Anything for a bit of Bangla

Arnab: I really wish he was a bong, you know.

Patrali: Barabari. Don’t you think that’s asking for too much- a bong doctor in Sydney?

Arnab: Precisely. Just the way you said ‘Barabari’ – it describes the situation , in exactly the way you want to convey. One word. And it says it all. If the doc was bong he’d understand my miseries better.

Patrali: English will suffice, for your little aches and pains. Moreover, you are obsessed with medicines. I think its a bong trait.

Arnab: Pat, if our doc was not Chinese, he’d never have sent me for a CT scan. Its just a ‘chien’ that goes up my temples, early in the morning. And it begins with a ‘shurshuri’ in my nose. If our dude was bong, he’d know its just common cold or a bad case of sinusitis. And would have prescribed normal antihistamines or some such. And more importantly I could have just said those two words and conveyed accurately, my symptoms.

Patrali: If you knew the diagnosis, why did you bother going to him? Besides, you are always popping Dispirin and Crocin, down your throat.

Arnab: oho, you won’t understand..have you ever tried having a Dispirin after an afternoon siesta?  Your body becomes- ‘jhorjhore’ …I can’t explain..And I so wanted to tell the doc that after the ‘chien’ up my temples my head has this horrible ‘dhuk dhuk’ like Konark Express. And the Khosh Khosh in my throat- see its not exactly itching - its Khosh Khosh.

Patrali: A headache, Arnab. Why won’t just saying ‘A headache’ explain the situation?

Arnab: Its the satisfaction of talking in Bangla, Pat. There is a shookh in speaking Bangla... I miss it. You feel complete explaining stuff in your mother tongue.

Patrali: You sound like a la MNS member from Maharashtra. Are you planning on leading one in Kolkata when you get back? All non-bongs go back?

Arnab: Trust you to make an extreme situation out of anything.  But seriously Pat, don’t you miss talking to people in Bangla? Aren’t you utterly bored of speaking English at your workplace, park, daycare, doctor, supermarket…?

Patrali: hhhhmmmmmmmmm I could do with some Oriya.

Arnab: Yea..that’s what I am trying to convey…yesterday when my colleague was trying to explain desperately how her 3 year old was throwing a tantrum at the toy store and that he just couldn’t understand the syndrome… I wanted to tell him- ‘dada, its nothing- its ‘bayena’ and every kid gets over it soon. Don’t try to beshi beshi matha ghamao over such things…

Patrali: Is this some sort of a hint?

Arnab: Yah, lets go back.

Patrali: WHAT?! All because you can’t speak to your doc in Bangla??  I need a better reason. Also the Bangladesi shop sells awesome Rui-Katla, better than the Ameerpet market.

Arnab: Hmmmm…*looks forlorn and sad*

Patrali: *makes a face and talks to self* I should have known what i was getting into, in Falaknama express itself.

Arnab: I promise to get you an Oriya cook, if you agree to go back.

Patrali: I want a written apology for what you just said! Tell, me why didn’t you just marry a bong?

Arnab: Will you find me one, at this age?

Patrali: *Grumbles* Buro Boyeshe Bimroti. we leave in 6 months.

Arnab: Pat. This is why, I married you.