Sunday afternoons at granny's place is like the family scenes of the movies.A vast backyard, a garden coffee table with men of the family talking.Kids running about yelling,the women of the family cooking delicious food.Just perfect:).My general routine was to help with the paysam(the only thing i was good at making) and annoy a few of my younger cousins.Today,i decided to listen to my uncles talk about stocks,employers,business et all (it was the only way to escape my aunts conspiring to get me married!) .Sitting there on the grass silently listening to them talk,I couldn't help thinking,how racist all of us are( sadly,so am i).
Uncle1: "That gowda's son got an MS seat in this US university,I tell you its all about the money"
Uncle2:"But didn't he get an average score in that GRE entrance?Sonu(my pet name at home :P),how much did you get?"
ME: squirming as i wasn't too enthusiastic about telling my scores> "Ummmm,1270 i think".
Uncle1:"Kanna,that's good no..see that gowda's son got only 900"
Uncle2:"It's all the money from his land i tell you ,His grandfather owns a quarter of the Kushalnagar".
I was making a mental note to ask my dad about my grandad property in chennai :P.
Uncle1:"My employers are asking for so much money these days! "
Uncle2:"Murugan right?These tamilnadu people are so clever.They work less and ask for more holidays,"enn machan oda anna kh kaliyanum"
Everyone laughs in unison.Are we from tamilnadu?Don't we have bro-in-laws whose brothers get married?
Uncle3:"Yes,it always better to take these biharis and assamese people..They diligently work,and are satisfied with whatever they get".
Uncle1:"These reddys are looking for an alliance for their son,MS in finance i think...expecting a Volkswagen and apartment in dowry,you know him no sonu?venkatesh"
Me:Why o why ! My feet felt like making a run for it...
....and i did:)
Well,it just so happens,that we youngsters still continue to call names gowds,iyers,iyengars.
That's unfortunate.
This blog wasn't meant to degrade my uncles or hurt any feelings.Just an honest observation.:)
