Weekends, Visitors and Hang overs

“Are they coming?”

Joe wanted to know. It was Friday and he wanted to go out to his friend’s house and get drunk. Come weekend I get to see my hubby only late in the night, fully drunk, and now in spite of Ramadan curfew, they had a place to hang out – Reji’s wife was in India and they had the house to themselves.

“They said they would call. Anyway they have to attend the church in the morning and then Sunday school for the kids. Then lunch.”

“Okay call me when they call.”

He is off and it is only 9.30 in the morning. Thom is restless and angry. It is his only day with Appa and Appa has better plans than waste it with him. I feel sorry for him but am helpless. I used to try to make him understand how important it is for us to spend time together as a family. I don’t anymore. Every Thursday I make plans of taking Thom to the zoo or park, but Joe is too busy getting drunk to bother.

At around 1.00Pm he calls, “Have they called yet?”

“No.”

I can feel him smiling and thinking, ”Ah!!! Lucky me, I can drink some more.”

But he says, “ Now they will come only in the evening” His voice is all blurred from the alcohol. And I feel angry. I don’t want my old classmate to see him drunk and senseless.

At around 5.00 Pran calls, “ Hi, we just got up from our afternoon siesta and will be starting only in half an hour. Is Joe Achayan free?”

“Okay.”

I start cleaning the house, changing the cushion covers, sweeping and mopping and spraying air freshener all over the house. I light scented candles. The house looks spic and span. Then I call Joe, and tell him that they are coming.

“I am downstairs in the car park.”

I know he is lying, “We need water. Don’t forget to get water.”

He comes in at about 6.30. And looks around. “ Do you have anything to give them?”

“Yea, There is orange juice, Halwa, and Cashew nuts.”

“Okay.”

Then he goes to sleep. Another hour and a half later the phone rings. “Pran here. We are in front of Ansar mall. Tell me how to get to your place.”

I try to explain but am totally lost, then I call Joe and he says, “You tell them.”

I hold out the phone to him, “Please do it, I am totally confused and so are they.”

He reluctantly gets up and comes to the phone. He tells them something and puts the phone down.

“Grrrring.”

The phone rings again. He picks it up and gives further directions. They seem to have taken the wrong turn.

Joe wakes Thom, who is also sleeping and goes off to take a bath.

They call again and tell us they are below our building. Joe tells them he is coming down.

A few minutes later the doorbell rings and Thom the Spiderman and I open the door. I am seeing Pran after 20years and he is different. We used to all him “Soda Kuppi” because he was so thin that his cheeks were sunken like the soda bottles of those days- ones with the marble instead of a cap. His wife is very young and sweet and they have two beautiful kid. Thom hits it off with the kids and they are all soon playing having fun. We talk about old times, about the reunion and not being able to attend it. He talks about his work. We look at old school photos and soon it is time for them to leave. We take some photos to send to our other classmates.

Thom decides he wants to with them and starts crying. He says, “I want to go to Maria chechi’s house.”

“Who is Maria chechi?”

“The chechi who came now said they are going to Maria chechi’s house to eat fruits.”

“I will give you fruits here.”

“No, I want to eat fruits in Maria chechi’s house.”

No amount reasoning would calm him. He went to bed very upset about the fruits in the unknown Maria chechi’s house.