Embarassments and goof-ups make for interesting anecdotes and some of the best laugh-worthy moments. Laughter that periodically punctuates a good conversation detailing one's own or better still - someone else's slip ups - some of the best times in life! These moments positively beat the contrived, compressed humor of movies based on mistaken identities, overly exaggerated circumstances trying very hard to whip up a comedy of errors.
Like this one time when : my sister,Vidya who lives in Santa Rosa does all her Indian grocery shopping everytime she comes down to the Bay area. If she knows someone from here is visiting her, she usually gives them a shopping list of things she needs. One time, when a relative of ours, who we call 'kanna anna' was going to visit Santa Rosa, she wanted to send him an email asking him to fetch a few things for her. Kanna anna's actual name is Gopal. My sister who did not know his email id very confidently emailed a list to gopal@XYZ.com ( he worked for XYZ company). Needless to say, it reached the wrong Mr.Gopal in Seattle. Her email said - kanna anna, please bring me the following items from the Indian store......
The reply came in a few minutes - " Dear Vidya, I'd love to bring these things for you, but I am sorry, I do not know where you live and I am not your kanna anna".
The best part is, after seeing this email, my sister writes again - 'C'mon kanna anna, please don't joke. I really need these things, so please bring them ...blah! blah!
A phone convo later in the day with the real kanna anna cleared the confusion and resulted in a great deal of embarassment to my sister and some laughs for all of us.
Another total sardarji joke moment - My mother took my sister and me to have us start carnatic music classes with an elderly lady. When we reached the gate of their house, which was big and posh, my mother asked me to wait before entering. She wanted me to enquire if they had a dog that we should be wary about,(we are all a little fond of and equally scared of dogs) even though there was no 'Beware of dog' sign that most dog owners display. There was a garage at the end of the drive way which was open and inside a lady was teaching a few children - looked like tutorials to us. I opened my mouth and said something that caused everyone to stare at me in shocked disbelief, followed by some giggles and laughs, and my mom gave me a gentle slap on my back! I myself could not believe I had said "Excuse me, nimma manelli aane idiya?" - Do you have an elephant in your house - instead of "nimma manelli naayi idiya?" - Is there a dog in your house? I have been quoted for this one and it has caused some big outbursts of laughs on different occasions, but till today I cannot figure out what made me blurt out something like that!
I'll recount a few more in subsequent articles! why don't you share some of your comic moments ?
Kindness in the most unusual forms
It was the first day of our three day trip to Seattle. Despite its weather and all the bad rep the city gets because of it, I've always liked Seattle on each of my visits. May be it's the verdant setting, the ubiquitous lakes or simply the good time I'd had there with family and our friends, Seattle is a little dear to me.
On this particular day, the four of us - myself, husband, daughter and my youunger sister drove to Snoqualmie falls after a nice sumptuous lunch. My sister had recently had an ankle fracture, her left foot was still in a cast and she walked using crutches. We enjoyed the view of the falls, at a distance, from the lookout. We took some pictures and as we were walking back toward the parkling lot, we saw a sign that read ' river trail, 1 mi'. I was tempted and asked my sister if she thought she could make it. The folks walking back after the hike raved about the spectacular view of the falls from down there and said it was really a short, easy hike. So, I coaxed DH and DS ( dear sister) to go on the trail with me. It was ridiculous and insane of me to do that. The hike was steadily downhill which meant we would have a difficult ascent on the way back. After every 5 minutes, people returning told us we were very close to it and that it was worth the trouble. But obviously, some of them were wrong, it did take us a good 25-30 minutes to get down there. When we were almost there, we saw a parking lot down there to our right. It immediately gave us a sense of hope that if one of us could drive the car down from the upper level parking lot, to this lot, it'd mean escaping the almost impossible climb with our toddler and my sister limping with her crutches.
We had to walk over a narrow wooden bridge to reach the deck, from where there was an indeed breathtaking view of the falls. After some mandatory 'click click' we managed to walk back to the parking lot we'd spotted on our way down. My husband enquired with a couple of people there and learnt the upper leve parking lot was only five minutes drive away. He asked me to wait there with DD and DS while he walked up and drove back to pick us up. It was barely 2-3 minutes since he'd left that a downpour started. I saw DH running back toward us. The rain forced us under a tree and we quickly decided asking for help was the only way to go.
DH first asked the driver of a silver Hyundai if they had room for one person. They didn't, there were 3 adults and two kids in their child seats. We then spotted a desi family loading up into their green SUV. As DH went up to them to explain the situation, I suddenly turned my head to see the silver Hyundai do a full speed reverse, a lady from the back seat got out and sat on the lap of a gentleman in the front passenger seat. Meanwhile, the driver, a lady in her late fifties I suppose, asked me where my husband was. She said she could give him a ride. I swallowed in amazement, nodded and called out to DH saying 'She can take you!'. He immediately thanked the desi family and ran toward the silver car, sat in the back and they left. All three adults in that car were really large, they were fat. For them to sit on one another just so they could help us, was indeed an extraordinary act of kindness. They must have felt sorry for our plight - caught in the rain with a baby and a handicapped person. I turned towards DS and said " See, desis never help. These other guys have been so kind!". Before I could finish my thought, the green SUV stopped by us, the driver asked us if my husband had received help, I said "yes". He asked us if we were okay or if we needed a ride. I told him if he could take us, that'd be helpful or else, we would just wait for my husband to come back for us. The desi family had two slightly older kids on booster seats. They had the 2 kids sit on their grandparents' laps and removed the booster seats to make room for us. It was just enough room for one adult, but myself, DS and DD on my lap managed to squish ourselves fit! My sister gave me a smile as to say " what did you just say about Indians and their helping nature?"! It was only a five minute ride to the top, but in heavy rain and some really winding roads with no pavement. We got out, just as my husband exited the silver Hyundai. We thanked both the families and said bye to them. We had seen two examples of timely help from total strangers, people who went out of their ways, inconvenienced themselves to do this. But for them, we would have had a nightmare of an experience making it all the way to the top by ourselves, on foot. I don't know if I'll ever have a chance to repay the same folks, but I intend to repay the good deed when an opportunity presents itself, continuing the chain of kindness.
On this particular day, the four of us - myself, husband, daughter and my youunger sister drove to Snoqualmie falls after a nice sumptuous lunch. My sister had recently had an ankle fracture, her left foot was still in a cast and she walked using crutches. We enjoyed the view of the falls, at a distance, from the lookout. We took some pictures and as we were walking back toward the parkling lot, we saw a sign that read ' river trail, 1 mi'. I was tempted and asked my sister if she thought she could make it. The folks walking back after the hike raved about the spectacular view of the falls from down there and said it was really a short, easy hike. So, I coaxed DH and DS ( dear sister) to go on the trail with me. It was ridiculous and insane of me to do that. The hike was steadily downhill which meant we would have a difficult ascent on the way back. After every 5 minutes, people returning told us we were very close to it and that it was worth the trouble. But obviously, some of them were wrong, it did take us a good 25-30 minutes to get down there. When we were almost there, we saw a parking lot down there to our right. It immediately gave us a sense of hope that if one of us could drive the car down from the upper level parking lot, to this lot, it'd mean escaping the almost impossible climb with our toddler and my sister limping with her crutches.
We had to walk over a narrow wooden bridge to reach the deck, from where there was an indeed breathtaking view of the falls. After some mandatory 'click click' we managed to walk back to the parking lot we'd spotted on our way down. My husband enquired with a couple of people there and learnt the upper leve parking lot was only five minutes drive away. He asked me to wait there with DD and DS while he walked up and drove back to pick us up. It was barely 2-3 minutes since he'd left that a downpour started. I saw DH running back toward us. The rain forced us under a tree and we quickly decided asking for help was the only way to go.
DH first asked the driver of a silver Hyundai if they had room for one person. They didn't, there were 3 adults and two kids in their child seats. We then spotted a desi family loading up into their green SUV. As DH went up to them to explain the situation, I suddenly turned my head to see the silver Hyundai do a full speed reverse, a lady from the back seat got out and sat on the lap of a gentleman in the front passenger seat. Meanwhile, the driver, a lady in her late fifties I suppose, asked me where my husband was. She said she could give him a ride. I swallowed in amazement, nodded and called out to DH saying 'She can take you!'. He immediately thanked the desi family and ran toward the silver car, sat in the back and they left. All three adults in that car were really large, they were fat. For them to sit on one another just so they could help us, was indeed an extraordinary act of kindness. They must have felt sorry for our plight - caught in the rain with a baby and a handicapped person. I turned towards DS and said " See, desis never help. These other guys have been so kind!". Before I could finish my thought, the green SUV stopped by us, the driver asked us if my husband had received help, I said "yes". He asked us if we were okay or if we needed a ride. I told him if he could take us, that'd be helpful or else, we would just wait for my husband to come back for us. The desi family had two slightly older kids on booster seats. They had the 2 kids sit on their grandparents' laps and removed the booster seats to make room for us. It was just enough room for one adult, but myself, DS and DD on my lap managed to squish ourselves fit! My sister gave me a smile as to say " what did you just say about Indians and their helping nature?"! It was only a five minute ride to the top, but in heavy rain and some really winding roads with no pavement. We got out, just as my husband exited the silver Hyundai. We thanked both the families and said bye to them. We had seen two examples of timely help from total strangers, people who went out of their ways, inconvenienced themselves to do this. But for them, we would have had a nightmare of an experience making it all the way to the top by ourselves, on foot. I don't know if I'll ever have a chance to repay the same folks, but I intend to repay the good deed when an opportunity presents itself, continuing the chain of kindness.
Vaara banthamma ( spoof of devotional song)
Vishranthi Kaaranaarthaya Swashareera hithaya cha
Pathinaam Gruhakaaryani kaarayasya mahasathi
Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma
Raayara kareyamma pathiraayara kareyamma
maneya kelasavanu avarigitthu vishranthi padeyiramma
1) Bega yelisamma, Thindi-kaafi maadisamma
Savi ootava Nala raya unisi besarava kalevanamma
(Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma)
2) Maneya tholesiramma, Batteya avare vageyalamma
vaaradinda kale haakidella koley avare tholeyalamma
(Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma)
3) Kopa ariyanamma Gandina ghanathe thiliyanamma
madadi maathige thaleya thoogo basavanna kaaniramma
(Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma)
4) Hindebaruvanamma makkala horuvudavana karma
Madadi makkala seveyalle baalella kalevanamma
Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma
Raayara kareyamma pathiraayara kareyamma
maneya kelasavanu avarigitthu vishranthi padeyiramma
Pathinaam Gruhakaaryani kaarayasya mahasathi
Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma
Raayara kareyamma pathiraayara kareyamma
maneya kelasavanu avarigitthu vishranthi padeyiramma
1) Bega yelisamma, Thindi-kaafi maadisamma
Savi ootava Nala raya unisi besarava kalevanamma
(Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma)
2) Maneya tholesiramma, Batteya avare vageyalamma
vaaradinda kale haakidella koley avare tholeyalamma
(Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma)
3) Kopa ariyanamma Gandina ghanathe thiliyanamma
madadi maathige thaleya thoogo basavanna kaaniramma
(Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma)
4) Hindebaruvanamma makkala horuvudavana karma
Madadi makkala seveyalle baalella kalevanamma
Vaara banthamma Ravivaara banthamma
Raayara kareyamma pathiraayara kareyamma
maneya kelasavanu avarigitthu vishranthi padeyiramma
Remembering master Balachandra
This morning, as I was packing lunches for DD(dear daughter) and DH (dear husband), my thoughts randomly landed on one of my high school teachers, Master Balachandra - that's how we addressed him. He was very different from teachers I was used to until then - strict, mean, unforgiving and unfriendly. M.BC was always smiling, friendly, had a nice sense of humor. He was cheerful, he didn't have the typical frown and tight face that most teachers wear to remind themselves or others of their seriousness of purpose. He was like the art teacher character - Ram Shankar Nikumbh- played by Aamir Khan in Taare Zameen Par. In that story, the teacher comes as a breath of fresh air amidst other over-strict, uptight teachers, makes the children feel relaxed and express themselves without inhibitions.
He was extremely good at the subjects he taught. His disposition and friendliness did not mean he was too lenient and would let boisterous students walk all over him. Once he started teaching, he commanded respect. Of course, he expected attentiveness and discipline like every other teacher. He entered the class with a smile, spent the first 3-5 minutes sharing a joke or an interesting thing that had happened that day in another class or on the street. And then we would get on to learning and serious stuff. Even through the lesson, he maintained an amiable front that made it easy for students to stop him and ask questions without fear of an angry reaction. He taught maths, he was excellent and even for a math-phobic person like me, he made it seem easy and doable.
In my midterm maths exam paper, when I totalled up the marks on the corrected answer sheet, I had received 1 mark more than the total. I checked twice and found the same result. Even though I hadn't scored great marks, I went up to the desk and told him he'd given me an extra mark by mistake. He was so happy with me for doing that, he wrote in his neat, legible handwriting on the top of my answer sheet - plus 1 mark for honesty! It's still so fresh in my mind!
When I was in ninth grade, the school was looking for a kannada language teacher. And M.BC became our kannada teacher until we found one. As the year progressed many of us sincerely prayed the school wouldn't find one that would replace M.BC.
For a teacher like M.BC, language class was the most conducive environment for his creativity, spontaneity and humor to coalesce. Very few language teachers can actually instill in you the appreciation for nuances of the language and grammar. In every class, we interacted freely and expressed opinions. He brought out common pronunciation and grammatical mistakes in the most fun filled ways.
Hakashadalli akkigalu aaruthive!- he once said interchanging 'ha' and 'aa' sounds, a common language faux pas.
He did mimicry and could do several accents and dialects. He also sang a song for us one day which was a spoof of a popular devotional song - it totally cracked us up.
http://some-ramblings-and-reflections.blogspot.com/2009/10/vaara-banthamma-spoof-of-devotional.html
He also played the harmonium and sang for a dance drama at one of the cultural events. He liked my kannada handwriting a lot. Once when I stopped by the staff room with a couple of classmates, he told me many times, over and over how beautiful and impeccable my writing was. I smiled and thanked him, but was a little embarrassed. He was profuse in his praise and kept saying how my handwriting looked like printed letters and how well I had written even in a timed examination.
After we finished school I have no recollection of meeting or talking to him. I heard a few months back from a friend that he had died of cancer. It stung me to hear that. He must've only been in his late forties. I will always remember him with fondness for all the relief moments he provided, the laughter and smiles he evoked, for all his interesting anecdotes and especially for providing a de-stressting atmosphere in which learning can come more easily and leaves one with lasting impressions! I wish there would be more teachers like him. I salute you Sir! May God Bless you, wherever you are!
He was extremely good at the subjects he taught. His disposition and friendliness did not mean he was too lenient and would let boisterous students walk all over him. Once he started teaching, he commanded respect. Of course, he expected attentiveness and discipline like every other teacher. He entered the class with a smile, spent the first 3-5 minutes sharing a joke or an interesting thing that had happened that day in another class or on the street. And then we would get on to learning and serious stuff. Even through the lesson, he maintained an amiable front that made it easy for students to stop him and ask questions without fear of an angry reaction. He taught maths, he was excellent and even for a math-phobic person like me, he made it seem easy and doable.
In my midterm maths exam paper, when I totalled up the marks on the corrected answer sheet, I had received 1 mark more than the total. I checked twice and found the same result. Even though I hadn't scored great marks, I went up to the desk and told him he'd given me an extra mark by mistake. He was so happy with me for doing that, he wrote in his neat, legible handwriting on the top of my answer sheet - plus 1 mark for honesty! It's still so fresh in my mind!
When I was in ninth grade, the school was looking for a kannada language teacher. And M.BC became our kannada teacher until we found one. As the year progressed many of us sincerely prayed the school wouldn't find one that would replace M.BC.
For a teacher like M.BC, language class was the most conducive environment for his creativity, spontaneity and humor to coalesce. Very few language teachers can actually instill in you the appreciation for nuances of the language and grammar. In every class, we interacted freely and expressed opinions. He brought out common pronunciation and grammatical mistakes in the most fun filled ways.
Hakashadalli akkigalu aaruthive!- he once said interchanging 'ha' and 'aa' sounds, a common language faux pas.
He did mimicry and could do several accents and dialects. He also sang a song for us one day which was a spoof of a popular devotional song - it totally cracked us up.
http://some-ramblings-and-reflections.blogspot.com/2009/10/vaara-banthamma-spoof-of-devotional.html
He also played the harmonium and sang for a dance drama at one of the cultural events. He liked my kannada handwriting a lot. Once when I stopped by the staff room with a couple of classmates, he told me many times, over and over how beautiful and impeccable my writing was. I smiled and thanked him, but was a little embarrassed. He was profuse in his praise and kept saying how my handwriting looked like printed letters and how well I had written even in a timed examination.
After we finished school I have no recollection of meeting or talking to him. I heard a few months back from a friend that he had died of cancer. It stung me to hear that. He must've only been in his late forties. I will always remember him with fondness for all the relief moments he provided, the laughter and smiles he evoked, for all his interesting anecdotes and especially for providing a de-stressting atmosphere in which learning can come more easily and leaves one with lasting impressions! I wish there would be more teachers like him. I salute you Sir! May God Bless you, wherever you are!
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