Some culture shock bit this!

What in the world you do if a stranger walked into your bedroom unannounced?

Shriek? Scream? Get annoyed? Threaten to call 911? It happened to me and I could not call 911, though it left me with some bitter after-taste of those cliched words - culture shock.

It was a morning when I was busy at my craft table near the bedroom window, making those India calls, chatting away with family and friends. I was still holding the internet phone, pondering over this conversation I had with a cousin when this man - about 6 ft tall and fair, showed up at the bedroom door.

Was it mere fear? Was it shock? Anger? Surprise? I cannot describe what went into my zapped head at that exact second, but knew my heart skipped a beat. I heard myself yelp. And realised the phone fell out of my hand on to the table.

He looked as shocked to find me in my bedroom! Damn.

``What's this?'' I demanded, but sounded still shocked.

``The maintenance!'' he replied, matter of fact look on his face.

``Uh! Oh!'' I remembered, heaving a sigh now, not exactly relieved. I pointed to the closet where the roof was threatening to leak any moment.

I had called the apartment maintenance number the previous evening and expected the maintenance guys in the morning. But it was too early for a maintenance call.

``You scared me!'' That was the sanest thing I could say. I fancied giving him a punch on that nose. Was to short against his large frame.

``I am sorry!'' No he did not sound sorry. Merely a formality for an apology that. I was annoyed.

He got in to the closet, assessed the roof, and said he'd come back later.

Come back later....but wait...how did he get in?

``I knocked the door and there was no response. So I got in.''

Got in? And so casual about it?

``The door was locked from inside, wasn't it?'' I wondered aloud. Did I leave the door unlocked?

``I have a master key.''

Was that any consolation? Privacy invaded! These guys can just walk in if you don't answer the door knock!

This would be so so unthinkable back home? I mean you don't walk into a home like that!

I did not venture to argue about why he should not get in that way. Am not sure if I should have.
He did come back later. This time, I was alert. I did not let my eyes wander off my bedroom window for long. It's from where I can watch those entering the building and going out, with relative anonymity.

When the guy knocked, I was already at the door. He did some quick patchwork over the potential leak-spot with white-cement. And left. A stranger walked into my bedroom and I could do nothing about it! Sigh! Strange country this.

Only later in the evening that a friend assured me this was `normal'. For maintenance guys to enter apartments when the owners were away. My problem - my ears hear less.

Smile with love when...

...errors endear! You're stepping out of the home of your friends, after a wonderful hour of chatting between play with their toddler girls.

When you pick up your coats to leave, the younger one - all of about 16 months, puts out her hand as if to say `Bye!', but says `hi!'.

A `hi' greeting so soft and musical, you want to hug her and not leave! She continues to say `hi', till we step out of the building.

Her dad's heart has melted from an ice-cream to milkshake.

An ad punchline rings in my head: `Daag achche hain!'  (Stains are good!)

Any guesses which one?

Sunshine and spring-cleaning, as words

Romantic comedies of the Hollywood kind are so full of the word `sunshine'! Watching these films in India, I never got why the love of your life must be called sunshine of all things. Forget honey, sugar, sweety, cutie-pie and other such chocolates for the romantic feel. Sunshine?

The word suddenly became something I had to come to terms with over the last three months, just as the words spring cleaning do this week. Indians know what sunshine is all about - it can be anything but romance. Unless it's the peak of winter and you're waiting for those rays of sun to pierce through clouds.

Ask a Chennaiite what sunshine means - sun that burns your skin. She would rather not have some sun if divinity permits. It means losing the last drop of what could be called water, from your body - through day and all night. Panting for breath, cursing the government for power-cuts and wanting to escape. To the mountains.

Bangaloreans relate better to sunshine - winter sun. Winter sun is welcome. Summer sun? No way. It means sweat and hate traffic more and more!

Sunshine that's soft is best saved for those sunrise-sunset moments in India - maybe a bit of romanticism can be allowed then.

Out here in the northern half of East Coast, USA - sunshine has such a dramatic and different connotation! It is as if, in my dictionary, it got a new meaning entirely! It means romance!

A strong morning sun in peak winter need not mean you forget your heavy coats for that precious walk outside. Not at all! You would freeze anyways! Still, your mood lightens when you see morning sun bless your living room carpet, through the porch door. Sunshine means smile.

`Vitamin D Vitamin D - bless my day, bless my health'

Sunshine means, people dare to step out of their homes that are otherwise shut for most part of winter. It means welcome. Happiness. Sunshine means softness! It means warmth! What a contrast from the `burn my skin' feel back in India!

Am yet to experience summer sun. I bet it will not be half the dog days' torture of Chennai!

Spring cleaning!

One hears that so much among Indian English language speakers! I have used the words too. Without quite getting why a season matters so much to cleaning. I knew that in the West, spring cleaning had a lot to do with the weather, or maybe ushered in the arrival of spring. Not so in India! With every festival - be it Varalakshmi pooja of August, Sankranti in January, Diwali of November or Ugadi/Gudi Padwa/ Tamil New Year's day of April, there is a whole new round of cleaning! It's so much a part of festive culture!

Spring cleaning - it is used by Indians, but has an alien context. Spring is so short in India that it's almost like a door to summer.

This weekend, spring will arrive officially, or so I am told. The USA clock will move an hour ahead and somehow the day will get, longer. Daylight Saving Time. Absurd logic, but people out here are used to it. I look forward to longer days.

People have begun cleaning their balconies and homes. Retailers and wholesalers were ready about three weeks back, with outdoor furniture, shelters, camping material, cleaning products and more.

It really means putting your winter clothes in, and getting the spring/summer clothes out! It means the end of a season and beginning of another! Spring cleaning, actually means spring-cleaning!

The big question then - why do we Indians have to use it?