NAMATHU DOST,NEELAMMA

She is my new companion!

3rd,February,2010

Wednesday,

6p.m

Dear Friends,

Good Evening!

As the night falls,the sea is calm just like my mind.now the ships will be illuminated and there will be a feast for my eyes.I spend the beautiful moments enjoying the amazing sight I am blessed with.Thanks a lot for the feedback I received for the previous post.that was unbelievable.

The first happening of the month is my first anniversary in blogosphere in this weekend. :)excited,not much;but grateful,sure am I.

since months,I was planning to write about my new companion,Neelamma.hope you must have read my earlier post Mumtaz and I.after writing the post,after Ramzan,she left my job.she was working in five houses and has to take care of her five children.

so,I was hesitant to write about the new maid thinking she may also disappear once this post is published.

Neelamma joins me in the evenings as I come back home after work.she is a Kannadiga.An old,slim and graceful lady.cladded in a traditional saree,with a big kumkum on her forehead with chandan below,she comes daily with a sweet smile.

''There are hundreds of languages in the world,but a smile speaks them all''.exactly,that is happening in my life these days.

Neelamma is very punctual,

With a broad smile she enters my house.

No namste like the earlier maid,Mumtaz.

She is an old and nice person,

Dark in complexion,

Very thin and tall;

Who has lost many teeth.

She does the work honestly;

Gives me no room to complain.

She makes thin sukha chappatis,

Without oil and good ones.

Have you ever seen a maid,

Wearing specs and entering bathroom,

To wash the clothes so neatly?

[Normally those who wear specs,remove them,

Not to take trouble of removing the stains.]:)

The problem begins when we have to communicate,

I always feel I am very good at communication.

She loves me and takes care of me;

I feel her love and feel really good.

There are no grumblings from both the sides;

and hence peace prevails.

Language is the villian here.

As she has come from a remote village,

She speaks only Kananda

Of which I don't know a,b,c,d.

So,we can't interact much.

She does the routine work,

sweeping,mopping,washing vessels,

Making chapptis and washing clothes.

I write down the instructions in Kannada,

After getting them translated into English.

But when I reach home,

I may have to tell somethingelse,

Then Iam stuck not knowing what to do.

So,we use sign languages,

And I speak broken Hindi.

It's just managing the matter.

The afternoon nap is a must for me,

As I leave for work early in the morning.

Everything will be okey till the phone rings;

Neelamma screams,''Phone,Phone''

And my sleep and rest is gone.

Unless I pick up the receiver,

She is restless and I just don't know;

What is bothering her.

When the mobile phone rings,

She screams again,

Running and coming to me,

Asking,is it her son's phone.

I can't explain that I don't talk to her son.

And don't expect his calls on my mobile.:)

She was bringing a mobile in between,

And proudly showing me,

She used to tell me something;

I think,it is her son's.

When I sit at computer,

And when Lord Ayyappa's photos come on screen,

She gets so happy,

And tells me she has the cds of Ayyappa Devotional songs.

When she needs more money,

She communicates so easily,

And me so simple just can't pretend,

I don't understand what she says.

Same thing happens when she needs sarees.:)

Please don't give me a phone call,

Between 3-5p.m,it's my precious time to rest.

Orelse,Neelamam will bring the roof down,

Till I get up and attend the call.:)

Friends,please pray that she stays with me and will not leave soon after this post is published.

Helpers do matter a lot for the working women.I miss her when she doesn't turn up.[it hardly happens].''slow down and enjoy the things that really matter''.

It's Anu signing off..........

Dil ki baat unse kaise kahein,

Woh hain ki kisi or ko chate hain!

I never had any problems with communication skills;but,guys,Kannada a hard nut to crack.:)Anyone out there to teach me the basics?fees will be in the form of anmol friendship of Anu.

do remember,friends,

Anu loves you dil se.

wishing you a lovely and dreamy night,

Sasneham,

Anu