Jomo

Someone wants to meet me? Someone really wants to meet me? Oh boy, now that is something! In my heart I knew who that someone is going to be. Not many people have given me a thumbs up sign, while I was getting yelled at! I felt so happy. I felt I was walking in the clouds and I could hear Lionel Richie singing
Endless love in my head.
My love,
There’s only you in my life
The only thing that’s bright

My first love,
You’re every breath that I take
You’re every step I make

And i(i-i-i-i-i)
I want to share
All my love
with you
No one else will do…

And your eyes
Your eyes,
your eyes
They tell me how much you care
Ooh yes,
you will always be
My endless love

Two hearts,
Two hearts that beat as one
Our lives have just begun
Forever
(ohhhhhh)
I’ll hold you close in my arms
I cant resist your charms
And love
Oh, love
I’ll be a fool
For you,I’m sure
You know I don’t mind
Oh, you know I don’t mind
cause you,
You mean the world to me
OhI know
I know
I’ve found in you
My endless love
Oooh-woowBoom, boomBoom, boom, boom, boom, booomBoom, boom, boom, boom, boom
Oooh, and love
Oh, love
I’ll be that fool
For you,I’m sure
You know I dont mind
Oh you know-I dont mind
And, yes
You’ll be the only one
cause no one can deny
This love I have inside
And I’ll give it all to you
My love
My love, my love
My endless love

Paul was talking to me all the while, but I was too happy to bother what he was saying. I just nodded my head each time he looked at me. I hoped he wouldn’t say ‘you are an idiot’and I wouldn’t nod my head and agree
As soon as we reached the canteen, Paul shouted
“Jomon, see who is here”
Jomon? Is that beautiful eye’s name? But that is a Malayalee name. May be it is Jomo. I cursed my deaf ears!
I looked at the group of seniors standing hear the window and looking out.They were all smoking and students are not allowed to smoke in the campus. I know why they are standing near the window, The moment they spot Princy walking towards the canteen, they will throw the cigarettes out through the window.

Everybody in the college knows Cigarette smoking is injurious to tympanic membrane, especially when Princy catches you with a cigarette in your hand! The last time I was in the canteen, Princy came to the canteen for a spot check, everyone inside the canteen threw the cigarette out, unfortunately one unlucky senior came inside the canteen and lit his cigarette. Poor chap had no idea that Princy was in the canteen. I learned that day that day the actual definition of Cigarette ( a stick with fool at one end and fire at the other end)
I watched Paul walking towards the guys standing near the window. He whacked a curly haired guy’s back and said
“See who is here”
I watched him and all the others standing near him throw the cigarette out of the window. All of them turned to look at the entrance with fear in their eyes. I looked at each of their faces. Beautiful eyes wasn’t among them.
May be, he went back to the hostel. May be Paul would send someone to the men’s hostel and let beautiful eyes know I am waiting for him at the canteen.
“You Idiot, you scared me. I didn’t even get to smoke 1/10 of my cigarette. I thought it was the Princy” The curly haired and his friends were visibly angry with Paul.
He saw me and started to walk towards me
“Hello Ms. Kottayam, how are you?”
I looked at the man who was standing in front of me. The top two buttons in his shirt was undone exposing his hairy chest. My God, this one is a chantha*. He is not Jomo, He is Jomon, the epitome of Mallu macho man and every Mallu girl’s nightmare.
“Come, have a seat” He pointed to the table on the side
Jomoney kollam kollam!, When are you treating us?” Called out one of his friends
Poda(get lost)” He answered
Rakshikkane, Jomonu premam moothey(Help Jomon is in love)” Another one started to shout, soon everyone in the canteen was whistling and shouting.
I wasn’t sure, what exactly is happenng.
“Sit down” Jomon ordered
I sat down facing Jomon.
“2 coffee” Ordered Jomon
Idiot. He didn’t even ask me if I like coffee. I like to drink tea. Even the canteen operator knows that and always serve tea with my egg bhaji.
“Do you speak Malayalam?”
Stupid fellow, if he knows I am from Kottayam, what does that mean? We speak German in Kottayam?
“Yes”I nodded
“Can you read Malayalam?”
Ok, this is stupid. You are asking someone who studied 5 years in 100% pure Malayalam medium, if she can read Malayalam!
“Yes” I muttered
Nighandu vayichittundo( Have you read Nighandu?)”
I looked at the guy who is sitting infront of me. What kind of an idiot would ask someone have you read Nighandu( malayalam Dictionary). What should I say to this moron? Should I say Yes? Then he might ask me some high funda unknown Malayalam word and I probably won’t know the answer and get in to trouble?
Nah, I will play the ignoramus role
“No sir”
“Well, you should read it. The book is full of suspense”
“Sure”
“tell me about your family”
My family? Why does this guy needs to know about my family? I looked at him. The canteen operator had brought the coffee and I watched Jomon lifting the cup. I saw the back of his palm. He had body hair even on his palm. He looked disgusting! .
He looked very much like an ape and he thinks, he is very macho, because he has abundant body hair! The reason why the top buttons of his shirt are undone!
“Tell me about your family!” that sounded very much like an order.
“Why do you want to know?”
pinney njan kettan poovunna penninte veettukaryangal enikkariyendey?”( don’t I have the right to know more about the girl that I am going to marry?). He was grinning
“Excuse me?” What did he just say? He is going to marry me?
“Come on, stop acting so innocent. I have seen you looking at me so many times. I know you like me. Still I like your innocence. That is cute!”
Me, Looking at this ape man so many times? I hate body hair! There is not a chance in hell that I would even look at this guy one time let alone many times!. What is this guy talking about? When did I ever look at him?
Then I remembered ‘beautiful eyes’ singing session at the canteen. This idiot was sitting with beautiful eyes. Oh No! he thinks I was looking at him. Not enough, he has already decided that he is marrying me.
I looked at him. He was staring at me and he raised his bushy eye brows.
“My dad works in the middle east and my mom works at the telephones.”
“How many siblings do you have?”
“Three”
“How many boys?”
“None”
“Oh. Your parents have four girls ah? They have to save a lot of money for the dowry!”
Ofcourse, morons like you demand it.don’t you? I felt so angry and disgusted.
“Are you the oldest?”
“No”
He looked at me again and raised his eyebrow.
“I have an older sister”
“Is she married?”
“No”
“Why not?”
Why not? Why do you need to know all these?
“Can I go please? I have an assignment to submit tomorrow”
“What assignment?”
I thought hard, then I remembered my anatomy test and how I messed up the nerve supply of the shoulder joint. I answered quickly
“Shoulder joint” .
“Oh Ok. By the way, I will be going home for easter. I am planning to visit your parents then”
I didn’t bother to respond. He can go and see my parents. There is no way,I am going to marry a man who is a chantha.

Chantha: There is no direct translation for the word. But generally, a chantha is a guy who can be found often near the bus stands/markets( public places) ogling at woman. The shirt for him is just an accessory worn to enhance his manliness, therefor he usually never bothers to button the shirt. He also has an attitude to match his manliness.

This post is dedicated to my favourite author, whose novels helped me to learn english and the characters like Tracy Whitney in his novels taught me to have faith in me.

“The foolish think the Eagle weak, and easy to bring to heel. The Eagle’s wings are silken, but its claws are made of steel”

To Sidney Sheldon. May your soul rest in peace

14 thoughts on “Jomo

  1. who can ever forget if tomorrow comes and tracy whitney !! Oh my god. I remember my librarian insisting that I read the book when I thought of returning it unread – i just could not stand the thought of all the things that she went trho in prison. But my librarian did not even get the lending fees. she just wanted me read it. bless her !!

  2. Revathy: I am glad you liked Sidney Sheldon’s novels

    Thanu: I don;t know…Most mallu guys think, they are handsome when they remsemble an ape

    Pb: ofcourse

    maddy: Nah.. It was endless love the reason is simple..I remember any songs about eyes
    “And your eyes
    Your eyes,
    your eyes
    They tell me how much you care
    Ooh yes,
    you will always be
    My endless love”

    Neihal: In my eyes, there is absolutely NOthing manly about body hair!

    Dumela: me too

    Moontalk: Pavam Sarah!

    Sk: Karangufying in his bike I guess!

    Fuuny girl: What to do!

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