A month back, I was talking to my high school friend (Courtesy: Facebook) and she passed on the phone to her mom, who had this habit of using lots of English words in Tamil conversations.  The conversation went like this:

Aunty: Hello Viji... eppadi irukka? (How are you?) Evlo varusham aachu unnai paathu (Years since I saw you). FB la photo paathaen (saw your photo in FB) adayalamae therila, (not able to identify at all). nalla vallandhuta (grown up: :/ :| ) HR manager nu sonna. (My daughter told you are HR manager now). 

Me: Hello mami (aunty) I am fine.  Neenga eppadi irukeenga? (How are you?). Valandhutaenu neenga en weight a thaan solreengalo nu nenaichaen (When you said grown up, I thought you are mentioning my weight)

Aunty: Adhuvum dhaan (That too, you have become fat) hmmm. edho life pogudhu (life is going on). Married to pain on my knee, ennatha solradhu? (what more to say?).

Me: (Confused) Oh! mama (uncle) nalla irukkara? (is he fine?)

Aunty: Ok only.  Pain! Pain! Pain! enga thotalum, edha thotalum pain. (wherever I touch, whatever I touch, he screams pain)

Me: (Trying to rein my mind that tends to think overtime)  Oh! oh! ok. Please take care mami. 

Aunty: Enna take care? You know! Yesterday, ippadi thaan walking ponom. (we went for a walk). Edhir aathu (opposite house) mami also came walking and suddenly avar breeeeeathless (he became breathless). Rendu paerum (both of us) both sides pidichindu vandhom (both sides we held and came). Mama nalla pona ganam (weighed like a corpse), aana nalla velai edhir aathu mami gathram, (thankfully neighbour woman was well built, we managed.) 

This time I could barely control my laugh and pressed pause and laughed.  

I don't honestly know what exactly triggered that laugh. "married to this pain on my knee" or "pain ! pain! pain!" or "weighted like a corpse" or "our neighbour woman... took his weight easily". The details she gave me was vivid and I loved this conversation.  But, I need to control this mind that works over time. 

For all the mamis, who adapt themselves to this 6 months in the US and 6 months in India life... a big salute. How tough it is to get accustomed to a life, that they are not used to, yet they do for their kids. Love all the mamis and mamas who devote their life for their kids, grandchildren and love their Tanglish (Tamil English mix),