one copy printed
birthday,
ammu
and stay still
hi,betu
saree day 04
Social, HKV 05
Diwali 06
Chakrata 07
Tamilian radar 08
ammu dictionary 09
overheard 10
by the numbers 11
the tape 12
horoscope 13
dance card 14
coupons 15
dance floor 16
my letter 17
On the 15th you asked if I remembered your birthday. Then you asked for the moon.
The moon was out of stock. So I made you a magazine. There's one copy and it's yours.
Turn your sound on and press ▶ at the bottom. Every page has its own song.
How to dance
like PrasidhaI've been studying this for months.
- A song comes on. Say "ispe toh itta zor se dance aata hai".
- Shoulders first. Then everything else.
- Spin so the dupatta flies out.
- Very happy? Do the happy dance.
- Hair flip. Every time.
- Tell Harsh "see, I told you it feels nice".
saree
daywhite, gold, one lane, four photos
I told you once that whenever you click something for yourself, it comes out pretty. This is what I meant. A normal lane, and you walking down it like there's a song only you can hear.
04
the floor is hers
You sent these with "meri social wali fotus kya nice nice aayi hai". Nice nice is underselling it, ammu. I kept going back to this one.
05
the plan you kept postponing
- Mountains over Goa. "Goa nhi jaana merko."
- Momos at every stop.
- "Jab tak maut ko chookar aane ka exp na ho, trip adhoori lagti hai." Like that cave in Chakrata where you guys almost jumped.
- Bike trip with me is still pending. Tujhe chipak ke baithna padega, I already told you.
- You've watched every Rajini movie in theatre. Every single one. I've seen like two, so you'll have to explain the whistles to me.
- "This is idli upma." That was the whole message.
- You wanted photos of me in a veshti at that Tamil wedding. Main pehen lunga, bas tu saath chal.
- I called you kanmani once and you asked "kaha se seekhra hai Tamil shamil". Honestly it's the only word I know.
- On the train you told me the girl next to you was Tamilian, and I said yeah she looked Tamilian. Radar on both sides.
the ammu dictionary
- betu
- n. what I call you. 70 times since July.
- tdhu tdhu
- adj. a little. Only you type it like this. "tdhu tdhu beard rkhke dekh"
- cuddly shuddly
- n. the plan for every night. "Terko cuddly shuddly krke sleep krne ka mann hora."
- fotus
- n. photos, but cuter. "Meri social wali fotus kya nice nice aayi hai."
- dance dunce
- v. what happens at every party.
- happy dance
- n. the one I said looks like a cat. You said you dance pretty well otherwise.
- ptani
- adv. pata nahi, with a shrug. 11 uses.
- hihi
- interj. 43 times. Mostly right before you ask me for something.
- softie softie
- adj. "itta soft soft toh hun main, pillow jaisa."
- Rio
- n. the dog who took your big soft toy.
- momo chronicles
- n. an ongoing series. You quit momos on 17 Aug. Next episode: Delhi Haat, INA.
- kanmani
- n. my entire Tamil vocabulary. Used only on you.
overheard on WhatsApp
ammu 🩷onlineus, by the numbers
side AHindi + Tamil item songs. tap a song.
- Munni Badnaam HI Malaika era
- Oo Solriya TA ooo
- O Saki Saki HI hips first
- Vaathi Coming TA the shoulder one
- Dilbar HI belly dance attempt
- Aaluma Doluma TA full volume
Scorpio season
heart in Delhi
boyfriend in Gwalior
- love
- you got a zine instead of a 12 baje wala text. hope it was worth the wait.
- travel
- the stars are saying Kalpa and honestly so am I. We'll bike up through Kinnaur, you sitting chipak ke behind me, snow on the peaks the whole way. Those roads pass your maut-ko-chookar rule too.
- food
- momos are back on. INA Delhi Haat first, then pastry cake, and I won't say a word.
- style
- the pink skirt with the golden border. get the nail extensions also.
- dance
- every song. do the happy dance in public, I don't care who's looking.
- first dance, Mumbaime
- the happy danceme
- a club in Delhi, every songme
- garba (I'll learn)me
- kitchen, 1 a.m.me
- the slow oneme
- everything afterstill me
TAKEN
♥
birthday coupons
your floora Bollywood x South mashup. I'll try to keep up.
Ammu,
Happy birthday. I know I didn't wish you at 12. I could have. But you're so good to everyone that they all want to be the one who wishes you at midnight. I wanted mine to be different. I wanted to give you time to read this properly, press all the buttons, and enjoy it.
You were right about dancing. I spent my whole life scared of looking stupid. Then one night I danced to every single song, and the first person I wanted to tell was you. You said "lesgoo proud of you". I've reread that more times than I'll admit.
I know this year hasn't been easy on us, and that's mostly on me. You asked me for one promise, that I never break your trust again. I'm writing it down here so you have it on paper. I won't.
Come to Mumbai soon. I'll pick you up from Vasai Road on the bike, you'll have to sit chipak ke, and we'll get stuck on some bridge again. Bring the pink skirt. Save me the slow dance, and the happy one.
love you, betu
Harsh