Welcome to India

"Yes, Amma. I have a flight to catch in a few minutes. I'll get to London and email you. I’ll be here for a couple of days but I will not be reachable on my phone."

"I'll be waiting for your email!" said Mum.

"Also, there's something important I need to tell you and Pa. There's a friend of mine who ..."

"Hello? Hello? Can you hear me son? Kumar?" tried Mum, as the call ended up dropped. What was that last thing he said, Mum wondered. And she wouldn't be able to speak with him for two more days, until he's home. She would have to wait.

Later that evening, Kusuma came over from the neighbouring building. Time for the usual evening gossip the women engaged in. The conversation slowly drifted towards Kumar and his life abroad.

"You must be proud of your son. He's finished his education in the United States. He's built a good fortune for himself there. All that is left is to bring home a good daughter-in-law." said Kusuma.

"I have someone in mind" said Mum smiling.

"Who would that be?"

"You know Kanchana from your building. Ganapati's daughter."

"Good choice Sarala! She's a fine girl. Has Kumar met her earlier?"

"I think they had met briefly at Ganapati's nephew's wedding. I don't think they know each other very well yet. I've already spoken to Ganapati's wife about this. She said she'll talk to Kanchana once Kumar is back home. My husband is happy with my choice as well. I might need to push my son a bit to talk to her, though. My son's a slow starter when it comes to girls!"

"Ah! Careful Sarala. It'll have to be a subtle move. Boys of Kumar's age do not take it in easily. It's difficult for them to accept their mother as, what do those boys call it these days? Ah, Yes! as a Wingman!"

"Wingman? What does that mean?"

"It's something I picked up from my son's internet soap. Refers to someone who'd introduce him to 'prospective partners' " said Kusuma with a cheeky smile.

"Really? I've never observed if Kumar has tried anything of this sort. I'm thinking of a plan of my own to get started."

"And that is?"

"Kanchana's mother and I go shopping on Friday evenings generally. Kanchana drives us to the Mall. I plan to ask her to drive us to the airport instead to pick up my son this Friday. That should be a good start." said Mum, with a sense of hope.

"Sounds like a good start. But do you know if your son has any plans of his own?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Boys aren't the same once they leave home, you know. And with their mother not around to show them the way, you know..." said Kusuma, rolling her eyes and trailing off with a sigh.

"Well I don't think Kumar has a girlfriend! At least, he's never mentioned anything whenever I try to bring up his wedding in the conversation!" wondered Mum thoughtfully.

"Fine, but have you noticed anything weird in the way he responds to the topic of marriage?"

"Well, he seemed to be trying to throw me off track a few times recently....and he did mention something when I spoke to him last."

"What was it?"

"I couldn't clearly understand because the call got disconnected but he started saying he has something important to tell me...something about a friend.."

"Aha! Sarala, watch out. Be subtle next time you ask him about wedding plans. He seems to want to get something across but hesitates."

"Well he said he'll email me. Let me check my email. Come and help me open up that website for email. I've never felt comfortable with this internet thing."

"Sure."

Mum clicked on the new email from Kumar, with Kusuma watching over her shoulder.

'Hello Amma and Pa, I didn't have too much time to speak to you before I boarded the flight. And the call was disconnected abruptly. There's something important we need to talk about which I shall tell you folks once I get home. For now, I want to let you know that my friends Jessica and Nikhil will be staying with us at home for a week. You remember Nikhil, my room-mate from college. Hope we can make arrangements for their stay. See you soon.

Love,

Kumar'

"Jessica..hmm" said Kusuma, slowly.

"What about it?" asked a pensive Mum.

"Well...from the email, it looks like something is fishy Sarala."

"Fishy? what?" replied Mum concerned.

"I don't intend to scare you, but one of my cousins had a daughter who came home from the US after her studies, married to a white man! Another friend of mine came crying to me one day saying her son had called her up from the US to tell her that he likes men! And that he doesn't plan on returning home because he can never be accepted here! Kids these days, I tell you!" said Kusuma, in a tone grave enough to deepen the creases on Mum's forehead.

"I don't expect my son to give me any such troubles!" said Mum quickly, with a half confused look on her face.

"Well, watch out dear. Take it easy when Kumar lands here. Anyway, it's time for my evening walk. I think I'll head back. See you soon, Sarala."

Mum sat there, staring at the email, wondering what secret her son was holding back from her. It had been a perfect day until this little conversation with Kusuma had her lost deep in thought. The sound of the whistle blowing atop the pressure cooker brought Mum back to reality. She turned down the stove and stood there, wondering how she could learn more about what her son was hinting at. Suddenly, she remembered Kumar mention about this website on the internet that held photos of his friends. The boy had even put something up for his mother on it. She went back to the machine, opened up the website and typed in her son's name. She clicked on the 'Friends' button and a list appeared. There she was - Jessica! She clicked on the name and saw a few pictures of the girl. Golden hair, short skirt and a thin waist line. And there was Kumar, in one of the pictures with his arm around her! She sat still. Oh God, no! Mum shuddered at just the thought. Could it be possible? Is that why he's bringing her home? Her heart sank. How could Kumar do this, thought Mum. She said a quick prayer to Lord Krishna, the playboy Deity who'd enchanted over a thousand young women, to save her son from this blonde seductress. Then, realizing her folly, she quickly made amends and chanted to Lord Rama, the epitome of ideal male character. Her eyes rested on another picture on the website. Her son was riding pillion, holding on, in a very unusual way, to a friend on a bike. She looked closely and identified the young man riding the bike as Nikhil. She knew that boy. He's a strange one, thought Mum. He has a weird way of walking, very, how would one say it...unmanly? What was Kumar doing in this picture, she wondered. And then came the blow! Could it be so, thought mum. It was unthinkable but she couldn't help it! The idea had made its way into her mind somehow! Does my son prefer men over women, mum asked herself, as her eyebrows rose to the clouds! A quick prayer now to Lord Hanuman - Almighty! Please keep my son away from any impure thoughts about men and women! No wait, women were fine! No, only the ones that she approved of! No, only the one! Oh God, why do you put such thoughts into my head, cried out Mum! The doorbell rang. Papa was home.

"So I guess I'll get started on cleaning up the guest rooms. We might need to rent some mattresses though" said Papa, after Mum showed him the email.

Mum stood silently watching him for a minute, concern visible in her eyes.

"What is it?" asked Papa.

"What is our son hiding from us? He says he has something important to tell us and the next thing we know, there's some American girl coming to stay with us?"

"What are you getting at Sarala?" asked Papa.

Mum shared the train of thoughts that had put her at unease.

"Oh shut up! Don't be silly! They're just his friends. You should stop listening to all those American sitcom stories from your friend Kusuma! Don't trouble yourself or me with such crazy ideas!" said Papa, half amused.

"Or what if it is worse? What if our son has decided to renounce the world and become a sanyasi?" cried Mum.

"Shut up, crazy old woman! Now go and set the dinner table. I'm starving!" yelled Papa. That put an end to the conversation. But not to Mum's fears. She kept saying to herself, whatever it may be, he's my son and I'll always love him!

The day was finally here.

"Hello Aunty!"

Mum's dreary mood was lightened by a cheerful voice. "Shall we leave for the airport?" asked Kanchana. Looking at her beautiful face, the thin line of mascara around her eyes and the bindi on her forehead, Mum thought, Goddess Lakshmi, I hope you're here in the form of this young maiden to bring my son a better life!

They waited at the gate - Mum, Papa and Kanchana.

"There he is. I can see him." said a beaming Papa.

Mum, who was lost in thought, looked up. Kumar was slowly walking towards them. A lady, clearly not of Indian origin, was beside him, pulling at his cheeks affectionately. A man with an effeminate gait walked beside Kumar.

"Hello Aunty!" said Nikhil, with a smile, pulling the 'ty' in the word unusually long.

"Namaste!" said a voice with an American accent. Kumar introduced his parents to Jessica.

"Hi Kumar!" said Kanchana, smiling.

Kumar replied with a nervous 'Hi'. Mum didn't miss the slight agitation in her son's voice.

When all had settled into their seats in the car, Mum began - "Son, you had said that you have something very important to talk to us about?"

Kumar was taken aback! "Yes Ma but let us get home first..."

"Kumar, no matter what it is, you should know that I will always love you the same!" said Mum. Tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"It doesn't matter what we think. You will get whatever you please from us. What makes you happy will keep us happy as well..." said Mum, drawing a breath and continuing, "whether it is marrying Mary here.."

"AMMA??!!" shot back Kumar.

"..or even if it is living with Nikhil for the rest of your life!" continued Mum.

"What?! Hold your horses Ma!" yelled Kumar.

"Are you crazy Sarala?" reacted an angry Papa. Kanchana shifted gears nervously and changed lanes.

"But.." started Mum.

"Ok, Amma. Hold on now! Firstly, her name is Jessica! And secondly..." he paused. Then, heaving a sigh, he went on "Well, I thought I'll tell you folks once we get home, but seeing how anxious you are, here it is! Nikhil and Jessica are in India to get married. Their parents are not yet onboard for the wedding, so they need some time. And I was hoping we could help them! There it is! Happy mother??"

The sarcasm in his tone was unmistakable. But he quieted as Mum's tears receded.

"Sorry son. I was just so worried and..." said Mum, as the tears returned.

"It's fine, Ma" said Kumar, seeming more pacified, putting his arm around Mum.

Awkward silence ensued. Nikhil slowly pulled out a mobile phone, branded with the logo of a popular Indian Company and powered it on.

"Come to think of it.." started Kumar, "I should probably have told you and Papa earlier!".

Mum looked up at her son's pensive face.

"I have been seeing a girl for some time now. And we both like each other very much."

The car braked to a halt. Papa turned to look at his son. Kanchana caught a glimpse of a nervous twitch on Kumar's face, from the corner of her eye. Mum asked - "Who is it?"

"It's her" said Kumar, pointing a finger at the person behind the wheel. A shy smile graced Kanchana's face. Papa burst out with a hearty guffaw. Nikhil and Jessica were giggling like a couple of backbenchers in a classroom. Mum sat there, staring at her son, eyes wide open.

Suddenly, Nikhil's mobile phone buzzed with a text message - "Welcome to India!"