My Aunt, that is my father's sister related something the other day which she no doubt found rather endearing judging by her giggly manners, but I on the other hand found deeply unsettling and it was all I could do to keep myself from reacting.  She mentioned that apparently her grandson, that is her daughter's boy who will turn 15 next month, still insists on sleeping in the same bed with his parents at night.  I don't know why, but I had the sudden urge to see the photograph of the boy as to what did he look like now.  Then my Aunt showed me his recent picture on her phone.  I could see that he has grown taller and his health has also improved, and that there was an air of academic promise about him.  I wanted to see the picture because I wanted to understand why would a grownup teenager like him would ask for something this bizarre?  Instead of being stern and firmly telling him where to get off, they have only indulged him thus far.  When his dad, who is himself a pompous fellow with an annoying sense of entitlement, asks him in mock seriousness what will he do when he would be doing some job in a different city, how is he going to manage then?  And his answer is infuriatingly simple, he will take the mother away wherever he goes.  Take that Mr. Father!!  Conjugal intimacies gone for a toss.  And to think that they were trying for another kid; well fat chance of that happening now, if you know what I mean!

A lot of well meaning and educated people think that the Western society is more sensual and Indian society is more spiritual.  Then I feel like saying that if western society is ''sensual'', then our society is hypocritical.  The reason being that in the West, people by and large see things or situations as they are, unlike most of us who only imagine things that aren't there.  Our senses are something we are born with, if you are a believer you will say that being sensual is only making use of what God has given us; but hypocrisy is our own invention, and that's where the problem lies.  So, my Aunt and her family may see this as a benign manifestation of the kid's intensely filial devotion for his parents, particularly the mother, but what they don't see is hiding in plain sight.  The cloying affection going rancid.  The boy not being an emotionally balanced individual unable to negotiate the minefield of interpersonal relations in the wider world.  More is the pity.

Watching this fine movie ''Brooklyn'' the other day, I was quite moved by the scene which appear right at the very end.  It's the scene where Ellis, having come back to New York after much deliberation, spots Tony right across the street, happily going about his business and quite oblivious to the jumble of emotions that Ellis is going through at that moment.  And then, as soon as she sees him, there is a perfect moment of clarity where all of her indecision and confusion are washed away at the mere sight of him.  She realizes that he is the only man for her, who has been waiting patiently for her to come back.  She is damn sure that Tony is the love of her life and that this is Home for the rest of her life.  She cuts through the traffic to clasp him in a tight embrace as the credits started rolling.  I am not usually prone to maudlin ruminations, but it engendered in me a vague sense of longing for a time gone by.  After all, my sister also went to the  US, was on her own, and through sheer will and hard work not to mention the support of friends and kindness of strangers, has forged a life for herself.  What also resonated with me is like the protagonist in the movie, she also found the love of her life and future husband in Michael, now America is home and I am so proud of both of them.

  Speaking of which, it is always a special occasion for me when both Mike and my sister Bob come to India.  There is this sense of anticipation, and when they're actually here, the time just flies and before you know it, it's time to go back.  You almost feel cheated because there is much emotional investment on everyone's part, and so meager return!  The paucity of time, the elasticity of time.  How in moments of distress, it keeps on expanding, and when you are enjoying your time, it just vanishes in a jiffy, is quite remarkable.  But I always cherish the times I got to spend with Michael.  I think I can talk to him about anything.  He has got this instinctive grasp of where I am coming from on something.  Watching The Godfather movie together was the most fun.  I have maintained that when it comes to expressing complicated thoughts, I am much more at home with English, so in that sense communicating with Mike was quite enjoyable for me.  I could tell him some unvarnished truth about India, and could also pick his brains about America.  In the end, I would just say Bob and Mike, you guys know your stuff!