Part I

In July sometime, I went to Kerala for my cousin’s wedding. Just me and mom. Apart from the fact that we reached right after the wedding finished, the rest of the stay was simply amazing. Not only because I met with all my aunts, uncles and cousins but also some real hilarious company.

My cousins’ cousins, Sentil and Peter Thompson are from Canada. Sentil is 20 years old and is studying Law, and Peter is in seventh Grade and is 12.

Both have the most amazing sense of humor I’ve come across, but I was never tired of laughing. You won’t see Peter without the GameBoy Advance in his hand, although later when I tried, it wasn’t all that bad. The good part being that you had something like 290 lives. So dying was the last thing on your mind.

I once stated my life's desire with a sombre expression fit for Condoleezza Rice, “I’d like to be a CNN correspondent.” That started a common joke that never stopped being funny.
Standing up with a make-believe mic, Sentil and Peter would say with a serious expression, “Sobhagya Jose (pause) Baghdad,” with a jerk of the head. And they would be in splits the next second. I couldn’t help but join in.

And every time, I said my name for any reason, one of them would add, “Baghdad.”, and all of us would laugh till our sides ached.

Another common joke became how one of Peter’s classmates had tried to pass off a French assignment without preparing. He would point at the things around him in class, and say in turn, “Le desk, le chair, le fan, le crackers…” Peter used to find this joke especially funny, and acted no less than a lunatic every time he recited this one.

I still appreciate the good time I had with them back in Kerala and hope to meet them again some time. Although it seems unlikely. Thanks guys, for being yourselves and giving me one of my most memorable stays.