Halloween Haiku

Halloween is here.
Yummy candy and costumes.
Yay! Trick-or-Treating.

Ear piercing

“S, wake up. You have to get up.” My dad gently shook me awake. “Ugh.” I muttered. “Fine.” I got out of bed and waddled to the apartment on the other side of the building, where my dad’s parents lived. “Good morning.” my mom said. “Hi.” I replied. I went to the bedroom, grabbed my toothbrush and went back to the previous apartment, where my dad’s aunt (his mom’s sister) lived. I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. When I was done brushing, I took a bath. After, I wrapped a towel around my body and went to the other house. There was a pretty big line waiting for the bathroom. I dried my body and dressed up in new clothes for the party. 

“Hello everybody!” I exclaimed. 

“Hi!” my mom said. 

“You look great!” “Thank you. Can I have some Boost?” (Boost is chocolate based powder you mix in hot milk.) 

“Sure.” Both my dad’s parents and my mom’s parents were there. After breakfast, we waited for my dad brother to show up, because he would take us to the party hall. When he came, we all went downstairs and assembled in his Honda car. Me, my mom, my sister and grandma (mom’s side) drove for a minute and then we were at the party hall. 

“Wow!” The place was filled with balloons! When we got out of the car, everyone started taking pictures of us! My parents had hired a professional photographer, and he was a friend. His name was Ranjan. Then my dad and my mom’s dad started taking pics of us too! Mostly they were focusing on N, but after we got together, my family had our own photoshoot! First, they did family shots. Then my sister and my parents, and then me and my dad, and then just me. For my sister, my mom and dad held her hand and tried to make her walk. She didn’t want to though. I had to make noises from behind Ranjan to make her come. When it was my turn, they had me do so many different poses! But it was fun. Then for me and my dad, they only took one shot. Then FINALLY, we went in! The party hall was actually a marriage hall, but not like an American wedding.There was a medium size stage in the front of the hall, and then to the side, there were 2 rooms with beds in each and a big closet for storage. And right in front of the entrance, there was a small table. On the table, there was a shaker filled with water with small holes on top, and a huge plate filled with sugar, rock candy, and chocolate and caramel candies. 

“S, I have a job for you.” My dad said. 

“Sure, what is it?” I asked. 

“You can sit at this table and welcome anyone who comes and offer them sweets.” He said. 

“No! That’ll be so boring! I’ll have nothing to do!” I replied. “When more people come, you can leave. Here take Amma’s (Mom’s) phone. Take pictures.” He said. Then he walked away. After 5 to 10 minutes, my grandpa came over. 

“Hi. Come eat.” he said. 

“I’m not hungry.” I said. 

“You’re never hungry.” he said. “Come on.” 

“Okay.” I said, boredly. 

Then my mom and dad came to eat as well. We went upstairs and found a lot of tables. In South India, people eat on banana leaves, not plates normally. So we sat down and ate. My mom had a hard time, because my sister wanted to eat everything, including the banana leaf on which her breakfast was served. While we were eating, my mom’s dad’s brother came. He sat down to eat with us. After he held my sister. Then we went back downstairs for another photoshoot, this time with my cousin, for some reason. Then FINALLY, the function started. My mom and dad sat on the stage, with 3-4 swami-jis. They help with the function process, kind of like priests in American ceremonies. I talked with a million people, then my dad’s dad grabbed my hand. “Let go!” I exclaimed. “I want you to meet someone.” he said. “Okay.” I replied. We walked over to someone. “Hi.” I said. “Hello.” they replied. We shook hands. Then I scampered. I went up to the stage, were my mom was holding a dress that we bought at Pothy’s, a HUGE store for Indian dresses. It would be the size of a mall, with 6 floors! She told me, “Change into this dress and then come out.” “Okay. I changed and came out. “Wow! It looks very nice!” “Thank you!” Then, the really important thing happened. The swami-jis called my family to the stage. Then they sat my sister in my grandfather’s lap. The earpiercer came and made a dot on N's ear. Then, as me and my dad were biting our nails in tension, and so was everyone else, the earpiercer took his machine thingy and… “CA-CHUNK!” My sister cried so hard, the whole room could hear without a microphone. They attached the earrings in both ears, and “Tada!

She looked SO cute! After that, everyone gave us gifts, cards and presents. I remember my mom’s cousin gave us a really cool musical instrument from Bali, along with a magnet and hair ties. When the last gift was given, some people brought out… A cake! It was shaped like a star (my idea!) and it was black forest flavor. It was star shaped to signify my sister - N means star in Tamil, my mother tongue. I had a tiny bit and then I helped give it out to everyone else. Then we actually ate lunch. I had rasam sadham and sambar sadham with banana chips and potatoes. Once I was done eating, I noticed a crowd over at a table. There was vanilla ice cream! I took one after asking my mom and then ate my grandpa’s since he didn’t want his. 

That was the end of the show! 

Everyone left.  My mom’s cousin, the one who gave us gifts from Bali played with N and the photographers took LOT more pictures. After it was just my family and my mom’s parents and Ranjan, everyone started to clean up. I was sent to watch my sleeping sister and I fell asleep! When I woke up, we went home and looked at all the gifts. It was an end to a few hours of fun. In total we had collected almost 5000 rupees in gifts and cards. Rupees is Indian currency just like dollar is for America.

 I hope next time when I visit India we have a party like this! Even bigger.

                                        Finish

Vacation post

India story....