I started with nothing, I still have most of it

கதை நேரம் : 6 / Story attempt : 6

வீட்டில் breakfast table-இல்.

“அப்பா, ரவியோட parents இன்னிக்கு வீட்டிற்க்கு வற்றாங்க பா”

“ஏதுக்கு” என்றார் அப்பா.

“என்னப்பா”, என்றாள் சுனிதா, மூஞ்ஜியை சுலுகிய படி – சுனிதாவின் அப்பாவிற்கு ஏதாவது பிடிக்கவில்லையென்றால் அதை பற்றி joke அடிக்க அரம்பித்து விடுவார் – வெளியே கோவம் காட்டும் சுபாவம் கிடையது “இப்பொ நக்கலுக்கு time இல்ல பா – seriousa சொல்லறேன் – அவன் U.S. போறான் – அதுக்கு முன்னாடி ஒரே ஒரு last chance – please be serious”

“ம்ம்”

“அம்மா – நீயாவது சொல்லேன் மா. ஏதாவது respond பன்ன சொல்லேன். இப்படியே எதுவும் சொல்லாமல் கடைசீயில கால வாரி விட்ட என்ன செய்யர்து”

திடீர் என்று secretary கையில் landline மாதிரி ஒரு phone-ஐ கொண்டு ஒடி வந்தார் – emergency call போல. அப்பாவினுடைய்ய பர்ட்யின் ஒரு இளம் M.P. எதிர் கட்சி செர்ந்து விட்டாறாம். அந்த M.P. அவர் கிட்ட வந்து எதோ Constituency fund allocation மற்றும் சில பல விஷயங்கள் பேசும் பொயுது – joke அடிதிருக்க கூடாதொ. ஏதாவது சொல்லியிருந்தால் பெசியிருகலம்.

“அம்மா சுனிதா, ரவி வரட்டும், நல்லதா பேசி பார்கலாம். கவலை இல்லாமல் collegeக்கு போய் வா.”

சுனிதா secretary uncleக்கு ஒரு செல்ல hug குடுத்தப்படி துள்ளி சென்றாள்.

Translation for my non-tam friends

At the breakfast table.

”Appa, Ravi’s folks are coming to visit us today”

“Oh, any special occasion?”

“Appaaaa” said Sunitha, the wrinkles in her otherwise smooth forehead and chin indicating her dislike of his sarcasm and indifference to what she was saying. “ Appa, no time for jokes pa. Ravi is pushing of to the US tomorrow. Last chance for us pa. Please be serious”

“Hmmm”

“Amma, Cant you do anything. Appa cannot keep quite every time I tell something and take a surprise decision at the final moment – mostly on the negative. Ask him to talk”

His secretary ran into the room suddenly. An emergency phone call apparently. A young MP from his party had resigned. Probably joining the opposition. He paused. When the new MP came to discuss budget allocations for various constituencies, maybe he should not have joked around. Some response could have bought him some more time.

“Sunitha, hmm, let them come. We will talk and everything will be good. Have fun at college”

Sunitha sprang up from the seat. Gave a celebratory hug to secretary uncle and sped away through the door.

Story attempt #5

From: Ravi, Kumar (Really hyped fin firm) [mailto:ravi.kumar@reallyhypedfinfirm.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2006 11:24 PM
To: Me
Subject: Re : My candidature

Thank you for your interest in the really-hyped-fin-firm.

We have reviewed your resume carefully and were very impressed with your background and qualifications. However, we regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you any suitable opportunities at this time. We will keep your application on file and will contact you should any appropriate opportunities arise in the future.

We wish you every success in your career search.

From: Mann,Priya (Really useless mall) [mailto:priya.mann@reallyuselessmall.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 8:46 AM
To: Me
Subject: Re : Your profile

Congratulations! Thank you for your interest in the really useless mall.

We have reviewed your profile with great interest and we are happy to inform you that you have been offered premium membership with our range of stores.

We hope to see you soon at the really useless mall

Andru kaalai, Mudhal irandu mail padithadhum, morning coffee vandhadhu. Seatil saindha padi, manasukkuleye mudivu edhuthan. Inimel mall and job rendukkum vera vera profile details anuppanum.

Translation for my non-tam friends

From: Ravi, Kumar (Really hyped fin firm) [mailto:ravi.kumar@reallyhypedfinfirm.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2006 11:24 PM
To: Me
Subject: Re : My candidature

Thank you for your interest in the really-hyped-fin-firm.

We have reviewed your resume carefully and were very impressed with your background and qualifications. However, we regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you any suitable opportunities at this time. We will keep your application on file and will contact you should any appropriate opportunities arise in the future.

We wish you every success in your career search.

From: Mann,Priya (Really useless mall) [mailto:priya.mann@reallyuselessmall.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 8:46 AM
To: Me
Subject: Re : Your profile

Congratulations! Thank you for your interest in the really useless mall.

We have reviewed your profile with great interest and we are happy to inform you that you have been offered premium membership with our range of stores.

We hope to see you soon at the really useless mall

With the coffee in his hand, he reclined on his chair, with the inbox still open. Then he made a very conscious decision. From now, he will send different profile details for jobs andmalls

Story attempt #4

nanbargaludan cyclelil veetirku thoppa thoppa ninandhukondu payanam – yaaru mudhalil servargal endru oru siriya poetti – brake pidikave pidikadhu , road munaiyil skid panni style kaattuvadhil competition, adhe munai chettiar kadai 50 paisa pepsi cola vaayil thonga, road orathil maths textbook coveral seidha kathi kappal, namuthu pona appalam pol 5 roobai nottu sattai paiyil, Manhole cover ottaiyil tornado pol suzhandu kondirikkum mazhai neer, keech keech endru saththam podum canvas shoes, 60 vayadhu aana pol surungiya kaiyum kaalum, football, cricket, running race. Marunaal irumal, thummal, possibly juram.

Amma thittuvaal. Appo, Ammavinaal bhayam.

Ippovum adhe madhiri dhaan, mazhai endral avanukku rumba bhayam. Cell phone ninaindhu vidumo endru.

Translation for my non-tam friends

The rides back from school to home – drenched to the bone – cycle race between the friends – even with the non functioning brakes, skidding style competitions, with the 50 pc pepsi cola stick dangling like a extra long tongue, math-book-cover–turned into the ultra powerful shredder ship cruising along the flooded roads , 5 rupee note resembling the rasam dipped tear and eat papads, the intricate patterns made by gushing water around holes over the manhole covers, squeeking canvas shoes, wrinkles in hands and legs makes wondering whether all the youth was just a makeup, football, cricket, running race. And the next day, cough, sneeze.

Amma would rebuke him. Then, he was wary, cos of amma.

Even now, he is wary of getting drenched in the rain. Wary that his communicator might get drenched along with him.

Story attempt #3

Bike speedometer 85 kmph kaatiyadhu. ECR. Kaalai 6.30 mani. Pin seatil gayathri.

Thalaivar vivek’s “Figurea parthundane, friend kut pannaran” vaakiyam manadhirukkul oru pin-nal kuthiyadhu. Gayathri mael avinashukku oru kan. Nalla kanna nollae kanna – theriyavillai – aanal avinash en 12 varuda nanban – Mudhal dhum, mudhal beer, mudhal ragging session ellam onnagave kadandhu sendra nanban. College mudhal varudam, gayatri final year padikkum senior – Romba azhagu endrellam solla mudiyadhu – Aanal ellarodum nanraga pazhaguvaal – aval siricha mugamdhaan avinashai eerthirukka vendum. Ennavellamo try pannaan avinash. College election poster ottinaan , appa loan pottu bike vaanginaan (second hand bullet), culturalskku bench thookinaan.. ennavellamo! – iddhellam verum avaludan ore idathil irundhu, medhuvaga pesi ‘correct’ pannalam endru. Nanbanana naan – military cover pola– enge ellam avan ponano, naanum poven – image protectionnu sonnan avinash.

Aanal, eppo enna nadandhadho – out of focusil irundha naan thideerendru modelaga marivitten.

Sorry da avinash

Translation for my non tam friends

Cruising along ECR at 85 kmph. 6.30 AM. Gayatri on the back seat.

“Figurea parthudane, frienda cut pannaran” had been the favourite teasing line of his gang in college – Now the same line was eating him from inside. Avinash had a thing for Gayathri. Good thing or bad thing – who cares – for Avinash was my childhood mate. First smoke, first beer and first ragging session – we had seen past most important milestones together. Gayatri, then was a final year student, our senior (we were lowly freshers then) – not the drop dead gorgeous types – but definitely attractive, thanks to her ever smiling face and genial demeanour. Avinash must have had a book like “501 ways to woo a girl” or something – he tried a variety of tricks like… sticking posters for college elections, buying a second hand bullet (obviously his dad was the financier then), lifting benches for the culturals – I was even amused of the things he would do to just be around her and get a chance to talk now and then. The good friend that I was, had to agree to be the prodigal “ personal cover” (very like the military cover) to him – “Hanging out with a friend was like setting up the background” he said.

But, not too sure on what happened when, foreground and background got mixed up and so here I am.

Sorry da Avinash

Story attempt #2

Avanum avalum “surya jyothika madhiri” endru pesa pattargal. Poduvagha naalu vidama pesara adhe naalu paer, ippo ore vishayam sollumbodhu, kallam illadha, aanal kadhal konda avanudaya manadhu kalaindhadhu. Oru pakkathil, avan surya level endru manasukkulla oru veekkam. Maru pakkam, aval nejamavey jothika dhaana, oru thayakkam? Oru velai, innum gundaga, azhagaga evalavadhu kidaipala?

Manasu kalanjadhu

They said that him and her were like “Surya Jo” combo. All along people around him have been saying diverging differing things about every facet of his life – when these same people told him the same thing in this particular matter, his mind fluttered. On one hand, there was a terrific ego massage to think of him like Surya. Simultaneously, was she really jo level? Maybe there could be someone more chubbier, more prettier out there for him!

Mind fluttered.

Better translation by Bala :

Word was, they were “surya jyothika types”. People who made two and two five were now saying four, in one voice. It made him stop,listen and reflect. His mind harbored no evil and lots of love. Yet doubts plagued the mind. On one hand, his ego was stroked that he was “Surya level”. And doubts plagued the mind. Was she really “Jyotika level”? What if he could get someone even chubbier and even lovelier?

Doubts plagued the mind.

Special thanks to bala

Story attempt #1

Nanbanodu kaapi arundhumbodhu aval vandhal
Neela jeans, vellai chattai, thelindha mugam, kayil oru handicrafts pai
College pen pol irundhal. Nanban edho solli kondu irukka, enakko nokkam ellam aval pakkam
Peyar enna – Manadhirkulleye “Name and face matching” seiydhu konddirundhen
‘Lavanya’pola irukkiral – anal chudidhar effect missing; ‘Sandhya’ pola irukkiral – anal konjam color extra.
Ippadi, kooti-kazhichu kondirikkum podhu… aval cellphone mani adithadhu… Ah! “Radhika speaking” endradhu andha ayuthamana inimayana kural
Ingu phone illavital, aval peyar theriyamal poyirikkulamey… Endru feel panni kondirukkum pozhudhu… adhe scene repeat agara madhiri, en phone adithadhu… “Hello, fart speaking” endren.

Translation for my non-tam friends

The other day, I was sipping hot latte with a friend of mine. She walked in.
Blue denims, white khadi top, a genial smile, with a handicraft bag over the shoulder.
My friend was trying to tell me something but all i cud see and hear(not much) was her’s.
What could be her name? I was trying to play “Match the face with the name” game within my mind.
Lavanya is it? the chudidhar was missing. Sandhya, could it be? the colour was little bit pale.
Just then… her phone rang… “Radhika speaking” said a sweet firm voice.
I was thanking Sunil mittal and his brethren for making the cell phone possible. how could i have known her name if she hadnt had that phone today?! As my thanksgiving was happening… My phone rang… “Hello, fart speaking” I said.


P.S : An attempt at tamil (in english) writing is inspired from Other’s blog. Thanks da! Its nice.

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Kettadhum kadhal…
Shreya ghosal udan…

Listen to Saara yeh aalam from hindi movie “Shiva”… Remake of an old illaiyaraja beauty… good stuff!

Kettadhum kadhal…
Shreya ghosal udan…

Listen to Saara yeh aalam from hindi movie “Shiva”… Remake of an old illaiyaraja beauty… good stuff!

Success and henceforth

Friend :”Machan, we all wanted to be successful. We are a bandhi, house and a car away from it. What next after that!”