Phoren tales - I

The time when some relative comes back from the foreign shores! The anticipated wait as they open their bags and we get a glimpse of so many things that are both alien and exotic! It could be as mundane as a shaving razor or as amazing as an Apple Mac book! The men and women wait for their turn to get what is duly theirs. It's almost like standing in front of Santa Clause and everybody wishes for something!

So, you can imagine the amount of excitement that surrounded my uncle's trip this year after what seemed like an eternity! But strangely, the excitement had nothing to do with what he brought or who got what... It was more to do with how many days he'd stay here and where he'd go and who he'd visit. Add to that his entire family in tow, one can't just drag little kids and a disinterested apathetic wife everywhere one pleases! And so, right now, things are a little frazzled as far as daily schedules are concerned! Add to that the slight hostility between my aunt and my grandmother and mom, you'll see how bad things are!

I mean.... come on people! We're all alive for a century at the maximum and that's quite a short time for keeping grudges and giving people cold shoulders. And sometimes, open fights are much better than the inlaid tension that can almost be cut with a knife!

And so, right now, as I sit between the two parties concerned, I can feel heat and cold waves all around me. The warmth and comfort that was there before has dimmed a little. And suddenly, I can't help but feel a little less excited than what is to be expected!

P.S. My tenant's mother wants some more chocolates for her daughter's daughter who lives in some obscure place far away... it's kinda hard explaining her that we didn't 'get' much to begin with. It was all what granny graciously decided to give away! Ah well.... whatever!