Because my foot in not in a state fit for walking, and I can’t yet climb the mammoth step from road to bus, we have resorted to taking auto rickshaws to our required destination. More often than not, the drivers simply drive, without uttering a word beyond “Meter plus twenty”. But every so often, we will get one whose curiosity will overcome them, and they will start with the questions:
You married?
Yes, we are married
Where’s baby?
No baby, just us.
Why not? (if it’s not my extended family, it’s the Bangalore rickshaw wallahs.)
We’ve only been married six months.
Our answer seemed to satisfy him: You come from America?
No, We come from Australia, from Sydney.
Ahhh! He replied. Yes! Sydney. Australians, they good people, very good people.
We muttered some non-committal response involving Ricky Ponting.
Sydney. Sydney he rolled the name over his tongue. Sydney is near America?
Being the diligent geography teacher I am, I answered: Yes. Sydney is near to America (Sometimes, it’s just easier to agree)
He was silent for a minute And Europe? Sydney is near to Europe?
Shaun sensed our destination approaching Yes. Sydney is near to everywhere.
We tipped him double.
Hi Jennifer,
I'd like to formally introduce myself. My name is Amar Thangavelu - I believe you helped Chandra Reddy set up my blog. I live in a small town of 2,500 people in the Southern Tablelands region named Crookwell.
As Chandra may have told you I have Muscular Dystrophy. This ia a muscular wasting condition that is progressive with age. I was firstdiagnosed at 3 years of age, I was confined to a wheelchair at age 10 and now I lay down all of the time with a ventilator to assist my brething. I can still go out though, in my reclining wheelchair & visit my family in Sydney often.
Speaking of travelling we go toIndia approximately every 2nd year to visit our relatives. My parents are originally from Tamil Nadu state. From the few blogs of yours that I have read I see that you spend a lot of time in India doing charitable work. I really admire you for leaving your own culyureas well as some creature comforts behind to help those lessfortunate than yourself. People like yourself areextremely valuable in our world today.
Thank you very much for advising and assisting Chandra in setting up my blog site. I am very pleased with thelayout & also the fact that I am able to communicate more with my friends & family.
Posted by: AMAR THANGAVELU | 12/16/2010 at 07:34 AM