உடல் சரியில்லை (Body not well)

I'm sick :o( Literal translation, 'body not well'. I think all my gallivanting around 'hotter' Chennai on Saturday plus a late night of cheering on CSK (yeah, they won!) has lead to a vicious head cold, complete with nasty cough. Udal seriyillai, indeed! 

One of the problems with having a cold in India (well, apart from the obvious lack of matzah ball soup) is that, as with everything, everyone has a different opinion about why you are sick and what you should do. And they love to share.

"You are not well?" they ask. Why aren't you taking any tablets? Judy thinks it's from the air conditioner, and that I need antibiotics. According to her, if you have a head cold and don't take antibiotics, it will affect your whole body. Vanitha thinks it's because I ate the ginger cake that Jacob made. Mani says I should go home and take rest (I love that Indian English phrase- 'take rest'). Bharathi thinks I need paracetamol (tylenol), Alex says brandy, and Jacob says lemon juice.  The only person who made me feel better was Geetha, the tea lady.  With her sweet concerned face, she asked in broken English if I was ok.  When I responded in Tamil, she was so happy I was speaking Tamil that her face just lit up and she started smiling and laughing, which of course made me smile.  I swear, I think I love her!  

Taking my own advice, I scored some codeine cough syrup from the “pharmacy” and will be drinking that tonight (cheers, Amol!). And I guess Maggi noodles will have to be my Indian substitute for Jewish penicillin.