Just like her...

she my hero
growing up
Some 15 years older than I
she was so pretty...

hailing form the sheltered lill town of Ooty
at 18 she chose to fly the coop
to pursue a career... as flight attendant for AI
of course... my conservative Maharashtrian grand ma... threw a hissy fit

long hair... long nails to match
beautiful smelling perfumes
classy clothes
she talked thru closed teeth
n jet'd all over the world...

every visit home from Bombay, her base, she came bearing gifts from around the world
chocolates...
scented pencils n erasers...
fancy cheeses...
lovely kleenex tissue boxes...
pretty dresses...

she married for love
an equally lovely human
he was a tall n handsome Punjabi from the Navy
was Aide De Camp for the then President of India... Sanjiva Reddy
of course... my conservative Maharashtrian grand ma... threw a hissy fit

she went on to have 2 kids
one boy... oh! so cute
one girl.. oh! so cuddly
of course... my conservative Maharashtrian grand ma was... oh! so thrilled

she quit her job of 2 decades
to play dutiful wife to the diplomat her husband became for India
they moved to Sri Lanka
wined and dined with Presidents of the world

On returning she went on to become entrepreneur
head n run many successful businesses

5 years back...
she visited me here in the US
her son was starting Under Graduate studies at a University here in the US
amidst all that excitement...she helped me potty train Rehwa
m&m's being the reward... for a successful pee/poo job done

today her kid... Ragi graduated engineering school...

i am so proud...
i am so proud

of you Niru Masi
beautiful... strong... successful

i wanted to be... JUST LIKE YOU :)