Hometown Tales..!!

I have this habit of checking out the time whenever I start writing a post. Reason? Don’t ask. Most things I do will not have reasons. Ok, the point is, right now, as I start writing this, my watch shows, an Indian mathematician’s swear word- 4:20. Ok, now that this post has begun in such a terrible way, it can’t get worse. So don’t worry. ;)

It was 4 days ago, my right thigh itched and hence I dug my vibrating phone from my pant’s pocket. A message from Airtel said- ‘Welcome to Andhra Pradesh. We wish you a pleasant stay’. A pleasant stay was exactly what I was expecting as I was heading to my hometown (rather, my grand parents’ hometown). Airtel, though the message was heart-melting, I knew it actually conveyed something like- “ You will be charged for incoming calls now, you stupid.” Like an enlightened man, I made up my mind that I shouldn’t pick calls from unknown numbers. Three cheers to Mr. Co-Incidence, my phone started ringing flashing an unknown number. Since I am ‘ME’, I picked it- “Hello.”

“Hello Sir, Good Morning, I’m calling from Airtel.” A cute voice of an young girl from the other side said.

“Good Morning. Tell me.”

“Had your breakfast, Sir?”
I was about to ask her if she was single. I mean, man, How Caring!

“Nope. Tell me what.”

“Sir, you have an amazing offer to convert your sim to post-paid.”

“No. Thank You.” damn.. One call wasted.

We entered the small town, called ‘Madanapalle’ known as – ‘The Tomato Town’. A town where all the heroes would be walking right-royally in the centre of the road and when you ‘horn’, you’d be greeted with evil looks, as if their eyes had the capacity to launch fire balls. Anyway, we finally arrived at my relative’s place where we were welcomed warmly. I don’t know if I should actually use the expression- warm. Why would I prefer a warm welcome in such a warm place?


(Picture changed..... Over a suggestion by my dear friend, Sunil. :) )

After the 4 hour long journey, I had to make a trip to the white-house. If you are new to my blog, well, guess what is a ‘white-house’. They have this attached toilet in one of the rooms. I wonder if that is where the concept of Attached toilets originated. I mean, it is so small that, once you enter in, you would get attached. Anyway, after all the freshening-up, it was time for lunch. My plate arrived, and I could hardly see the metal below. It was that full.
“Aunty, I can’t eat this much, please take away some.”

“Eat.”

“See my size already. Please.”

“Eat.”

“I can’t eat this much.”

“Eat.”

“Puuleeaaaseeeeeee..”

“Eat” damn… damn

After the Eating Dhamaka ended, by evening it was time to attend a marriage-reception. All my relatives were present. Everytime they’d see me, they would perform the ‘question-mark’ dance, as I call it. They would make a wavy movement of their head as if like drawing a question mark, which would mean- “ How are you and your family back home?” for which my reply would be an ‘S’ dance. First half of the ‘S’ would indicate- “Yeah, me and my family are doing good.” And the second half of the ‘S’ would enquire- “How are you and your family by the way?” Next, we would settle the matter with a mutual smile. The exercise continues throughout the evening though.

Oh sorry, I forgot to tell you about the most interesting part of the people there- GOSSIP. You go to A’s place. A says- “ C is such an idiot. How dare she did that to me?” and you would be like- “ Yeah. Right.”
Then you go to C’s place and C would be like- “ A is such a bitch. She’s shameless.” And you’ll be like – “Oh yeah. Exactly.”
6 months later, A and C would be the greatest of friends, and You’d have been named as B & would be the idiot for nosing in between A and C.

Anyway, I can go on and on writing this, but now I see this post has dragged a bit too long. So, I’ll continue maybe next time. Anyone willing to do a study on the above mentioned characteristics, you are welcome to my home-town. Pregnant ladies, please stay away. A combination of those ‘front-engine auto rickshaws’ and those ‘roads’ is the last thing I would want to see you in.

By the way, the next evening as we were leaving, I got another call, an unknown number again. I picked- “Hello.”

“Hello Sir, Good Evening, I’m calling from airtel.” The same cute voice I think.

“ Good Evening. Tell me.”

“How was your day, Sir?”

Ahaa…… Man, I’m single too. ;)