A Different Way of Life
It's a very warm and balmy morning today. It is Monday, May 12 in the year of our Lord 2008. As the city of Mumbai rolls out of bed to begin another work week, I find myself doing the same. I wake up at around 6:30 AM in the only air conditioned room in a tiny 2 bed 2 bath apt. Looking around I see my cousin still asleep next to me, arms and legs sprawled all over the place in a position that only reminds one of the stereotypical police outlines in those cheesy cop shows. Next to her is my grandfather and on the floor beside the bed I see my aunt and my mom. On the floor at the foot of my bed I see an empty "sleeping bag".
I step out of the room to find my grandmother already slaving over a hot stove making hot, fresh, ginger milk tea. "Do you want some?" she asks. "No thanks. I'm not much of a tea drinker." I say.
"How about some coffee? If not, we have milk!" she says trying to convince me to ingest something at the ass-crack of dawn.
"Ha. I'm fine, really. I'm not big on breakfast. If I feel like I want something, don't worry...you'll be the first to know."
She gives me a confused look. One that seemed to look like she was trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with her grandson, for everyone in India has tea at least twice a day with some snacks! It's about 7 AM now and I see my mom and aunt come into the kitchen to say good morning to my grandmother. They then occupy the two bathrooms to brush their teeth so they can drink their morning tea. As they sit down at the table, I notice that my grandfather has already settled into his seat.
The head of the table...my grandfather's seat for the past 20 years at least. My first memory of him finds him sitting in the same spot feeding me cookies behind my mom's back. Tables have come and gone. But my grandfather's seat stays in the same spot. I take a seat on the floor next to the table, for there is nothing like sitting on the floor in India. There's just something comforting about sitting, sleeping, or even eating on the floor. As my grandmother brings out the tea, she once again asks me if I'd like anything. In order to satisfy her, I say I'll have a couple of sips out of my mom's cup.
It's about 9 AM now. After talking and catching up over tea and snacks, we scatter to shower and get ready for the day. As I'm about to hop in the shower, the doorbell rings. I open the door to a strange face. My grandmother comes to the rescue letting me know that it was the housekeeper. The housekeeper...not quite a concept I'm used to...is a tall and skinny man. His face hardened by what one can only assume is a rough life. Dark deep set eyes. Though his face looks jaded, there is a strange gentleness in his eyes. This man gets to work.
Making the beds, dusting, sweeping, mopping, hanging the laundry out to dry, doing the dishes....all part of this man's daily routine. He's in and out within the hour after completing all of the aforementioned tasks.
As the housekeeper leaves, my little cousin wakes up and trudges over to the TV in a sleepy trance. Suddenly I hear MTV India blaring in the apartment. Her mother, my mother, and their mother all try to convince this little devil to go brush her teeth so she can drink her milk. It takes about an hour or so for the point to get through to her.
It's about 1 AM now. We all eat a great homemade lunch and decide to relax a bit before my mom and I have to head to the bank and start knocking away at our chores in India. I tell my mom that I'm really fatigued after the 20 hour trip and we decide to take the day off and start our chores the next day...
I step out of the room to find my grandmother already slaving over a hot stove making hot, fresh, ginger milk tea. "Do you want some?" she asks. "No thanks. I'm not much of a tea drinker." I say.
"How about some coffee? If not, we have milk!" she says trying to convince me to ingest something at the ass-crack of dawn.
"Ha. I'm fine, really. I'm not big on breakfast. If I feel like I want something, don't worry...you'll be the first to know."
She gives me a confused look. One that seemed to look like she was trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with her grandson, for everyone in India has tea at least twice a day with some snacks! It's about 7 AM now and I see my mom and aunt come into the kitchen to say good morning to my grandmother. They then occupy the two bathrooms to brush their teeth so they can drink their morning tea. As they sit down at the table, I notice that my grandfather has already settled into his seat.
The head of the table...my grandfather's seat for the past 20 years at least. My first memory of him finds him sitting in the same spot feeding me cookies behind my mom's back. Tables have come and gone. But my grandfather's seat stays in the same spot. I take a seat on the floor next to the table, for there is nothing like sitting on the floor in India. There's just something comforting about sitting, sleeping, or even eating on the floor. As my grandmother brings out the tea, she once again asks me if I'd like anything. In order to satisfy her, I say I'll have a couple of sips out of my mom's cup.
It's about 9 AM now. After talking and catching up over tea and snacks, we scatter to shower and get ready for the day. As I'm about to hop in the shower, the doorbell rings. I open the door to a strange face. My grandmother comes to the rescue letting me know that it was the housekeeper. The housekeeper...not quite a concept I'm used to...is a tall and skinny man. His face hardened by what one can only assume is a rough life. Dark deep set eyes. Though his face looks jaded, there is a strange gentleness in his eyes. This man gets to work.
Making the beds, dusting, sweeping, mopping, hanging the laundry out to dry, doing the dishes....all part of this man's daily routine. He's in and out within the hour after completing all of the aforementioned tasks.
As the housekeeper leaves, my little cousin wakes up and trudges over to the TV in a sleepy trance. Suddenly I hear MTV India blaring in the apartment. Her mother, my mother, and their mother all try to convince this little devil to go brush her teeth so she can drink her milk. It takes about an hour or so for the point to get through to her.
It's about 1 AM now. We all eat a great homemade lunch and decide to relax a bit before my mom and I have to head to the bank and start knocking away at our chores in India. I tell my mom that I'm really fatigued after the 20 hour trip and we decide to take the day off and start our chores the next day...