In summer vacations, whenever we go from ooru to town, it is in Nagraj mama's giant, rickety, bright auto. This is always memorable for multiple reasons.
We plead him to let us sit at the end; facing the road instead of his broad back. He seldom relents but these become merry times!
Once, sitting like this, Harshi, Pavan, Mokshi and I waved at all the passersby. I was surprised when many waved back! The truck drivers were specifically courteous. Oh, I was strongly inhibited at first but these kids around me kept me invested!
(I'll try writing soon about Nagraj mama and his many greatnesses!)
I was specifically moved to write this, mainly because of our Arun icecream sprints. Often, when our shopping in town is done, we pester mama to take us to a dairy parlour on a random street in town. Harshi and I each buy one for immediate consumption and a few many for on the way back and for later. We rush back with a tiny carton load of popsicles and cups, driven carefully by our muttering mama.
Just in the middle, between Cattle Farm and our village, he always reminisces the adventure of my aunt and Gopal mama. He points to to the edge of the road and the (rather steep) muddy slope beyond it. They were driving together on a bike from town to ooru (some 25 years ago!). My aunt had driven the bike right over the edge, when Gopal mama somehow managed to pull the brakes and prevent a fall.
We all laugh as we pass by.
The icecreams taste wonderful because they are rare. In the fortunate absence of a fridge, we stay away from cold things in ooru.
I think I'll ask Harshi if we can get a vintage manual icecream maker someday - to spend our early retirement churning gelatos from luscious milk and incredible chandura mangoes.
It feels good to rest on nostalgia and lofty dreams at once.
Written on October 31 '25 (yikes! another year is about to pass by!)
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