Pairs

Good things come in pairs. Socks, Twix, eyes, badminton raquets. What good is one without the other? Ammi and Thathi are the same as any pair, for a short period of time things go on swimmingly, but tear the two asunder for too long and the universe gets flipped on its head. Add an exotic locale to the above and you'll find yourself a recipe for disaster, one so fine that even Aiya could not replicate. Have no fear, this isn't an entry where I rant about my dysfunctional family. Just the dysfunction that this trip has thus far been.

It seems that Thathi who is normally an extremely anal retentive person suddenly finds a prune juice like elixor when entering a tropical climate. To me it's completely inexplicable, because the heat does not change any level of analness in me. It actually seems to have hit a steady pace and has not fluctuated in a good 3 years I'd have to say. Vacations to the beach infuriate me because I feel like it's such a waste of time to be just sitting around and doing nothing. Don't get me wrong, I love my do nothing time, I find that it's the best way to procrastinate, but do nothing time is best enjoyed when you actually have something to do. That's the best way to savour it. Anywho, so it seems like Thathi has developed the ability to not think ahead. In Sri Lanka there are no hidden agendas, so when you go to the store to pick up some eggs it isn't code for, go to the store to get eggs, and on the way stop off at the hardware, lawn and pet store. Instead it's more like this.

Me: So what are we doing tomorrow?
Thathi: I don't know.
Me: Well, we haven't done anything since the Monday we came.
Thathi: There's still a lot of time left.
Me: You only have two weeks left and you haven't called any of the 30 something people you're supposed to have a meal with
Thathi: We'll play it by ear.
Me: You can play it by ear. I have plans.

At least I have a little bit of control. What this means however is probably doing absolutely nothing with Thathi in the next 2 weeks before he leaves. Thankfully I've kept in touch with my work mates from last year and don't find the company of my cousins insipid. Otherwise there'd be a big problem. It seems that Thathi and his brothers seems to be quite content to hang around around topless, with their man bosoms resting on their guts while they sit under a ceiling fan. To them it seems unfathomable why anyone would not take pleasure in such an exhilarating pursuit. For one, it's just not a pretty picture. To see four men who bare more than a passing resemblance to each other with guts out... I'll leave that mental imagery to you. They are all rather happy in each others' company, which is okay, because they are a tight knit family. I however find the heat stifling enough, I don't need to be further suffocated by overweight relatives. It is precisely for this and many other minor reasons that I have decided to start working ASAP. For sanity's sake I hope it's no later than this Wednesday.

When Ammi's around Thathi is manageable, because she can reel in the craziness. Without her here it's like a free for all. Guess that's why they've worked so well these past 30 years.