25 years and filter coffee

The second an individual goes past this milestone, they are special. Between the time an individual crosses over from 24 years & 364 days of age to 25 years of age, somehow they magically become eligible for marraige. Overnight people become mature enough to handle a relationship and family, who until very recently are apparently not capable of taking care of themselves.

Enna nakkala !!!!!

Everyone from mom to dad, pakkathathu mama to therumunai mami, from edhirvettu uncle to pakkathu theru aunty, from paalkaare to veetu velaikaare, from every relative who's name you know to those whose names you don't know are asking you the same annoying question. Eppo ponnu paaka aarambikkalam ?? What kind of a girl do you want ? What is this ? They talk like girls eligible for marraige are picked off a shelf and delivered on demand. Reality is quite the opposite.

It's a herculean effort not to start reeling off this barrage of abuse and say, "poi coffee kudinga, aareda podhu."

Someone asks me this question once, thats fine. I very politely tell them that work is just settling down, maybe in a years time I am willing to reconsider my position. Problem starts when the same people come back and ask me the same annoying question in less than a years time - much much much less than a year, like a week or two days. Not just twice or thrice, but again and again and again and again and freakin again. Please note, I say people and NOT person.

Can someone please tell me why I shouldn't be pissed off ?

1 year = 12 months = 52 weeks = 365 days. Does that equation change for someone who's turned 25 years old ? Time suddenly flies by a lot faster, is it ? A year apparenly shrinks to less than 7 days.

All of a sudden, people are suffering from selective hearing. A "no" to marraige is just not audible. Neither is "paakalam" nor "eppo vendam" or anything to that effect.

Marraiges are made in heaven. What a load of crap.

Marraiges are made when a bunch of bored aunties are having filter coffee on an idle Tuesday afternoon. Let me attempt an explanation.

Vanaja* aunty says, "Yeindee amma, endha vishayam theriyuma unakku. Last week ennoda womans club secretary oda peranukku kalyanam aachi. Anga namma X avaloda paiyan Y oda vanderundha. Y nalla valandhutaan theriyuma. M.S mudichittu, eppo XX company la work panraanam. Adutha maasam green card apply panna pooraanam. Smart boy."

Suddenly, the home made sugar free mysore paaku and oil starved murukku are no longer the centre of attention. Girija* aunty next to her is quick to react, pounce on the opportunity.

"Appadiya mami, neythu dhaan madya kailas kovilukku namma A vanderundha. Kooda avaloda ponnu B vanderundha. Avalum M.S mudichittu eppo YY company la work panra. Periya manushi aaita theriyuma. Beautiful girl."

Hmm. There is this deathly silence for about 10 seconds as everyone tries to work out the politics between themselves, X and A. After another 10 seconds of second guessing and self doubt, consensus is reached - the group approves of X and A as in-laws.

"Appo Y ku namma B ya paaka sollalaamey." A month later, Y and B are engaged. Six months later, Y and B become Mr & Mrs Y.

Stop being naive. This is reality. If you don't believe it, you need to wake up and smell the filter coffee.

* All names used in the above narration are fictional and bear no intentional resemblance to any person living or dead.