When a family member or a far-fetched relative or far-far-far fetched otherwise non-existent relative, or maybe Papa’s
friends come to know that I am becoming a doctor, here’s a list of sequence
wise expressions I hear from them.
These dialogues are in order of the way they
are always, always and always spoken- I bet! And below them are the things that my mind wants to say and what I actually have to say...
Relative's Dialogue1
Ma, Baap ka naam roshan kar diya. Apke bachey toh bohot hoshiyaar hain. Beta, kitne ghante padhai karte the? Khaane me kuch special bhi lete the kya?
What goes on my mind:
Haha! Have I done something great? Is it something
honourable passing a damned freak exam that tests our memory or to be
specific, our rattafication-capability, The Great Indian Pre Medical Test.
Maybe when I become a doctor in real, I would love this kind of adulation for
myself. For
now, treat me like a normal kid, will you?
What I actually do: I
smile coyly. And my dad has a proud grin on his face.
Relative's Dialogue2
Beta hamare ladke ko kuch samjhao, din
bhar painting karta rehta hai, kehta hai NIFT jaunga. Isko bolo Science aur
Maths pe dhyan dega, vele kaamo mein nahin!
What goes on my mind: Yeah, yeah yeah...as if I am a career counsellor created by God in a
day! Give me and your poor child a break! Let him do what he wants to do! Why
bother both of us? Get a life of your own for yourself too uncle ji!
What I
actually do: I make a fake compassionate face for him. I force myself to agree what a poor dad he is. His son is a person who follows his heart not his father.
Relative's Dialogue3
Acha beta, meri tang me dard hai 2
mahine se. Kuch batao? Ilaaj hai?
(My dad looks at me expectedly in the
meanwhile.)
What goes on my mind: <I am blank> Seriously, I am B L A N K.
What I actually do: I put my hand on his aching leg, and press it firmy. I
utter-oh. Then I stay silent for 2 minutes. Then with a tense look I say, Uncle
consult a good orthopedic! 2 months is a long time. You need immediate
medical attention! Kaam khatam! ;-)
To be continued...