Life is Beautiful

Some people become more than friends. Over the years, they quietly turn into a family. Especially when your friend’s spouse becomes your friend too — that is a whole different level. And then somehow, the friendship spills into the next generation. My daughter and his daughter adore each other despite the age difference. Vignesh — my friend, my bro — a friend from school. And Brinda, his lovely wife. They are family. She is pretty, sophisticated, elegant, has expensive taste, a little introverted… very girly, and loves fashion. She influenced me in many ways she is probably not even aware of. Somewhere along the way, she became my person too. These days, I talk to her more than I do with him. In fact, my first all-girls trip was with her. We even celebrated her birthday — belatedly. Their house became my safe haven in Chennai. Every time I got into a fight with my husband, I would bunk office and go straight to their house unannounced. They would drop whatever they were doing. Sometime...

Lunch breaks are usually the only real “me time” I get. I normally spend them doom scrolling or rewatching a comfort series I’ve already seen. I am one of the few people who go to lunch early to avoid the crowd, so the cafeteria is usually half empty. The housekeeping staff would just be setting up the vessels, barely beginning to fill the food counters. Ever since the rise of TVK, I’ve often overheard playful banter between the housekeeping akkas about TVK and DMK politics. I became a silent participant in their conversations. I smile when I agree, make a face when I don’t, and somehow they notice. They smile back, acknowledge me, and sometimes even pull me into their arguments. One akka once told me she supports the new party because her daughter strongly vouched for it. It quietly became part of my daily ritual. One afternoon, I saw the same akka near the food counter smiling at me while I was checking the menu and figuring out what to eat. She got a phone call. Within seconds, her ...