kada pore?” , “Do they really sell diamond nails in this country?”

**

“Hilary aalororu midukkiya. Nammal varthanum kettirunnu pokum. Billum kollam. Pakshe Chelsea – aval kandal athra pora… Avalde kalyanam eyide kazhinjille??”

Listening to her chatting away, one would think the Clintons are our family friends.

**

While showing her the states on US map – “Oh Michigan..Athu nammude Michellinte naadano??”

Michelle again is ofcouse her dearest friend , the first lady, Michelle Obama.

**

“Aaa pichakaarane nokkkuu – enthoru smartness…” pointing at a haggard homeless dude under a bridge.

**

“Sasha, today we went for a walk on Rockwood Bollywood” she chirps away to my sister

“Rockwood Bollywood???” asks a confused Sasha.

And for the umpteenth time I correct her “Amma, it’s not bollywood, it’s boulevard!”

**

We were dining out one day. The server brings Amma her drink in a dark purple cup. “I’d never order tea in America. This is the worst tea I've ever had - tastes like hot water.”, she says. I take a sip, and sure enough it did taste like lukewarm water.

Amma of course, had the teabag still untouched on her table.

**

We were going for as walk and Amma abruptly stops in front of a house and asks me, “Is that a helicopter?”

 It was a boat.

**

Amma is quite used to reverting to  English when she wants to say something that she doesn’t want Sulochana chechi our household help to hear , for instance financial stuff or sometimes a critique “ I wish the she’d clean the window sills” etc. She sticked to same practice during her short stay here.

A lady is taking a stroll at the park carrying a baby. Amma who was speaking in Malayalam all that while switches to English and says “She looks rather old to be the little boy’s mother..I bet its her grandson.” Thankfully the lady didn’t hear her.

This happened again a few days later when we were in a restaurant . Eyeing on a particularly rotund female seated adjacent to us, she insists it’s a guy. When we do not agree, Amma adamantly says, switching to English,“Molly, look carefully..Don’t you see the moustache?”

**
A sudden gust of wind blows her shawl away, and she asks playfully, "Molly, Is this a Toronto?"

**

Annie on my mind

It's raining, Annie...

So goes the opening line of a tender, bittersweet love story.

'Annie on my mind' by Nancy Garden is an intriguing tale of two young women who fall in love with each other. Liza Winthrop, a seventeen year old and wanna be architect meets Annie Kenyon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY and their lives change for ever. In this compelling story Garden's life like characters succeed in reaching out to the readers - one could perceive their initial apprehension and confusion , their anger and helplessness and more than everything the magic of their innocent love.


There would be many books for teenagers on homosexuality, but AOMM is one what tells you what it truly feels like. Garden has a clear message - gay folks are just like you or me. They aren't sick or immoral, they fall in love just like straight folks and it's cruel to make fun of them or victimize them or exclude them.

Right after I completed AOMM, I came across the news on the Indian minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who derided homosexuality as an unnatural disease. Shame on you Mr Azad... For crying out loud, you are the health minister - I say it again the HEALTH minister of India. I could only hope that you change your appalling and grossly unscientific views and apologize to the LGBT community. My LGBT friends, forgive him for this man has no clue of what he's saying. This mist of bitterness and revulsion that enshrouds you is going to dissipate soon as more and more straight folks open up their minds and finally start thinking straight.