My uncle got married recently. Strange, but he is just a year elder to me. I call him uncle, though, as that's how my mother taught me to call him when I was a kid. And as with all kids, it stuck. Not without reason did Haim Ginott say, "Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression". Many have wondered why I call him uncle, even though I am but a year or so younger to him. And I have always quipped, "Well, because he is my uncle". But still to many, it is inded strange that I should call him this way.
Ah, I told you he got married. His bride is younger than me by more than 2 years. In India, especially the southern part where I come from, such a situation sometimes leads to interesting complications. Should I call her aunt, because she is my uncle's wife, or should I call her by her name? And how it be when I call him uncle, now that he is married and the sight of some one about the same age as him calling him an uncle in front of his wife and others? Not important questions, I agree, but intriguing and funnily interesting nonetheless.
And talking of him, oh my God is he married? It just seems like yesterday that we were in the same school at Dharmapuri, my native place, where there were four of our family studying at the same time - I, him, another of my uncles and an aunt. Well, let you not think they were too old simply because I call them so. It's the same as my calling this uncle an uncle. Let me not make it more complicated. Not a single day went by without at least one of us filing complaints on another over events during the course of the day at school. No incident, no mis-doing, no incident of misdemeanour by any of us would go unreported. In fact, I personally feared more for the end-of-day reports made at home by one of these than the teachers themselves. Probably because I could hoodwink the teachers at will and get away with my tricks, but not the Big Brother - not one but three of them. They seemed to be omniscient, aware of incidents which even I did not remember having perpetrated.
Well, in any case, now he is married. And I have to greet him. It was unfortunate that I could not be there at his wedding, me being a little far away (the little matter of 8000 km notwithstanding), and I had to make up for it. Why not send him a greeting?
Easy to say, but what exactly should I write in my greeting. First of all, what can I wish some one who is elder to me, even though by just a year or so? This was but one of the few confusing questions that floated in my mind, before I hit upon this poem you see below. It may bear some resemblance to my previous blog regarding Viel Glück-Viel Spaß. I just developed upon this idea, only that I reversed the roles - of the bride being the poor one having married the mischievous trickster my uncle used to be (LOL)!!! And thus it goes...
Ah, I told you he got married. His bride is younger than me by more than 2 years. In India, especially the southern part where I come from, such a situation sometimes leads to interesting complications. Should I call her aunt, because she is my uncle's wife, or should I call her by her name? And how it be when I call him uncle, now that he is married and the sight of some one about the same age as him calling him an uncle in front of his wife and others? Not important questions, I agree, but intriguing and funnily interesting nonetheless.
And talking of him, oh my God is he married? It just seems like yesterday that we were in the same school at Dharmapuri, my native place, where there were four of our family studying at the same time - I, him, another of my uncles and an aunt. Well, let you not think they were too old simply because I call them so. It's the same as my calling this uncle an uncle. Let me not make it more complicated. Not a single day went by without at least one of us filing complaints on another over events during the course of the day at school. No incident, no mis-doing, no incident of misdemeanour by any of us would go unreported. In fact, I personally feared more for the end-of-day reports made at home by one of these than the teachers themselves. Probably because I could hoodwink the teachers at will and get away with my tricks, but not the Big Brother - not one but three of them. They seemed to be omniscient, aware of incidents which even I did not remember having perpetrated.
Well, in any case, now he is married. And I have to greet him. It was unfortunate that I could not be there at his wedding, me being a little far away (the little matter of 8000 km notwithstanding), and I had to make up for it. Why not send him a greeting?
Easy to say, but what exactly should I write in my greeting. First of all, what can I wish some one who is elder to me, even though by just a year or so? This was but one of the few confusing questions that floated in my mind, before I hit upon this poem you see below. It may bear some resemblance to my previous blog regarding Viel Glück-Viel Spaß. I just developed upon this idea, only that I reversed the roles - of the bride being the poor one having married the mischievous trickster my uncle used to be (LOL)!!! And thus it goes...
All About A WishMany a time I've wondered aloud
How to wish you dear the best.
But more so if I'm allowed
At all, at your expense to jest. (1)
To dearest you a happy married life
I could wish, to be just simple.
But what with wishes so rife,
'Tis hard to pick a good sample. (2)
Even to bless you is tall order
'Tis my wish though to bless you rich.
How can I, for to me ye're elder,
And she not younger than me by much. (3)
Finally I'd rather settle for this one
'Tis a wish that'll stand time's test.
To you tricky dodger a lot of fun,
To the poor li'l dame all the best. (4)-Bhuvan.
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