At the Taj Mahal restaurant in Khor Fakkan, sitting in front of a sumptuous spread, brother-in law remarks,

“Nehru must be feeling quite happy right now, wherever he is…”

Nehru?? Why Nehru??…. And how or why would he be feeling happy??

Surprised we look at him for enlightenment.

He calmly points to the Chicken tikka masala and the Fish with mushroom and baby corn, Chinese style, and says:

“Hindi Chini bhai bhai”

*     *     *     *     *

Four members of a ‘global’ family conferencing on google chat from different parts of the world. The junior son is kicked off the net by a fickle internet connection. When he is re-connected:

Junior son: What did I miss?? What did I miss??

Senior son: You missed your stake in our parents’ will. It’s all mine, now.

*     *     *     *     *

The sisters are on their own, moving about on bus and on the metro in Dubai; no need of chauffeur services from my brother-in-law to move around. Sis is thrilled (so am I, by the way). We have covered most of the important places. But this new found freedom of moving out on our own is intoxicating and so sis wants to go out some more.

Sis (seeking advice, excitedly): Where shall we go next?? Where shall we go next??

Brother-in-law (mildly exasperated or pretending to be): Do one thing. Get into a bus and ask the driver. He will tell you.

 *     *     *     *     *

**The catch phrase of India’s diplomacy with China in the 1950s, Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai means, in Hindi, “Indians and Chinese are brothers”