INSIDE PICTURES...

That morning was just like any other morning for everyone. No natural calamities had struck. No man-made disasters had occurred  But for me it was the day i got to see the pictures of my insides. Some call it ENDOSCOPY, I prefer using the phrase 'clicking pictures of my insides'(make it sound lighter and less scarier). 
The day started with me doing 3 of the most difficult things for me..going without food, water and morning coffee!!...Imagine having to survive on just your saliva for half a day...sounds terrifying!!..
Anyways, I got dressed and jumped into the car just to get over with it as early as possible. Just then the radio station decided to mock me by playing the song 'chembavul' which narrates all the tasty food you can imagine ranging from mangoes to payasam (kheer). Ironical..you know? 
After getting the endoscopy done (puked a hell lot!!) i was craning my neck to see the pictures of my stomach while the doctor acquitted my stomach of all charges. And i hurried home eager to eat something!..

MARRI- 'AGE'

I was trudging along mavoor road, a city hub of calicut, making my way through faceless crowds. I was tired after after a long day... i stood leaning on a pillar when an old woman of about 60 years of age came and asked me which bus i was waiting for. I, as an unsuspecting person told her my destination and she smiled and said she too was headed for the same direction......i nodded my head and smiled politely.But alas! being polite turned out to be quite a crime as you may find out later.....

Ok....so once she got my green signal (my smile) she started.... i wont call it talking....it was really jabbering.... she told me her hand was paining for two months. I kept on nodding my head at the indistinct and unrelated things she was narrating.

The bus arrived as a relief and i hurried to get on it.. but unfortunately i found a seat next to ms.chatterbox

again.!..."ah molo? mokethra vayasayi"? I was totally taken by surprise. "17" i muttered..(it happened in 2011)."oh so you are planning to marry at 23 or 25?" I was flabbergasted at first....but more than that irritated ....I said (still politely)

"haven't though about it yet aunty" she said something inaudible and incoherent "But you have to do it by 25 at least" I decided to play along..."not before 25" I replied...which was accidentally the exact age of her niece when she got married and which according to her is LATE.....real late...

After blabbering more on the topic of late marriage she blurted "so you are'nt allowed to wear ornaments?"

I said "i dont like to wear it".....it triggered her into her rich childhood with chains and bangles and poverty stricken friends who envied her to the now pension recepient friends and an envious her....

I asked her about her family.... she had a son ..a prodigal one....forced to travel in bus .....and their flat rent was 3000 per month and she hated mostly everyone...

I could see the tragedy of life behind her vigorous dislike and sense the bitterness in her voice....

I said goodbye to her and walked home .....  I stopped in my tracks...

I had forgotten to ask her at what age she got married!!!..

(P.S. dedicated to my cousin whom i hope gets married soon...;) )