Marine Drive Talkies

This trip home was a little hectic. Well OK, WAY too hectic. Wedding shopping is no child's' play. And so for three weeks, most afternoons and evenings were caught up in deciding the right Manthrakodi (wedding sari), getting the right wedding ring, looking for that perfectly sized minnu (thali), browsing through Veepee's 112 bridal gown patterns, and wondering whether my white shirt needed white buttons or black. It was all fun, though. But that gave N & I little time to meet. So we decide the best time to meet is in the morning, before she has to head off to work. And which better place in Kochi to sit and do nothing, than Marine Drive? That's the spot, we agree.

So on quite a few mornings, I find myself waking up at 5 AM to make it in time for this appointment. Early morning and I don't exactly see eye to eye. Oh, the things you do for love.

But Marine Drive, Kochi on the morning is home to some of the most entertaining sights and conversations you will see (or hear). Some fun and some err.. not so fun.

1. There's a power mom jogging at a brisk pace in track pants and t-shirt. 30-something. Now, that's not so unusual, is it? Oh, but how do we know she's a mom? She's pushing her (probably year-old) baby in a perambulator in front of her! Yep, all the way while she's jogging. Four rounds up and down, she's tired, she's panting, but still jogs with the baby in front of her. So, you're a mom and there's no time to exercise, you said?
2. An old man walks up to us, hands folded and looking really tired. "Vishakkunnu, mone (Son, I'm hungry)" he says. I believe him. My wallet's not with me, though. I tell him that, with a slightly concerned look on my face. "Purse illello Appacha." He does this transformation that would put Mohanlal to shame. His hands go to his hips and he stands there staring at us, for 30 seconds. I mean, really staring. It starts to get creepy. I shake my head at him and he chooses to give me his two cents of wisdom. "Onnum melilottu kondupokathilla ketto? (You can't take anything when you die, you know?)". He walks away with his hands still on his hips. Ah, my parish priest should get this dude to give us our Sunday sermon.
3. Macho uncle power walking with four of his buddies: "So you heard? Swetha Menon is coming with her baby on the next season of Veruthe Alla Bharya." (Some super popular mallu reality show, I hear). "Ohhh, really?" the rest of them say together. And then they go into some in-depth analysis of why she should and should not bring her kid on the show. How it may scar her for life, scar her kid for life, scar the viewers for life. OK, so uncle not so macho, I guess.

Oh, the things you go through for love.