Uncleji(s)

I love it when I get compliments… “u r lukin gud”… “hey… pink is ur color… lukin lovely”… I remember the days I spent in the shadow of hideously large glasses, a bob hair cut totally unsuitable and skin invisible under a layer of angry red pimples (ouch… ugh!!). Now that I m presentable and receive compliments instead of pity for my looks, I really look forward to compliments.

As the lithe n sophisticated Kurti-chudidar wearing working woman in Mumbai (ok, the specs are still der, just smaller and sleeker but the hair is longer… like dimple kapadia’s in Ram Lakhan!!!) I can surely send my snaps for those ‘before and after’ type pics which show what changes confidence can bring in you.

But sadly, I have no flow of compliments from hot tall dark n handsome men… (;-))… instead… who do I have enamored… Unclejis…!!! Yeah… unclejis… those portly middle aged men, who, probably decent family men at home, are sadly footloose when they step out… Cases in point are chronicled below:

Uncle 1:
Bald, pot bellied and carrying a red school bag on 1 shoulder (???!!!), uncle 1 is typical of the Mumbai service class. A chance encounter while travelling together in a share rick to the rly stn one day got us talking about very important topics like the weather and lack of bus frequency. A few days and a few innocuous hi’s later here is what transpired on one bus trip to station:

He: (smile)
Me (in my BIBA kurti): (smile)
Bus reaches station.
Me: (smile)
He: ‘Tumi kiti chhaan diste madam… khoob cute diste!!!’ {means “u r lukin very cute” in Marathi}
Me: :-0!!!! escape…!!! :- )))

Uncle 2:
Cooling glass wearing uncle, Uncle has never complimented me. BUT… he decided to take my ticket in the bus (gave him a gud dressing down, stopped it!!!). Ever since I have noticed his ‘U Mangalore I also Mangalore’ buddy buddy looks coming my way … doesn’t help that how much ever I try to avoid him he HAS to catch my attention… even if it means jumping a few feet on the platform so that he can land himself in my path so I am forced to mumble a Hi… needless to say scaring me out of my wits when the only thought in my mind is to be in place to jump into the upcoming local (sigh!!)

Now mornings at the bus stop have me looking around surreptitiously from the corner of my eye to spot the presence of either of the uncles.

But some wise man has said ‘Something is better than nothing”. So maybe I should just count my blessings and be happy with the compliments I receive… even if they r from Uncleji(s)…!!!!