Being Pakku

After a long time, had real fun watching hamaara des playing cricket match. No its not that they had a “thumping” win. But, for the company I had while watching it. Had helluva funtime with my ‘chaddi-dost’ *I don’t want to translate this*. Sunday evening- india playing in their homegorund punctuated with priayanka-SRK’s(she looks good sumtimes only sumtimes) appearance with loads of desi food in front of you, amongst the enthusiastic kannada-speaking mass. Could you ask for anything more!!

Month back, when I was waiting for my hot Aloo Parata to be served, after watching ‘Stalin’, heard a voice screaming ‘lo.. prakashaa’ from back. First thing I was excited because I heard someone talking kannada and then was bit confused if I should respond back as my name is quite common. And above that, I know only 2 people in Singapore (who don’t call me as prakashaa)but for my colleagues, who are not kannadigas anyway.

With a confused look, when I did a ‘palhat’, my memoirs flashed back to the days of 1989-93. Yeah, after almost 13 years, I found my ‘chaddi-dost’, in an alien place like SG. And, he recognized me. Wowwww…

Some details about this guy. He was this mediocre student, who would finish his daily ‘copywriting’ homework after coming to school and in the school-ground, while we used to play ‘choo-chendu’ (kids play where using the ball as the weapon, hit the opposite team member as hard as possible and never lose possession of the ball). He was very enthusiastic in sports. But, most of the times I always had a grudge on him.

Because, he always gave me ‘panna’. ‘Panna’ was again a kid’s game, where a kid using his 5 fingers can hit as hard as possible to the other guys (only if there was a mutual agreement for accepting/giving ‘panna’) legs or hands. This can be done only once in a day. Most of the days, I would see reddish mark of 5 small fingers etched on my thigh muscles. Yeah it used to pain like heck. And he always used to target my thighs as the impact was more. And I would silently see a fair-complexioned skin turn red in seconds.

The convent school we studied did not let us (bawyz) wear full trousers till standard 5. Buoy, the bare skin pained so much after the hit. Well, its not that I was always in the receiving end. I too used to derive ‘mogambo-style’ grin whenever I landed a ‘panna’. But his skin had more fat and never turned red. We used to call him ‘emme-charma’ (Buffalos skin)

Back to present!! It was really nice to see him after such long years. Firstly, he asked me what I was doing in SG? Then, he poses ‘maga.. preethi hege iddalloo??’..*yikes, damn how will I know of her* and here too, he had to put me in an embarrassing position. He started talking about how she made fun of me, how she would have my name in her ‘Talkative List’ by default and make me kneel down outside classroom and other unmentionables *my primary school antics can make another post*…damn that too in front of my friends.

Thankfully, paratas arrived and focus shifted to food. To be frank, I was excited to meet my primary school friend, déjà vu kinds and therein, got to know about lot of others. He is doing good in SG after almost a years stay here and eager to get back to des. Happy for him and my other primary school friends!! Nostalgia kicked in, when we spoke of our childhood days. So shifted focus to work and here too, he works in our rival company. Hahahhahaah

And after all the censored guys talk, he uttered ‘le maga, innaa buddhaa tarane iddiyallvo.. cigarette sedalla anthiya, kudiyodila anthiya, girlfriends illa anthiya..thu nan magane changeae aagilla neenu bengaloor indaa aachee bandmeluuu’ *Dude..you are still the same!! no smoking, no girl-friend, no booze.. you havnt changed mann, (he doesn’t consider occasional beer as boozing and I hadnt mentioned him of my crushes, anyways crushes are not like GFs).

I just had a smile, the smile of being pakku.. Yippieee!!!!!