So, I was ambushed yet again! Annnnnnddddddddd *Drumroll* I managed to get rid of him. I am good at this! In fact, I am more than good. *evil grin*

The setting for the ambush was pretty traditional - the Saraswati Puja at the Pune Cantt. Loads of Bong uncles and aunties (mostly in yellows!!), loads of squealing kids, teens in very in-your-face I-am-traditional-for-today kinda clothes and then there was a motely bunch. A visibly irritated yours truly, a smirking Pookins (Deliberately attired in bhesturn outphit), sniggering Timps and Pinks (also rebelliously attired in bhesturn outphit and in black respectively) and finally, Maa and Maasi looking very thrilled...and excited! We entered the Puja pandal and had barely finished with offering the onjoli when Maasi shrieked with happiness and flew in the general direction of a large yellow blob. The hugging done, we could make out that the large yellow blob were actually two yellow blobs..errr.. I mean, women, identical twins known as Tumpi di and Mampi di (someday I will do a post on the bad Bong nicknames that I've encountered.. well, for now, just go read Jhumpa di's The Namesake!! :) ) .. Tumps and Mamps were introduced to my mum and Pookins and me.. and they insisted that we call them Tumps and Mamps!! Also found out that 'The Suitable Boy' was Tump's son! Tumps looked very indulgently at me and said, “My tublu is very shy…if he doesn’t talk, you please talk, ok?” I heh-heh-heh-ed to myself and thought, of course I will talk. evil grin

While Tumps got pally with Maa and bonded and exchanged notes with Maasi, I stood there entertaining myself with visions of Tumps morphing into a sunflower or a pile of turmeric powder and then re-morphing herself back into the loud, gregarious woman in yellow chasing all eligible women with a large sunflower, yelling, “My Tublu is very shy!” I snapped back to reality when an obviously tortured TUBLU was introduced to me. I think once God burdened Tublu with a mom like Tumps, He/She decided to give Tubs a break and let sanity prevail on Tumps when it came to naming her son. Tubs is known to the world at large as Rahul.

After the initial hi-hello and what-do-you-do-in-Bombay kind of randomly polite questions, Tumps pushed Rahul and me in the general direction of some empty chairs away from where the 'families' were sitting and we had no option but to seat ourselves down and TALK. Here is what happened:

Me: I have always wondered what investment bankers do..what is it that you do? (combined with innocuous grin)
R: Well… we..we are like consultants but …. (RA RA RA… ten minute long spiel on I-Bankers and their work and analyses….)
Me: Wow.. it sounds so difficult… you must be very intelligent!
R: uh…
Me: So, what do you do when you are not working? (Heh heh heh… my starting point…)
R: Usually catch up on sleep and read
Me: I loooovvveee reading… especially books about emotions and feelings.. have you read Betty Neals?
R: Betty Neals? Havent heard of her… what kind of books does she write?
Me: About people, love, emotions… like this one I am reading right now called ‘That Night’..its very passionate!
R: Oh okay… romance…
Me: Yes, but it is also about people and emotions and she has some very memorable characters.. I just love all her books!
R: So, do you like music?
Me: Oh yes, I love music. Especially pop. My favourite is Britney Spears. She is so intense. And all her songs, I feel, are speaking to me. I love her music! I also like N Sync, Blue, Backstreet Boys….
R: I prefer classical music… Indian and Western….
Me: Oh.. I find classical music very boring….classical music is the same as lift music, right? Like they play in the hotels and aeroplanes?
R: No.
Me: Oh… but I love watching TV..
R: Yeah, like what on TV?
Me: Serials! I love TV serials… Kyunki saas bhi kabhie bahu thi is my favourite… I love Tulsi’s character.. I want to be a good wife like her.. she is so perfect… the perfect wife, mother, daughter-in-law.. I just love her
R: look, I have to make a call. So, see you later?
Me: okay-dokay. See you later alligator!
R: Bye.
Me: Raaahuullll…. You meanie, you have to say, ‘in a while crocodile’…say it.. say….
R: in a while crocodile…..
Me: Miss you, miss you, cant wait to kiss you….
------------------------------------------Not a peep out of him-----------------------------------------

Once he left, I laughed hysterically for almost ten minutes and then composed myself and walked back to where the ‘families’ were. Rahul was nowhere to be seen. Tumps went out looking for him. Came back without finding him. Didn’t say anything about calling us or something. Possessing a very accurate mom-radar, Maa figured I had done something again to scare off the guy and gave me a glare. I looked back innocently. Maa glared somemore and gave me that look (the one she’s been giving me since I was 4 or younger) which means just-get-back-home-you-brat….

Thus ended Ambush #2…

Score:
Ostrich: 2 Mom and Co. : 0