The post is not from Vellore.
I am in Iowa and Vellore seems liek it is a dimension away.
I am not really a chauvinist (I can’t be because I am a female) but when the flight was delayed in tornado country (Iowa) and there was a thunderstorm announced, I was worried. The pilots scared me the most –two healthy young women, the pilot and co pilot. There were some military personnel returning from a tour of duty in the middle east--- the entire flight cheered. Landing in Cedar rapids was like being in another world. Nothing has changed in 10 years. The drive, the mall, the shops—even the flood has not taken away the spirit of the place.
The jackrabbits are now grey with white cotton wool tails.
The trails are the same. Saw an upturned bicycle today while jogging on Willow creek trail.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
pregnancy?It is a cinch
“Who is the next patient?”
“Sujatha” said the nurse and sent her in. Sujatha was a middle aged plump woman with graying hair.
“Have you been weighed? “ I asked.
She was accompanied by a young girl who was staring out of the window.
“I am not the patient “ said Sujatha, “She is.”
Intrigued , I asked, “then why is your name listed and not hers?”
“I thought she would not come. She is my daughter in law. She has no children, They have been married for six months.”
I asked Sujatha to leave the room and then proceeded to question the girl. “What is your name?”
“Sumathy”, she said and burst into tears.
It was not a pretty story. The marriage was arranged and her father had shelled out a hefty sum as dowry (totally illegal) in gold and a motor bike. While driving to the marriage hall, he skidded off the bike. Fortunately he did not die. Instead he broke his leg. They took him to a naturopath who tied it up with strips of cloth coated in raw egg. He stank to high heaven. Needless to say the marriage was not consummated on that day nor for the next month. The leg smelled foul and her husband was in excruciating pain.
Finally better sense prevailed and he was taken to the university hospital. The fracture had not united and the leg was bent. He went in for surgery. The bone was broken again, fixed with nuts and bolts and immobilized. There was no question of any sex. Three more months passed. The leg was stiff and the muscles wasted. He was still going to the physiotherapy department every day.
I called Sujatha back in. “I want to talk to your son.”
He arrived promptly in an auto rickshaw. I did not waste any time.
“Please tell your mother how many times you have had sex. She is worried because you do not have a child and your wife is not pregnant.”
“Ma” he shouted “I told you not to do this. My leg has to heal. She does not mind waiting. What is your problem?”
Sujatha spat venom. “I have to answer to the neighbours. Let her get pregnant some how.”
The two of them left the room arguing vehemently. Sumathy trailed sadly behind. The woman Sujatha was beyond reason. She had two sons. Surely she knew how women became pregnant!
“Sujatha” said the nurse and sent her in. Sujatha was a middle aged plump woman with graying hair.
“Have you been weighed? “ I asked.
She was accompanied by a young girl who was staring out of the window.
“I am not the patient “ said Sujatha, “She is.”
Intrigued , I asked, “then why is your name listed and not hers?”
“I thought she would not come. She is my daughter in law. She has no children, They have been married for six months.”
I asked Sujatha to leave the room and then proceeded to question the girl. “What is your name?”
“Sumathy”, she said and burst into tears.
It was not a pretty story. The marriage was arranged and her father had shelled out a hefty sum as dowry (totally illegal) in gold and a motor bike. While driving to the marriage hall, he skidded off the bike. Fortunately he did not die. Instead he broke his leg. They took him to a naturopath who tied it up with strips of cloth coated in raw egg. He stank to high heaven. Needless to say the marriage was not consummated on that day nor for the next month. The leg smelled foul and her husband was in excruciating pain.
Finally better sense prevailed and he was taken to the university hospital. The fracture had not united and the leg was bent. He went in for surgery. The bone was broken again, fixed with nuts and bolts and immobilized. There was no question of any sex. Three more months passed. The leg was stiff and the muscles wasted. He was still going to the physiotherapy department every day.
I called Sujatha back in. “I want to talk to your son.”
He arrived promptly in an auto rickshaw. I did not waste any time.
“Please tell your mother how many times you have had sex. She is worried because you do not have a child and your wife is not pregnant.”
“Ma” he shouted “I told you not to do this. My leg has to heal. She does not mind waiting. What is your problem?”
Sujatha spat venom. “I have to answer to the neighbours. Let her get pregnant some how.”
The two of them left the room arguing vehemently. Sumathy trailed sadly behind. The woman Sujatha was beyond reason. She had two sons. Surely she knew how women became pregnant!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
cancer
While on the subject of dogs, yet another owner in this earthly paradise lets her golden retriever run loose. The dog is harmless and friendly and does not attack man or beast, but oh lord she has the most disgusting tumour hanging out of her anus. It is obviously cancer or else a prolapsed rectum. Anyway, it does not seem to affect the dog in any way. But what about the rest of us? We cannot walk, jog or do anything without wanting to puke!
vicious dogs
We live on a college campus in close proximity like ants in an anthill. Once set you only move a few feet down the road or a few feet up into an apartment. Everyone has their designated tasks and go about it busily from day to day. There is of course a queen bee or should I say monarch who runs the kingdom. As it grew and became unwieldy the peripherals are running riot uncontrolled. Everyone is right and so no one is wrong.
Take today. One of the doctors has a wild uncontrolled vicious Doberman. Too lazy to walk the dog on the leash in a civilized manner, he lets it out for a run. It runs like the wind and the proud owner watches as it circles and attacks other dog walkers, joggers and domestic staff arriving to ease our household chores. People walk smaller and smaller circles avoiding the beast, who has now appropriated half the hundred acre campus for himself.
Is this tolerance? Love for your neighbour? Community living?
Take today. One of the doctors has a wild uncontrolled vicious Doberman. Too lazy to walk the dog on the leash in a civilized manner, he lets it out for a run. It runs like the wind and the proud owner watches as it circles and attacks other dog walkers, joggers and domestic staff arriving to ease our household chores. People walk smaller and smaller circles avoiding the beast, who has now appropriated half the hundred acre campus for himself.
Is this tolerance? Love for your neighbour? Community living?
election time
The election are going on in the town and since all commercial establishments within 200m of booths have to close, the main streets are deserted.
But, who can vote?
With infinite wisdom, the election commission has left out many people with old voter ID cards. They are all running from pillar to post unable to locate their name.
Who really cares?
The newspaper says that the turnout was only 50-55% in other states. With voters denied their franchise and the lunatic fringe turning out en masse to vote in instability, religious bigotry and intolerance, what can you expect our country to become?
Take my case.
My father is a pension drawing freedom fighter. We are staunch
congress supporters. I have voted in every single election, have not
changed my residence for 20 years and have a valid voter's ID card. This time I found my
name excluded from the list though my husband and daughter were still
on it. (Daughter is married and has another valid vote in another town)!
I found at least 8 other people in the same predicament at 8am. I do
not know what transpired later. I am not surprised that people get
angry and attack the booths. In this heat after going all the way it
is frustrating to be denied your franchise.
There is no one to answer queries or tell us what to do.
No wonder the voter turnout is only 50 %. The rest of us are not on
the list. No wonder the moderate majority is slowly being eroded.
dthemeasian>X-NONEX-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
But, who can vote?
With infinite wisdom, the election commission has left out many people with old voter ID cards. They are all running from pillar to post unable to locate their name.
Who really cares?
The newspaper says that the turnout was only 50-55% in other states. With voters denied their franchise and the lunatic fringe turning out en masse to vote in instability, religious bigotry and intolerance, what can you expect our country to become?
Take my case.
My father is a pension drawing freedom fighter. We are staunch
congress supporters. I have voted in every single election, have not
changed my residence for 20 years and have a valid voter's ID card. This time I found my
name excluded from the list though my husband and daughter were still
on it. (Daughter is married and has another valid vote in another town)!
I found at least 8 other people in the same predicament at 8am. I do
not know what transpired later. I am not surprised that people get
angry and attack the booths. In this heat after going all the way it
is frustrating to be denied your franchise.
There is no one to answer queries or tell us what to do.
No wonder the voter turnout is only 50 %. The rest of us are not on
the list. No wonder the moderate majority is slowly being eroded.
dthemeasian>X-NONE
The election are going on in the town and since all commercial establishments within 200m of booths have to close, the main streets are deserted.
But, who can vote?
With infinite wisdom, the election commission has left out many people with old voter ID cards. They are all running from pillar to post unable to locate their name.
Who really cares?
The newspaper says that the turnout was only 50-55% in other states. With voters denied their franchise and the lunatic fringe turning out en masse to vote in instability, religious bigotry and intolerance, what can you expect our country to become?
Take my case.
My father is a pension drawing freedom fighter. We are staunch
congress supporters. I have voted in every single election, have not
changed my residence for 20 years and have a valid voter's ID card. This time I found my
name excluded from the list though my husband and daughter were still
on it. (Daughter is married and has another valid vote in another town)!
I found at least 8 other people in the same predicament at 8am. I do
not know what transpired later. I am not surprised that people get
angry and attack the booths. In this heat after going all the way it
is frustrating to be denied your franchise.
There is no one to answer queries or tell us what to do.
No wonder the voter turnout is only 50 %. The rest of us are not on
the list. No wonder the moderate majority is slowly being eroded.
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