A Page from the Past

Long time ago. A relative of ours from India informed us that a lady is coming to San Francisco and we should take care of her. I went to the airport and met her to take her home. She was shivering with her sleeveless blouse. I asked her why she is not wearing warm clothes and gave her my sweater. She said she thought it is summer. 

I then told her San Francisco is always cold and quoted Mark Twain. "My coldest winter was a summer in San Francisco".

We entertained her for 3 days and showed her around Bay Area. 

Here is the interesting reason for writing this post. 

One evening we three (me, my wife, and this guest lady) went to a restaurant for dinner. (My kids who were teenagers refused to come with us). 

While we were eating, we saw a friend of ours, a white guy, William D. He saw us but did not come to our table to say “hello”. He went away as if he did not know us. My wife told me that she did not like his behavior. 

After 2 weeks, I met William D in another place. I asked him why he did not come and say hello to us at the restaurant. He said (I am smiling while I write this line): Hey, I saw you with 2 young beautiful women. I don’t know what was the set up. So, I did not want to bother you. Therefore, I moved away. 

This is the American way of thinking.

Prisoner Deport

The Trump Administration is deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crime in this country to their home country. Some countries refused to accept their own citizens. They are in prison now in USA. 

The El Salvador Government has offered to house in their own prisons dangerous and violent US criminals and deportees of any nationality for a fee. The Trump Administration has not decided whether to take up on their offer. There may be legal battles in courts if the US Government decides to deport their own citizens who are hardened criminals to the El Salvador prisons. Cost wise it is cheaper for US Government to put the criminals in El Salvador prisons than in US prisons. 

The prisons in El Salvador are notorious. Those prisons are inhumane. After President Nayib Bukele was elected in El Salvador he declared a State of Emergency to quell gang violence, sent the military into the streets, and arrested thousands of gang members and criminals. With his notorious prison system, gangs and criminals are no longer a threat in El Salvador. 

Here is a YouTube video documentary of El Salvador prison. 

 

Here is a tongue-in-cheek remark. 

To the outside world, India is considered rape and sexual assault capital. I wish the Indian Government negotiate with El Salvadoran government to take these guys and incarcerate in their prison. Or, at least show the El Salvador prison video widely and threaten every would-be rapist that they will be sent there. And, actually send a few rapists there and publicize that. I think this will put a stop to rape and sexual assault in India. 

Please remember this is a tongue-in-cheek remark.

A Page from the Past

We were living in Salt Lake City at that time. The President of the Indian Association called us and requested if we can accommodate a Carnatic music singer and her troupe in our home for a few days. We agreed. 

Her name is Bombay Jayashree. My wife received them at the airport and drove them home. They stayed in our home for 3 days. We took care of them very well. They were very happy. We asked Jayashree “you sing very well and your voice is so sweet” and therefore why don’t you sing in the Tamil movies. She said I am trying but no one has given me the opportunity. After 3 days, they left. 

After a few years my company transferred me to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. When we were there, one year, we went to Paris for vacation. One day we went to an area called Gare du Nord. Actually, it is called a little “Tamil Nadu”. We went there to have some South Indian lunch. We could hear the song “Vaseegara” in every nook and corner. 

My wife said this voice sounds like Bombay Jayashree. We asked one of the restaurant owner who the singer is. He said this is the voice of Bombay Jayashree and this is her first song in the movie industry and it has become very famous. 

Many years go by. We were vacationing in Chennai. There was a Carnatic music concert by Bombay Jayashree.  We bought tickets and went inside the auditorium. We were in the 10th row. I told my wife she is looking at us. My wife said she is looking at the audience while singing and not us. The concert ended. Her fans were eager to see her and so mobbed her. We were sitting in our seats in the 10th row. She braved her fans and was coming towards us. And finally came near us. She said “Lalitha mami, epdi irukale” (Lalitha Auntie. How are you). Then she turned around and addressed me “Sorry uncle. I forgot your name after a long time”. I said that is ok and glad you remembered auntie’s name. 

She gave us her home address and phone number and invited us to visit her. We decided not to go.

(PS: She was nominated for an Oscar Award for her work in the movie Life of Pi.

Here is her Vaseegara song in YouTube.