'Aggobai, Daggobai,' hail two school girls a video take, cycling Link Road, May morning; 'Good morning, Aji' they take off as Aji laughs not knowing laughter is banned in Mumbai. Laugh is treason. Laugher is a traitor; Laugh and Laugher to be hanged with or without Court. Aji lent on Ajoba, who lent on a walking stick, guffas. Oh! sinners did not realise their sinning. Cycles paused, girls got off, hugged Aji; cycled away. Aji and Ajoba hobble to the St. John Bosco church and further to Lord Ganesha, mutter something called prayers, and back to Jayaraj Road corner arguing vegetable prices with Gandhari; the Saphale lady does not drop a paise try as much Aji; buy a pumpkin or lauki for a lunch Ajoba will not relish; but Ajoba has to go along. Outside Aura Hotel are stone seats populated by the aged and ancient, mumbling their good times and heroic acts; an old regular was strapped to a ventilator for three days, escaped and is at home, said an old of his friend who had visited him. Another, it seems, came late, a morning, got jittery on one of the seats as all the olds gathered the old, took the old to Karuna Hospital, informed the old man's son; the old is no more; all the olds gathered at the crematorium; praised the old; when the burning was over, walked away, pondering their turn. A third old, a regular, opens the Times, announces headlines like some TV anchor; they would all like to come on TV but no TV channel has obliged; they are not newsy; they protest over high prices and low deposit rates; disagree with Dr. Raghuram Govind Rajan; realise they cant do a thing. It is Virat Kohli and de Villiers today, 'kai chhakka marthat', not a tongue for Bhuvi and Mustafizur. Tendulkar or Tendliya remains the favourite whether Tendliya laughs or laughs not. Another old sends a water bottle around as they wait for the dosa-upma Bai. Her son, rushing to the office, places the packed food on one of the seats; all the olds circle, form a fort; by 7.45 a.m., Bai walks in; for some olds its is two dosas and chutneys, Rs. 15 a plate. Stumble in Aji and Ajoba for paper plates of kante pohe, Rs.15 a plate; not the class of good friend Vasu at Girgaum; yet, okay. Aji is offered a seat to chew her pohe when Aggobai, Daggobai wheel in. 'Aji malapan pohe,' they claim and Aji-Ajooba do not reject the demand, foot the bill. And in quiet, they breakfast when Aggobai breaks in: 'Aaj May gaya; aree school opens on June 9'; Daggobai adds: 'Homework, homework, homework, rank, marks, Deva, Deva.' June will come. No Deva will stop it. Olds are into a laugh shake. Aggobai, Daggobai ride away. May 31 morning. May fun-fair over. Aggobai, Daggobai....
Monday, May 30, 2016
Aggobai, Daggobai...
'Aggobai, Daggobai,' hail two school girls a video take, cycling Link Road, May morning; 'Good morning, Aji' they take off as Aji laughs not knowing laughter is banned in Mumbai. Laugh is treason. Laugher is a traitor; Laugh and Laugher to be hanged with or without Court. Aji lent on Ajoba, who lent on a walking stick, guffas. Oh! sinners did not realise their sinning. Cycles paused, girls got off, hugged Aji; cycled away. Aji and Ajoba hobble to the St. John Bosco church and further to Lord Ganesha, mutter something called prayers, and back to Jayaraj Road corner arguing vegetable prices with Gandhari; the Saphale lady does not drop a paise try as much Aji; buy a pumpkin or lauki for a lunch Ajoba will not relish; but Ajoba has to go along. Outside Aura Hotel are stone seats populated by the aged and ancient, mumbling their good times and heroic acts; an old regular was strapped to a ventilator for three days, escaped and is at home, said an old of his friend who had visited him. Another, it seems, came late, a morning, got jittery on one of the seats as all the olds gathered the old, took the old to Karuna Hospital, informed the old man's son; the old is no more; all the olds gathered at the crematorium; praised the old; when the burning was over, walked away, pondering their turn. A third old, a regular, opens the Times, announces headlines like some TV anchor; they would all like to come on TV but no TV channel has obliged; they are not newsy; they protest over high prices and low deposit rates; disagree with Dr. Raghuram Govind Rajan; realise they cant do a thing. It is Virat Kohli and de Villiers today, 'kai chhakka marthat', not a tongue for Bhuvi and Mustafizur. Tendulkar or Tendliya remains the favourite whether Tendliya laughs or laughs not. Another old sends a water bottle around as they wait for the dosa-upma Bai. Her son, rushing to the office, places the packed food on one of the seats; all the olds circle, form a fort; by 7.45 a.m., Bai walks in; for some olds its is two dosas and chutneys, Rs. 15 a plate. Stumble in Aji and Ajoba for paper plates of kante pohe, Rs.15 a plate; not the class of good friend Vasu at Girgaum; yet, okay. Aji is offered a seat to chew her pohe when Aggobai, Daggobai wheel in. 'Aji malapan pohe,' they claim and Aji-Ajooba do not reject the demand, foot the bill. And in quiet, they breakfast when Aggobai breaks in: 'Aaj May gaya; aree school opens on June 9'; Daggobai adds: 'Homework, homework, homework, rank, marks, Deva, Deva.' June will come. No Deva will stop it. Olds are into a laugh shake. Aggobai, Daggobai ride away. May 31 morning. May fun-fair over. Aggobai, Daggobai....
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