From: srini@ireq-num.hydro.qc.ca
Subject: Tiruparangeswaran gets an invitation
Originator: srini@acr
Reply-To: srini@ireq-num.hydro.qc.ca (K.Srinivasan)
Organization: IREQ, Hydro-Quebec, QC, Canada
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 19:28:26 GMT

Tiruparangeswaran entered the kitchen with sleepy eyes, poured himself some
corn flakes and milk and started brooding, "what a life, another saturday
morning routine, I miss those morning street vendor voices, particularly the
kerosine oil guy shouting 'krishnaayil'. Most of all I miss the idlis and
chutney". His saturday routine was usually, going to the school and thinking
of his research problem, while the screen saver on his PC, kept on producing
never ending balls of different colors.

The telephone rang, and he mumbled, "It must be for Somu, who would call me
anyway". Somavaradan was another student with whom he shared the apartment,
after his earlier room mate Palyavantheesvaran had left for greener pastures.
Somu answered the phone, "hello", "yaaru vEnum thiruparangEsvaranaa, koncham
thaaLungO, koopadarEn". "Hey, teepee, unakkudaa".

Tiruparangeswaran wondering who the caller was, "namaskaaram". The voice at
the other end said, "en pEr Sriharan, We have just become related!, en
athimbErOda pEthikkum, un maamaa piLLaikkum kalyaaNam aayirukku." (my uncle's
granddaughter has married your cousin).

Tiruparangeswaranukku mayir koochcherindhadu. "a relative for me here!, luck
must have turned on for me, how I miss those days back home". Instantly,
Tiruparangeswaran felt as if he knew Sriharan since a long time. Sriharan went
further, "namba eppo sandhikkalaam, innikku nee freeaa". Tiruparangeswaran
accepted the invitation courteously and took directions to go to his place.

He wanted to make a good first impression with his new relatives, and picked
up a box of chocolates on the way. He had heard a child's voice during their
telephone conversation. The two trains and two bus rides, seemed to pass in
seconds and the house in the suburbs was quite easy to find.

On the door steps was a little girl of six. On seeing Tiruparangeswaran, the
girl ran in shouting, "ammaa, avaa vandhootaa". With all this and the
fragrance of sambaar, Tiruparangeswaran felt as if he was almost in his home
town. The mother appeared, "vaangO, idhaan anu". Cautiously, he entered the
house, offerring the chocolate box to the child. Soon Sriharan also turned up.

It did not take long for the two, to exchange each other's life history, (life
starting with their entry to north america). The earlier portion somehow felt
like pre-history. The two seemed to get along very well, and the interruptions
by Anu made it all the more pleasant. Tiruparangeswaran wished he was 15 years
younger.

Soon there was the dinner call, with the most attractive food all laid out on
the table. Tiruparangeswaran just could not imagine all this has happened. He
started imagining, how his life has changed all in one day. He offered to baby
sit when ever they wanted to go out.

The dinner time appeared the right time to talk about the people who had
brought them together. Tiruparangeswaran was not that great a buddy of his
maamaa piLLai, who had the 'convent' complex. Tiruparangeswaran was a
government school product. Anyway, he was mentally thanking him for this new
relation.

Mrs. Sriharan, who was too busy cooking earlier, started asking about his
maama piLLai Tiruparangeswaran. Mr. Sriharan, interrupted, "enna ippadi
kEkkara, ivan pEr Tiruparangeswaran. namba geethava koduththirukkara piLLai
pEr sOmavaradhan.". (No No, this boy is Tiruparangeswaran. The bridegroom was
sOmavaradhan).

Mrs. Sriharan, "illa, unga athimbEr kaagidhathle maapiLLai pEr
Tiruparangeswaran. avar aththai piLLai sOmavaradhan inga vaasikkiraan-nu
thaane ezhudhirundhaa. naan thaanE telephone enquiryle sOmavaradhan number
paaththu, ungaLukku koduththEn!". (No No, that is not what your uncle had
written. In fact, I got you the phone number of sOmavaradhan from the
telephone directory.)

That sent a shot of fire through Tiruparangeswaran's spine. "Oh No!, Is this a
case of mistaken identity? I should have thought earlier, when he said he got
my telephone number from the telephone directory. How on earth could
Mr.Sriharan gotten my telephone number, from the telephone directory? The
telephone company had mis-spelled Tiruparangeswaran as Edirveerasingan."

The Sriharans did not express being too upset by this mixup. After all, they
got the room mate of their relative. "adhanaalenna, paravaayilla, aduththa
dhadam, neenga rendu pErum vaangO". (It is still OK, Next time, why don't both
of you come to our place).

Tiruparangeswaran thought to himself, "sOmavaradhan was one of those, whose
principal reason for coming abroad was to get away from relatives. No way, he
is going to get mixed up with a relative here!. kaikku ettiyadhu vaaykku
ettallayE. Anyway, let me do justice to the tasty payasam, before parting
courteously".

With all these thoughts, he put a spoon of delicious looking payasam into his
mouth. "chi! idhenna paayasamaa? Corn flakes-naa idhu", cried
Tiruparangeswaran, realizing that he has been dozing all this time in front of
his breakfast. What a dream!

The telephone started ringing. Somu answered the phone, "hello", "yaaru vEnum
thiruparangEsvaranaa, koncham thaaLungO, koopadarEn". "Hey, teepee, unakkudaa".
.....

[ Std.Disclaimer: The names of people in this anecdote do not refer to
any person dead or alive.]

K. Srinivasan at Hydro Quebec.  srini@ireq-num.hydro.qc.ca