The S(w)treet Love Proposal and a Veg Puff

You know how it feels for him? Stop putting “scene” and say yes

One day, you will feel bad for this de, I am sure.

School day Valentine stories had these dialogues. If you are one of those P. S Senior or Chettinaad Vidyashram type elite class, run away. This post is not for you. I am jealous of you.

Makku Madhan has always liked Kicku Kamala. Sorry, loved. His report card had more red ink than print and her choice of earrings irked ayahs in school.  Maddy comes from a tamil movie second hero kind family background. Kicku loves anything free – even take extra copies of pamphlets. She is called Kicku because of her sheer oomphness. No kidding.

Evening after school classes were the biggest bane. It was made entertaining by veg puff breaks, romeo escapades of madhan and co etc. I was hungry, ravenous types and craved a puff. That day got me more than a puff. 

In school days, almost every single girl in the class had a follower. Some (like me) were totally out of league and hung around just for time pass. The guys were pretty kicked about it and the girls never took them too heavy. We had at least seven serious relationships in our 35 students strong class. One stayed up together for one whole year.

A group of us were walking ahead. I distinctly remember my rettai pinnal and blue dupatta. He walked past me and blocked Kamala’s way (truly mechanic hero style).One minute of looking straight, and then…

M : Kamala, I love you. Avallo dhan. Yes sollu. ( This is it. Tell me a yes)

K : Chi, po. I don’t love you. Enaku apadi feeling varala pa, naa enna panaradhu ( I don’t get those feelings pa, what can I do)

M: Love pannu de..en de torture panra? ( Love me, why do you torture me?)

Then goes on his knees.

K: Hey..idhu road..enna panra (this is a road…what are you doing)

M: sings in his newly found puberty voice….  

Oru punnagai poove

Siru pukkalin theeve….lowwee pannu..lowwee pannu

He extends a red velvet rose wrapped in plastic sheet and a 10 rupees 5 star. Limra fancy store, you know.

K: Aiyo…he he..giggles..he he..seri, okay.

Me and a bunch of other rettai pinnals : Heyy…ok sollitaaa.. (some 4 pairs of mutta kannu pop out)

They went to Cake Walk and had 7 rupees black forest cake. We tagged along and ate one veg puff each.I am not kidding. He really sang but this story is not fully true. It is modified to add some jazz. It was/is one of my unforgettable V-day memories.

If you don’t know this song, listen to the song here. Sing along with the lyrics here. At the cost of protecting myself, I did only two years in this school. It gave me the much needed localness to my otherwise elite education.

The kids in the image have nothing to do with this post.

Glossary for higher wisdom:

P. S Senior or Chettinaad Vidyashram  - the schools I was not sent to purely due to chennai’s geographic  set up. Most smart kids go there. The rest survive like me, elsewhere.

Mutta kannu – big round eyes ( like mine)

Putting scene is a commonly used slang referring to anyone who denies/accepts/talks/dresses/plays cricket/studies too much and too well . It was coined by makku madhan’s and likes.