In triplicate

I finally did finish the book "American Pastoral". Was surprised that it was over. Felt it was abrupt ending. But since the story is told in a kind of flash back, it was not abrupt. But I did not see it coming

Anyways.... 

In another topic, you English speakers, or mostly Europeans who read, write and study the same language, may think that, these colonized people (by you) who are always bilingual or sometimes tri-lingual are so smart, so lucky, so sharp etc. 

May be, we may have developed few extra neurons while learning by-rote 'English' which is completely unrelated to our native tongues. 

And by God, do we need this 'foreign' tongue! In our own city Bengaluru, where the official language and the state language is Kannada, half the people don't know Kannada. But almost all of us can at least understand English. I presume similar is the case in all other metros.

And here comes the third language - Hindi. Many shop keepers and their sales girls/boys don't know Kannada, but can only speak Hindi. In stead of trying to teach them Kannada, it is easier for us to speak in (grammatically incorrect) Hindi. 

But we knew Hindi long before our streets were occupied by Hindi people. We learnt this national language not so much in our schools (though our teachers struggled a lot to teach us Hindi from 6th standard), but watching Bollywood films, and later on TV serials. 

And we learnt English less  in schools, more reading novels. Starting with romance series - Mills and Boons, then graduating to Sidney Sheldon, then to Agatha Christies and ultimately to Somerset Maugham. 

So why am I complaining today when we have a rare advantage? 

Because when you hear some messages in triplicate - in three different languages, you feel thrice hurt. Like when you call some one and the phone says 'The person you are calling is not picking up your call' - 'aap jis vyakti to call kar rahe hain, wo uttar nahi de rahe hain', 'neevu kare maduttiruva vyaktiyu uttarisuttilla'. 

Aha, triple dhamaka - that person doesn't want to speak to you in any of the three languages! 

To be fair, it may not be as much as he/she doesn't want to talk to you, but may be he/she is slightly far from the phone (few more feet than usual - you know how we old people are) and did not hear you at all. But the mind thinks the worst - why is he/she not answering the phone? Are they alright? Whom do I call to check on them? Do I have to travel there now? You know we old people think.