IN, ON, BEFORE OR AFTER THE TIME?

My friend Andrew¹  is A Swiss architect and writer. In 1980, he entrusted me with the work of translating a book on ancient Kerala architecture from Malayalam to English. He wanted me to be in Switzerland while I did the translation. During every break, my friend generously helped me travel around.

Andrew’s parents lived just a few miles away from him. Henry² and Margaret³ were a wonderful couple, and their generosity and hospitality always overwhelmed me. Henry was a World War II veteran, was kind and, above all, very informative. Though he was rather friendly, his strict military discipline always kept me at a distance. I have learned many things from him, and one thing I learned from him was keeping time. That is the theme of my writing. Margaret found that I loved the cherry cake she baked, and most of the weekends Margaret would bake cherry cake for me and invite me to their home for dinner. After dinner, Henry would declare that he had found a place to visit and ask if I would like to join him.

I was always more than ever willing to travel with him, and we three would get into his Volkswagon. We used to return late in the evening, and after dropping me off at Andrew’s apartment, his parents would say bye to me. Those were my memorable moments in Switzerland.

One Saturday morning, Andrew handed over the phone receiver to me, saying that his mother was calling me. (There were no mobile phones in those days.) Margaret was going to bake cherry cake and invited me to her home. I happily agreed that I would be at their door by 8 or 30. When I said 8–30, little did I realize what destiny had in store to teach me a lesson—a valuable lesson! Many lessons in life are like this. They will be embarrassing and a blow to your ego, but shortly turn out to be a lesson that is to be with you throughout -modifying your life.

I had to finish typing a page, and before I finished typing it at an express speed—it was 8–16. I rushed to the tram stop to realize that the 8–15 tram had left. The next tram was at 8-20.  There were ten minutes for the tram and five minutes for me to walk to Andrew’s parents’ home would make me late for five minutes. There was no time to go to a public booth and call Andrew’s parents.

While I was making these calculations and sweating in my pants, the 8-20 tram came and halted in front of me. I got into the tram as if my hurry would make the tram go faster! It was just past 8:35 when I reached Andrew’s parents’ home. When Margaret opened the door, I found that she looked worried. Usually, she would look cheerful and open the door, smiling with a warm welcome. She whispered in my ears that I was late, and it made Henry annoyed. He was in the ante room reading. She signalled for me to go and meet him. In the ante room, Henry was sitting facing a window and reading a book.

I went near him and gently said, "Hello, Mr. Henry."

He turned to me and looked at me sternly. That was the right time; and without giving him time to say anything, I continued.:

“I am extremely sorry. I am late by TEN  minutes. I had to finish some work that I had already started when Mrs Margaret called. I was keen on getting into the 8-10 tram, but I missed it by seconds."

Henry’s stern face turned brighter, and he waved at a sofa for me to sit on. He looked at me for a few moments and said, “Now take it from me. One of the greatest qualities of a person is the ability to keep time. Turning out to be late for an appointment is disgusting." He continued, “You are a young man, and I am sure that you will have to face many challenges in life. If you keep on failing to reach a place on time'', it will become your habit, and you  will never be successful in life. Further, you will  be an eyesore to others who keep time.

 “You are right Mr. Henry, and I will remember your advice always." I said. Henry was pleased and concluded, shaking my hands, “We may not be able to present on time on all occasions. If we feel that we may not be able to reach a place as we promised, we need to call the person concerned well in advance and let them know of our  helplessness."

I have never been a tardy person after Mr. Henry’s gentle reproach.  I was made into an ardent ‘time keeper’ and have always been on time, or most of the time, ‘before time’! I don’t remember even one occasion when I had to be called and said I was late.   I worked in another country as an English teacher for twelve years and had not been late to report even a single day except on leave days when I didn’t have to sign at all. On a number of occasions, I had forgotten to report, and the gentleman office assistant  located  me and ask ed me to sign the register before I went home. I always remember the office assistant with gratitude who was sure I would always be on time. It is said that if you start  doing a penance, after some time it will gradually grow into an austere penance.

 In the same way, my penance to keep time has grown into an austere penance, and I start getting restless as time slowly ticks to the targeted time. Invitations would clearly specify things like “Function starts at 8 AM,"  “Party between 5 and PM,”, “Kindly be present at 9 AM, and so on. The moment I get an invitation, my mental clock will start ticking, and I will reach the venue in fifteen to thirty minutes. Sadly, and surprisingly, there would be no one in the place except the helpers and one or two stray dogs . During  such occasions,  I would just kill time sitting in different places in the beginning and retreating to a vacant place and murmuring why they didn’t start the function  t ‘On time’. Comfortably, after half an  hour, the function started, and the organizers smiled at me, feeling shy they were late.   I looked at them, and said grinningly, “But I came before the ime."

1, 2, and 3: real names have been changed for anonymity.

 

Who do you want to become?.....

While I was in elementary school, my ambition was to become a coal locomotive engine driver- now called ‘loco pilot’.    (There were no diesel or electric-powered locomotive engines in those days.)  If I remember correctly, it was while I was in the second standard that our class teacher asked us one by one-

“Who do you want to become”?

Many said:

“Á teacher”

The children just wanted to please the poor teacher by declaring solidarity with her profession.

When my turn came, I quickly stood up as if I were to give a parliamentary speech and said loudly:

“A locomotive engine driver.”

The teacher was totally taken by surprise.   She could not imagine his student becoming a loco engine driver looking through the window of a locomotive with soot, oil and grease on his dress.   She pointed out all this and tried to change my dream.  But I was stern. I said:

“Yes I want to look through the window of my speeding locomotive. I don’t care how dirty my dress is”.  

I still remember the way her face changed when I said this.

This is the beginning.   Knowing my interest my father bought me books in Malayalam about locomotive engines and sooner I was familiar with many of the locomotive engines that were used in India at those times.  Rail cars,  railway stations, and passengers were of no concern to me but only locomotive engines.

Whenever my grandfather or my parents planned a rail trip be after a month, it was enough to thrill me that I would not think of anything other than the train journey.  I would ask my father a few times:

“Dad, during our trip to … what type of engine is going to haul our train -WP 7200, WP 7161 or M 120 ?”

My dad knew what was my taste and seriously reply:

“I am sure it is going to be a WP 7161”.

Finally the eventful day would come, and I would never come down from the ‘ Cloud 9’ stage in exchange for a kingdom.   Trains were not crowded like this before and hence for the journey, I could easily get a window seat.   I rushed for the window seat that moved in the forward direction that would enable me to watch the engine turning curves letting out a cloud of steam.   Though I always wanted to sit in the car next to the engine, my father persuaded me to sit somewhere in the middle car to escape from the flying carbon pieces from the engine.  But I enjoyed the carbon missiles hitting my face and my dress getting dirtier.   I would sit watching through the window throughout the journey irrespective of my mother’s warning that my infatuation for the loco engines was crossing limits.
When we returned home after the journey, I was totally blown out and dejected.

By the time I reached my tenth grade, I was familiar with the technical specifications of the locos, how they worked the special techniques used by the engine drivers, and so on.    I never missed a chance to go to the railway station. I was very particular that if any gusts were to come they should be received at the railway station and in the same way they should be seen off.   Our guests thought that I was a wonderful boy who was extremely affectionate and loving.  Anyway, people back home knew my intention behind this receiving and seeing off.

While at the railway station, I quietly move away from the guests and my parents and go to the end of the platform to watch the engines and chat with the engine drivers.    Once I asked an engine driver if I touch the engine and the driver gladly stepped down from the engine with my father and the engine driver holding me I bowed down and couched one of the huge ‘ coupled wheels’. For me, it was a memorable incident in my life.   May be the same as what Collin felt when he landed on the moon! 

Before I reached the university, my ambition changed several times and while at the university, my ambition was to become a company secretary.   But, sadly I did not become even a typist in a company!

If one cannot forget his/her first love for life, how could it be possible for me to forget my first ambition?   It has always been in my mind though many of my later ambitions tried to chase it away from my mind.   I longed for some drivers to take me into the ‘Cab’(driver’s cabin)  and even offer me a ride. But I did not get such a kind of invitation and I did not request either. 

Before visiting The American Rail Museum in Frisco, Dallas was that you could climb into the Çab’of most of the loco engines exhibited there.   It was another thrilling experience to be in the cab of exhibit  NO. 4501  a coal-fired engine converted to oil-fired-   I sat on the driver seat and all the instruments and levers were familiar to me. I thanked my father for getting a planet of books in English and Malayalam about steam locomotive engines. I looked through the ‘Struts (Paneled window by the engine driver)’.  The guide was standing some five feet below me and the horizon of Frisco was visible.  I tied a kerchief covering my head with the opposite ends of the kerchief tied at my back head.  I stood by the open gate and holding the steel bar looked at the front focusing on the boiler cover of the engine.  

I felt as though the engine was moving through a vast terrain bordered by tall mountains on both sides.  I was so happy that I was driving this majestic engine that had always been my childhood dream. There was a small curve on the track and to ward off any animals on the tracks the whistle must be blown.  With my left hand, I pulled the ‘ whistle string’. The guide's words:

“Sorry. The whistle strict does not work”

 brought me back from my dream.

If someone asks me what was the unforgettable moment in my
life; I will definitely reiterate this experience.   I climbed down the locomotive with the happiness that I could accomplish a part of my childhood dream.   The coal engines have become museum pieces and I do not have any remote chance of the dream being fulfilled anytime in the future.

 

 

                                 mother Food

                                                  

There is a small hotel in Puthur, Palakkad, named ‘MOTHER FOOD”.    I went into the hotel, asked for a tea, and casually asked the owner what Mother Food really meant. I gently informed him that the word ‘Mother Food’ does not convey any truthful meaning in English!   The hotel owner looked at me for a few moments and said that he wanted to say

‘അമ്മയുടെ പാചകംപോലെ'that could be translated into English as  ‘As good as the food cooked by one’s mother'. As such a lengthy sentence cannot be given as a name for his hotel, he chose the words ‘Mother’ and ‘Food’  in the sentence and coined the Malayalam and English hybrid phrase “Mother Food”!

The meaning of the Malayalam phrase ‘അമ്മയുടെ പാചകംപോലെ' is partly conveyable in English, but to know what ‘Mother Food’ really means, you need to learn Malayalam.

Nidhi

                             നാട്ടിലെ നിധി 

 ഇവിടെ, അമേരിക്കയിലെ ഇന്ത്യക്കാർ ദീപാവലിയെ സ്വീകരിക്കുവാനുള്ള തിരക്കിലാണിപ്പോൾ. ഇവിടുത്തെ ഇന്ത്യൻ സ്റ്റോറുകളിൽ തോരണം തൂക്കുവാനുള്ള മാവില മുതൽ മധുര പലഹാരങ്ങൾ വരെ നിറഞ്ഞു കവിയുന്ന കാഴ്ചയാണിപ്പോൾ. ഒരു പെട്ടി മധുരപലഹാരത്തിനു രൂപ.760 , നാളികേരത്തിന് രൂപ. 180 , തോരണം തൂക്കുവാനുള്ള മാവില അഞ്ചുഎണ്ണത്തിന് രൂപ. 82 എന്ന നിരക്കിൽപ്പോകുന്നു വിലപ്പട്ടിക. 

ഇവിടുത്തെ ഇന്ത്യൻ സൂപ്പർമാർക്കറ്റുകളിൽ ഇന്ത്യൻ നിർമിത ഉൽപ്പന്നങ്ങളുടെ വൈവിധ്യം എന്നെ എപ്പോഴും അദ്‌ഭുതപ്പെടുത്താറുണ്ട്. നാട്ടിൽകാണപ്പെടാത്ത പലതരം ബ്രാൻഡുകളുടെ വിവിധ ഉൽപ്പന്നങ്ങൾ ഇവിടെ ലഭ്യമാണ്. 

 ഇതൊക്കെയാണെങ്കിലും വിൽപ്പനക്ക് വച്ചിരുന്ന മാവിലയുടെ വിലകണ്ടപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ ശരിക്കും ഞെട്ടിപ്പോയി! ആ സമയത്തു വേറൊരു മനക്കണക്കാണ്‌ എന്റെ മനസ്സിലൂടെ കടന്നുപോയത്. നാട്ടിൽ എന്റെ പറമ്പിലുള്ള മാവുകളിൽ നിന്നും ഉദ്ദേശം ഒരുലക്ഷം മാവിലകളെങ്കിലും ശേഖരിക്കുവാൻ സാധിക്കും. ഇവക്കു ഇവിടുത്തെ കമ്പോളവില രൂപ.16,40,000 !!! 

 നാട്ടിൽ എന്റെ പറമ്പിൽമാത്രം ഇത്രയും വിലക്കുള്ള മാവിലകൾ വെറുതെ ചവറായി കൊഴിഞപ്പോകുന്നു! ഇത്തരത്തിലുള്ള ഒരു നിധി കൈവശമിരുന്നിട്ടും അതനുഭവിക്കാൻ എനിക്ക് കഴിയാതെപോകുന്നല്ലോ എന്നോർത്ത് വിഷണ്ണനായി ഞാൻ ആ മാവിലകളെ ഏറെനേരം നോക്കിനിന്നുപോയി. 

ഈ വിലയുടെ ആറിലൊന്നൊ എട്ടിലൊന്നൊ എനിക്കുമതി. ഞാനൊരു കച്ചവടകരാറിൽ ഏർപ്പെടുവാൻ ആരുമായും സന്നദ്ധനാണ്. ആരെങ്കിലും തയ്യാറാണോ !!

                                 Halloween 

 

Halloween is a big celebration in Dallas - especially for children.   They like it for two reasons. The weird dresses they get for Halloween and the candies they are allowed to pick from homes.

While we were returning after purchasing  the Halloween dress for my grandson, I jokingly told my daughter:

“ Now the ‘*Appachan’ in ‘**Akkarakazchakal’ has come to my mind.  Would people find it bizarre if I also go around with my grandson calling out  “Trick or treat”

My daughter smiled and replied: “ I know that other than just going around addressed as loco piglet or a car mechanic with your grandson, you love the sweet candies you also can pick along with him”!

I was silent.Yes, that was the truth!

Before entering the car, she made another compliment:

“I would be least surprised if you went around calling “Trick or treat” as your character very closely resembles that of ‘Appachan’."

I just murmured without looking at her face:

 

“ Now, farmers like me and “Appacchan’ have just become   comic characters for others.  SAD.”

 

* ‘Appachan’ (grandfather) is a humorous character in the once popular Malayalam TV episode **Akkarakazchakal”.  In this  humorous episode,  ‘Appachan’  is a funny character.   This farmer visits his son in the US and finds the customs of the land strange.   Often his  behaviours and actions embarrass his son and his family.   In the episode 36 you can see ‘Appachan’ in a fancy dress going around collecting candies calling out “Trick O tree” on a Halloween evening.

 

Akkarakazchakal:

https://www.google.com/search?q=akkara+kazhchakal+episode+36&sca_esv=579769985&rlz=1CDGOYI_en#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:936b26c0,vid:Y4dpwcZaGVM,st:0

 

                                                                              I have been. Transformed into …………..

Before I describe my post Covid syndrome I would like to say something about me.

I am not an achiever in life, I think have been good and prompt in executing the tasks assigned to me in my professional carrier. But I have not been wise enough to grab great opportunities when they appeared before me.   Earlier in my life I cherished many noble ambitions, but could achieve only one or two of them.   So, definitely I am bot an achiever. Now when I turn back, I realise that I would have become highly successful in life if I were prudent enough to make use of just one of those opportunities.    Whenever  this sickening thought pops up in my mind, I  sweep them under the carpet in my mind.   I had the confidence that I would achieve my ambitions sometimes in my life.  Now I have lost those hopes also.

I

t seems Corona has almost been eradicated.  All over the world thousands of lives  were taken and millions still suffer due this deadly  virus.   I belong to the latter.  I was so badly affected by Covid that it was a highly traumatic time.  But for a slight fever days passed on nor,

Normally.  But nights were horrific.   I would wake up by midnight by some painful thoughts.  I would remain sleepless till morning thrown into a kind kind of delirium accompanied so many   strange delusions and I often felt I was floating over chasm of death.   Miraculously I recovered but the tiredness was so extreme and  for months I looked as if I had just escaped from a concentration camp.  

Now it is more than two years since I have recovered from Covid.   On a broader  sense I may  say I look perfectly normal but I know I am not.   I have not escaped unscathed.  I used to attend hard works in my backyard.   I attend such jobs even now but I get tired very soon.   A clear sign that I have slowed down! 

In the course of time I realised that I was not only physically slowed down but some strange psychological changes also were taking place in my mind.  At first I thought my advancing age was the cause for this slowing down. Slowly I realised that apart from physically slowing down a weird behavioural change were taking over me. They would have passed unnoticed if they were minute.  From my childhood - I still remember- I have been keen on being on time.  May be because I got 

How I came to realise it was from the words of my wife who one day exclaimed:

 “Dilip, I have observed some changes in your behaviour.   You never wanted to do multiple tasking and are used to saying that multitasking always ended in shoddy works.  Nowadays you start doing a work and jump form one to a few and finish none! Are you okay?”

I looked at her thoughtfully and said:

“I don’ think you are wrong.  The same realisation has started tormenting me also.   Yesterday, morning while I was pruning the branches of the mango tree it came to my mind that I hadn’t completed cleaning my room and computer.  Now I remember; I didn’t finish the work as I suddenly remembered that the weekly car washing was overdue.  While I was drying the car, it struck my mind that my friend had called and informed me that he would be visiting in the evening.   I glanced at my watch and there were just ten minutes left for my friend to arrive!  I might take ten minutes to have a quick shower and start waiting for my friend.   I gazed at the dripping car and said to myself that the wind is a perfect drier and would dry my car in half an hour.”

My wife looked worried and said:

“This is what is the change I observe in you these days.   You never used to attempt all these one day.   Only after completing one work you would start another one.

I have even commented that you are a slow but steady person.   But now your works are tardy  and you look restless and impatient and leave all the works unfinished.”

“Mmmmmm……I know. I know.  I am fully conscious of it and try my best to come over it, but I am unable to.  If one suffers from such a psychological ailment, they needn’t  be aware of it even with others looking at the person suspiciously.     I am glad that I am fully aware of it, and I 

have been trying to come out of it.”

Some days I wake up slightly earlier and start brooding over some issues.   During  such ‘revelation like trials’ I find answers for many of my problems.   On one such morning, I asked myself “Why do I go on skipping from one work to another and get depressed in the end?”I might have tossed left and and right for a few time before the answer dawned on me.

The dormant  and conveniently forgotten thought hidden in some corner of my mind that I have not achieved what’s I really wanted to  be successful person has prevailed my conscious mind.   The Covid virus is so clever that it has scanned all the files in my mind and has rightly judged this vicious file could make me mentally uneasy, if opened.   The virus has opened it.  The virus has carried out this vengeance in retaliation when all its efforts to harm me physically failed.   

I think there will be many who have had post Covid syndromes.   Obviously they will be different in forms.  I invite such people to share their experiences on this page.