Uncle Mat Bolo Na!
The subzi mandi was filled with early morning shoppers trying to make thier purchase. He tried to make his way through the bustling crowd, way past the haggling clientele towards the fruit stall. His wife was negotiating with the vendor of fruits on the sky high prices. "Kya Bhaiya, kum karo!" she said. He couldn't help smile to himself at how she can smart talk these vendors into selling for less.
"Excuse me, Uncle" said a young voice from behind him.
As he turned he saw a teenager standing behind him trying to make way through the crowd. For a second it was like a bullet hit him. Those words reverberated through him just as his wife listening to what happened couldn't help control her laughter.
He told her to rush past her shopping. She was still shopping when without sparing her ample time he walked past the maddening crowd in a huff with the bags full of purchase. His wife trying to make sense of the situation followed him questioningly.
They usually went to the nearby Darshini for their Sunday morning breakfast before heading back home. But this day food was the last thing on his mind as he raced past the traffic towards his home.
As the car entered the parkway he heard his wife heave a sigh of relief. He took out all the bags, made way into the house and religiously kept all bags in the kitchen.
Standing in front of the bedroom mirror he wondered how a mere syllable had accomplished to change his mood so easily. He was still examining himself as his wife entered wondering what came over him. He just grabbed a towel and muttered that he was going for his bath.
His wife had managed to cook some breakfast before he came out of the bath. He seated himself on the dining table and was lost in thought as he eyed his breakfast.
He was young he thought to himself. There was still a year in between him and the big three o. This was the age that his parents generation would refer as middle age. But today’s generation called 30 the new 20. But why then did that teen call him an uncle. Reducing him to an old middle aged guy. Suddenly he realized what was wrong with him. Something that he had been running away from since many days hit him straight in the eyes. He was overweight.
He wasn't always like this. The pounds slowly started accumulating on him after his marriage. His friends used to be "Wow! You are not skinny anymore" acted as a catalyst and he didn't realize when he had crossed the normal threshold to being overweight. He realized it was his weight that was making him look older then his actual age. He decided that enough was enough and that he needs to take some steps to return to normalcy. He had to get body in shape.
So with this determination he got up and went into his bedroom. As he was trying to find the nearest gym using his laptop, he heard his wife asking him “How was the Upma? Did you like it or not? Why didn't you take the usual second helping?”
Her question answered all his questions. “Not feeling well” he answered and before she could enquire further he got up and told her that he had to go out for some urgent work. So saying he stepped out of the house, choosing to walk instead of taking his car.
The next few days passed by with him beginning to be extremely health conscious. His family and friends were puzzled at his transformation.
"Have some more" his wife used to tell him. But he just got up after one serving of some rice and sambar. He used to get up go for regular walks to the nearby park and avoided any fatty or sweet dish.
Within a month of this incident he was losing pounds with regular exercising and diet control.
He had settled into this new lifestyle very well. One evening he found himself all alone at home since his wife had gone to visit her parents. He made a cup of tea for himself and went to his balcony. He loved to observe people from his 3rd floor balcony facing the noisy street.
As he made himself comfortable he saw a young man buying vegetables. The vegetable vendor was addressing this man as uncle and the young man who was perhaps the same age as vegetable vendor himself was completely at ease with him being addressed as uncle.
Now the complete jigsaw was in place. He realized that his conscience made him think that he was called an uncle because he was overweight. But the truth was that this was something that has been commonly used by anybody and everybody to address a complete stranger. It was one of those English words that had replaced the Indian words such as “Mama”, “Mami” etc. with which one addressed an elderly man or women with respect. But it had also developed into one of the most misused words now with anybody and everybody referring each other as aunty and uncle. Strangely this way of addressing did not exist in the western world then where did this actually originate he wondered. We need to iradicate the way in which we use this word loosely he thought.
But somehow this incident helped him in changing his lifestyle for good. Now he was sure that he will not go overboard and will always be conscious and keep his weight under check.
He heard his cellphone ringing, it was his buddy asking him if he would be interested in going out for dinner. He thought for a while and said “Why not?” smilingly. What is the harm in rewarding myself he thought as he entered his bedroom wondering what he would wear.
"Excuse me, Uncle" said a young voice from behind him.
As he turned he saw a teenager standing behind him trying to make way through the crowd. For a second it was like a bullet hit him. Those words reverberated through him just as his wife listening to what happened couldn't help control her laughter.
He told her to rush past her shopping. She was still shopping when without sparing her ample time he walked past the maddening crowd in a huff with the bags full of purchase. His wife trying to make sense of the situation followed him questioningly.
They usually went to the nearby Darshini for their Sunday morning breakfast before heading back home. But this day food was the last thing on his mind as he raced past the traffic towards his home.
As the car entered the parkway he heard his wife heave a sigh of relief. He took out all the bags, made way into the house and religiously kept all bags in the kitchen.
Standing in front of the bedroom mirror he wondered how a mere syllable had accomplished to change his mood so easily. He was still examining himself as his wife entered wondering what came over him. He just grabbed a towel and muttered that he was going for his bath.
His wife had managed to cook some breakfast before he came out of the bath. He seated himself on the dining table and was lost in thought as he eyed his breakfast.
He was young he thought to himself. There was still a year in between him and the big three o. This was the age that his parents generation would refer as middle age. But today’s generation called 30 the new 20. But why then did that teen call him an uncle. Reducing him to an old middle aged guy. Suddenly he realized what was wrong with him. Something that he had been running away from since many days hit him straight in the eyes. He was overweight.
He wasn't always like this. The pounds slowly started accumulating on him after his marriage. His friends used to be "Wow! You are not skinny anymore" acted as a catalyst and he didn't realize when he had crossed the normal threshold to being overweight. He realized it was his weight that was making him look older then his actual age. He decided that enough was enough and that he needs to take some steps to return to normalcy. He had to get body in shape.
So with this determination he got up and went into his bedroom. As he was trying to find the nearest gym using his laptop, he heard his wife asking him “How was the Upma? Did you like it or not? Why didn't you take the usual second helping?”
Her question answered all his questions. “Not feeling well” he answered and before she could enquire further he got up and told her that he had to go out for some urgent work. So saying he stepped out of the house, choosing to walk instead of taking his car.
The next few days passed by with him beginning to be extremely health conscious. His family and friends were puzzled at his transformation.
"Have some more" his wife used to tell him. But he just got up after one serving of some rice and sambar. He used to get up go for regular walks to the nearby park and avoided any fatty or sweet dish.
Within a month of this incident he was losing pounds with regular exercising and diet control.
He had settled into this new lifestyle very well. One evening he found himself all alone at home since his wife had gone to visit her parents. He made a cup of tea for himself and went to his balcony. He loved to observe people from his 3rd floor balcony facing the noisy street.
As he made himself comfortable he saw a young man buying vegetables. The vegetable vendor was addressing this man as uncle and the young man who was perhaps the same age as vegetable vendor himself was completely at ease with him being addressed as uncle.
Now the complete jigsaw was in place. He realized that his conscience made him think that he was called an uncle because he was overweight. But the truth was that this was something that has been commonly used by anybody and everybody to address a complete stranger. It was one of those English words that had replaced the Indian words such as “Mama”, “Mami” etc. with which one addressed an elderly man or women with respect. But it had also developed into one of the most misused words now with anybody and everybody referring each other as aunty and uncle. Strangely this way of addressing did not exist in the western world then where did this actually originate he wondered. We need to iradicate the way in which we use this word loosely he thought.
But somehow this incident helped him in changing his lifestyle for good. Now he was sure that he will not go overboard and will always be conscious and keep his weight under check.
He heard his cellphone ringing, it was his buddy asking him if he would be interested in going out for dinner. He thought for a while and said “Why not?” smilingly. What is the harm in rewarding myself he thought as he entered his bedroom wondering what he would wear.
Comments