"Why is the room always airless?" I thought... I opened my eyes, and went back to sleep. The next day he woke up at 7 and the day had 2 rounds. The two great people meet in the evening again.
"Uncle the room was hot!"
"My room was ventilated! I told you to open the windows. Did you open?"
"Did you? OooO!" I went to see my room. I hardly listen to instructions! (habits!)
"Sorry...!" At 10 PM, he went upstairs. Terrace.
Of course, he called me. The City boy was not ready as usual. He just left him without asking again. The gentleman knew very well, the 'bothering' limits!
POWER CUT! Now Mr.Chennai had no option but to go to the terrace. And he immediately realized how much he would have missed if he hadn't climbed up...
Just in front of him was the sprawling and well lit campus of VIT University, which looked just startling in the moonlight. On the right, there was a 'goods' train which was running at full speed. On the other side, there was nothing but trees. Never had he experienced such "windy" conditions at night in Chennai, or any part of the day, for that matter! Or there is another distinct possibility - He had never taken time to enjoy these things!
He said "Hello" to the uncle who was by then talking to the VIT student who happened to be his neighbour.
"Who talks to neighbours in Chennai! Ha ha!"
Going by the enthusiasm shown by the two people, the guy quickly felt it would be quite an interesting topic they were discussing. He didn't want to feel left out or like the 'extra guy' on the terrace. He quickly joined, only to find out that they were discussing about 'Asterix' and 'Tintin' comics!!!! They were laughing quite loud.
"Old age sucks" he had thought until this point. Then he realized... "Old age doesn't, people do!" He couldn't help but admire the hope and zeal that people like him had for life. He thought of the stupid times when he had repeatedly told his friends life was boring and he had had nothing to do for days together. He gave a sheepish smile since he had no knowledge of Tintin or Asterix.
"You haven't read Tintin???"
"Well, actually, I have it in pdf. But no! Haven't read it yet. Very busy you see (:D) No time!"
He was bluffing. Or perhaps not. Probably he had it in his system. He just forgot!
Came the weekend and the man's son came to see his dad. The kid was studying in Chennai, he learnt later from the man. These two woke up Mr.Chennai in the morning for a few minutes (actually, very early morning; around 5) and said something before they left. After he woke up at 9 AM (afternoon round - 3 PM), he couldn't remember what had happened in the morning. After calling them to find out, he could recall that they said they were going for tennis, swimming and then lunch. In fact, they had asked him if he could join them for lunch. *blank* He could not remember what he told them at that time.
He met the father-son duo at night again, after the round. Not at home though; at the tennis court. Due to some change of plans, tennis happened to be in the evening since it was raining. (It was really raining, not for improving the screenplay! It DID rain at Vellore... only that day) He told them what happened on that game. The uncle asked him "Cheer up! We will go to a movie!"
I was really taken aback at this... "No, it's okay uncle. I will be fine tomorrow!"
"Okay, you go home. We will go to the movie and come back home late! It will be late, you may sleep. I have another bunch of keys. Just don't put the latch on the inside!"
*CLEAN BOWLED*
"But it's already 9 PM"
"Yes, it's just 9! It's weekend. Who wants to stay at home!?"
"Alright then!"
---
The next morning... *KNOCK*
"We are going for ..."
"Enjoy your tennis!" (zzZzzZzz)
---
The next evening (MONDAY)
Uncle enters home (9 PM) "Where are you?"
"In here... Bathing"
(after 5 minutes)
"I've opened the windows. I am going to terrace for fresh air. Will be back soon!"
---
" We live only once! "
"Uncle the room was hot!"
"My room was ventilated! I told you to open the windows. Did you open?"
"Did you? OooO!" I went to see my room. I hardly listen to instructions! (habits!)
"Sorry...!" At 10 PM, he went upstairs. Terrace.
Of course, he called me. The City boy was not ready as usual. He just left him without asking again. The gentleman knew very well, the 'bothering' limits!
POWER CUT! Now Mr.Chennai had no option but to go to the terrace. And he immediately realized how much he would have missed if he hadn't climbed up...
Just in front of him was the sprawling and well lit campus of VIT University, which looked just startling in the moonlight. On the right, there was a 'goods' train which was running at full speed. On the other side, there was nothing but trees. Never had he experienced such "windy" conditions at night in Chennai, or any part of the day, for that matter! Or there is another distinct possibility - He had never taken time to enjoy these things!
He said "Hello" to the uncle who was by then talking to the VIT student who happened to be his neighbour.
"Who talks to neighbours in Chennai! Ha ha!"
Going by the enthusiasm shown by the two people, the guy quickly felt it would be quite an interesting topic they were discussing. He didn't want to feel left out or like the 'extra guy' on the terrace. He quickly joined, only to find out that they were discussing about 'Asterix' and 'Tintin' comics!!!! They were laughing quite loud.
"Old age sucks" he had thought until this point. Then he realized... "Old age doesn't, people do!" He couldn't help but admire the hope and zeal that people like him had for life. He thought of the stupid times when he had repeatedly told his friends life was boring and he had had nothing to do for days together. He gave a sheepish smile since he had no knowledge of Tintin or Asterix.
"You haven't read Tintin???"
"Well, actually, I have it in pdf. But no! Haven't read it yet. Very busy you see (:D) No time!"
He was bluffing. Or perhaps not. Probably he had it in his system. He just forgot!
Came the weekend and the man's son came to see his dad. The kid was studying in Chennai, he learnt later from the man. These two woke up Mr.Chennai in the morning for a few minutes (actually, very early morning; around 5) and said something before they left. After he woke up at 9 AM (afternoon round - 3 PM), he couldn't remember what had happened in the morning. After calling them to find out, he could recall that they said they were going for tennis, swimming and then lunch. In fact, they had asked him if he could join them for lunch. *blank* He could not remember what he told them at that time.
He met the father-son duo at night again, after the round. Not at home though; at the tennis court. Due to some change of plans, tennis happened to be in the evening since it was raining. (It was really raining, not for improving the screenplay! It DID rain at Vellore... only that day) He told them what happened on that game. The uncle asked him "Cheer up! We will go to a movie!"
I was really taken aback at this... "No, it's okay uncle. I will be fine tomorrow!"
"Okay, you go home. We will go to the movie and come back home late! It will be late, you may sleep. I have another bunch of keys. Just don't put the latch on the inside!"
*CLEAN BOWLED*
"But it's already 9 PM"
"Yes, it's just 9! It's weekend. Who wants to stay at home!?"
"Alright then!"
---
The next morning... *KNOCK*
"We are going for ..."
"Enjoy your tennis!" (zzZzzZzz)
---
The next evening (MONDAY)
Uncle enters home (9 PM) "Where are you?"
"In here... Bathing"
(after 5 minutes)
"I've opened the windows. I am going to terrace for fresh air. Will be back soon!"
---
" We live only once! "
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