Remember me!?

They may be your uncle or aunt albeit a little far!
Then again course they may not be a star!
So when they stun you with that query you shiver you see!
The dreaded question, “Do you remember me!”

I have never answered this question correctly!

When someone closes your eyes from behind and asks; “Guess who!?”

A recent movie called Meiyazhagan made everyone including me nostalgic! If you have not seen it yet; well, do it after you read the blog!

One of the few movies of recent times which you can see with family sans the ‘drink’ part which I would never approve!

Nostalgia, family and being open!

read on!

I love weddings! The fun and the planning and the food!

There are many groups of people in a wedding who are attendees!
One group would get a center prime spot and everyone would come to them! They would get up only for food and their circle slowly goes on increasing!
They would either be the eldest of the family or the most ‘influential’! The weight and the age also are important factors here! They are usually serious looking and smile only when you approach them!

The other group would move around! They are like a river who would have a round! They would know everyone! They are always full of smiles and they are usually happy or at least look happy!

The ones who sit in the front are usually the close relatives who would be the ones in case you need any help! It can be taking care of the changing or storage room key or keeping the ‘important bag’ safe!

The ones who sit in the end are the ones who have come only to give ‘attendance’ and may come only for the reception and stay away from the actual wedding!

The kids would be running around while the older ‘kids’ would group together for snaps! The amount of efforts girls and ladies put to their attires would be so much while the boys would be just the opposite!

This was good for me since all I had to do was wear a clean new looking dress! No fuss!

The most dangerous would be those ‘aunties’ who would then suddenly corner you and ask, “Remember me!?”

Oh how I would dread those words!

If mom was nearby then it was easy since she would always give the answer! Otherwise it was tricky!

If the auntie was smiling and she approaches you then rest assured she is from your mother’s side! Dad’s side would ‘allow’ you to approach them!
Then you have to see the approximate age! In all probability she had to be one of the many cousins of your mother or father!

All you have to say is “oh yes! you are Mom’s…” Just that start is enough most of the time since even the auntie sometimes may not really know you!

I would usually say that and escape!

Of course this is an open secret since many do not know each other in a big wedding! So all you have to do is smile and carry on!

If you know someone well then increase the smile which is encouragement to talk and if you do not remember someone then simply reduce the smile intensity, fish out your phone and scoot!

Luckily you must also know that most of the time people would like to announce themselves! Like do you know who I am is usually followed by, I used to take care or your Mother or Father as a kid! Or words like I know your mother or father when she or he were so little or young like you! In that case you really do not have to know them! It would be lucky if your parents themself remembered those old aunties and uncles!

The most important rule is that there is a long time to be spent while having food so make sure you have food only with those people whom you know well! Or else you are trapped! Then the only way out is to go on stuffing your mouth with food or cough!

Then I guess it is all worth it when the plantain leaf meal is served! The taste is something well worth the trouble of going through ‘remember me’ relatives and friends! Just remember that everyone is finally a distant relative to you! By the way did you know that the birthday celebrity Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman or V V S Laxman is the great-grandnephew of India’s second President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan!

Now even if you forget or do not remember whose that person is in the wedding, like one of my friend please do not forget whose wedding it is!

On that note remember to set the alarm and sleep!
Shubh Ratri!