Dallas Despatch  II
Howdy folks,

The delay has been due to a ‘scheduled’ halt on the 17^th, i.e. the birth of Janu’s baby.

So, 17^th morning saw all of us at the Baylor Women’s Centre, at 7:30 am. BWC, is just a part of the Baylor Med Centre, and it is huge. The waiting hall is more like a star hotel than a ‘typical’ hospital. And there was a total absence of the odors (disinfectants, medicines etc.) that normally greet us in hospitals.  Only Jenny was allowed to be present during the procedure & he too was scrubbed & attired accordingly!

 - Nikita, our second granddaughter arrived at 10:40 am, all of 6.14 lbs & in good shape!  But it would be a while, before we could see her. That happened at 3:30 pm! 



Of course, the hospital had all the signs of efficiency & more, that are commonplace, but out here, taken/implemented seriously. BTW, the restaurant gives a discount to customers, who have relatives admitted. As regards the professional care, most jobs are done by nurses, the doctors coming on the scene only for  specific jobs. Besides, there was  staff from the pantry, hospitality etc. Frills like pink/blue coloured stickers saying ‘Sister/Brother’, wrist bands,  free meals for One person accompanying etc. are routine fare.

To digress a bit, another thing I noticed is that there is a  large number of  ‘Indian’ stores, selling typically Indian groceries & vegetables. Some are huge & it will not be out of place to put them in the same league as say Sams or even Walmart, though of course, these are basically selling provisions & vegetables (Farmer’s Market!) … and also  diverse commodities, from  ‘Pooja’ items to costume jewelry !. Inference drawn is that we have a lot of country cousins in these parts. Didn’t see too many of them elsewhere, but they were all at these ‘markets’.  Of course, I did not expect any of them to even raise a brow in token of acknowledging my presence, so I was not disappointed!

But…. but, I am greeted warmly by so many people when I go for a walk each morning, total strangers, but this small gesture gives a great start to my day. And to prove the law that exceptions are the rule, only this morning I crossed paths with a ‘man from back home’, who gave me a nod, (in return of my Hi!), as though it was at gunpoint!! This has been a constant feature during all my previous visits, & I have made a mention of this in every blog I wrote. Not that I need any explanations, but if someone could shed some light on this ‘acquired trait’, it will help me put it out of the way. Some of my young friends have been here for a while & if they access this blog, I would really want their views. I was explained, that back home (India, that is!) we are not in the habit of wishing everyone and anyone, except known persons, so the habit is bbf! Perhaps. Anyway, this is the burden of my song each time I come here & I guess I shall carry this burden for life!

But to get back to the business at hand. Yes, I was ‘swamped’ by so many friends asking me if I was going to write something this time. My immediate response was that since we weren’t going to be travelling & most of my blogs were travelogues (incl local outings), I was not sure whether there would be the required motivation to do so. Fortunately, inspiration came, as it does to the famous, like a flash, at the most unexpected moment (& place!)

Anshuman flew in from Galveston after signing off, which was a big relief, as earlier, he was to have flown to Mum, stayed a night & taken a flt to Dallas next day! Galveston is four hours away(air + road), so those inclined to some quick calculations, see how many hours (& hassles) he saved!!

So, after years of planning (& hoping) the Gunes are finally together, in the US of A!  Anshuman, Reshma & Samruddhi are staying at an ‘Extended Stay’ hotel and are  enjoying every moment together! 

They shift back here on Monday .

About a fortnight back, I got dropped off at Barnes & Noble (the very name sounds so refined/high brow!), perhaps the best book store chain here, to do some browsing & possibly pick up a good book. To add to your comfort, there’s a  Starbucks Coffee  counter , with lots of seating. So, settling down with a book of your choice & a hot cup of drinking chocolate (or coffee) and your day is made. I bought a hardcover biography on Gen George S Patton, one of the most outstanding officers (& highly controversial, to the rest of the hierarchy!) of our times. Having served in the Armoured Corps, the book meant much more to me, as Gen Patton demonstrated, with great success, what Armoured warfare was all about.

As I write this, the Jacobs are back home, Gune Jrs are back here from the hotel and life at Aptt 614  revolves around Miss Nikita Jacob, now 16 days into this world. The weather too has been pretty severe, with  Sparta, the winter storm, depositing tons of snow all over the country & Dallas too has had more than it’s share of snow, ice covered roads & chilly winds, the last mentioned being the worst! However, this has not deterred the die-hard  shoppers in the family from stepping out, every other day.

As has been proved again & again, for centuries and in every household across the world,  the arrival of a baby, completely alters the routine (& behaviour) of the household. Honestly, I can’t remember having been so (‘grand’) fatherly, when Janu, Anshuman were born; though the kids aver that we were ‘like this only’. God bless them! So, meal timings, personal grooming & v imp, volume of the TV, are all changed, to suit the princess! One hears that Queen Victoria & her ilk had just to make a tacit gesture & the realm would be in a tizzy. Here, Nikita doesn’t even have to do that! She’s got everyone on ‘stand-by’ mode!! But no one is complaining.


A word here about Samruddhi.  Pending the arrival of Nikita, we were all wondering how Samruddhi would react to the new cousin (& cynosure of all eyes). 

We had heard stories of sibling reactions, ranging from outright jealousy to an overprotective attitude. Samru has been neither!. But Samruddhi has always been very different (I know, I know, all grandparents think that their grandchildren are special) right from the beginning. Fiercely independent, it has always been,  “Samru karte” (Samru will do it) whether opening a bottle, eating or any other activity, she has stubbornly spurned any effort of assistance! Her elder sister act has been the best.

Crossing her legs, she has been holding Nikita (as with cousins Aarav & Aishanya) most comfortably on her lap, planting small kisses on the head. Of late, she has been conversing only in English. Completely self-taught, she puts across exactly what she has in mind. To use a cliché’, a picture is worth a hundred words, please see alongside!! Frankly, you can never have enough of her (TW!) God bless her!  

Talking about the snow, last evening, before the snow shut us in, we did a bit of essential shopping & the Indian Stores was on the list. Can you imagine, there was this sign that read, “I am clouse(sic) due to snow”!!  Coming from Mr Patel, (I presume that’s the owner’s name), we were more than surprised. I suppose the Americanisation of Mr Patel is complete!! Old ‘Mataji Super Market’ back home would perhaps even deliver your essential needs, in bad weather. Take your pick!

That’s it folks for now. As I write this, the worst of Sparta, the winter storm is over.


 The sun is out, & the ‘snow-white’ snow, is causing a harsh glare due to it’s reflection. From tomorrow onward, the weather should be quite comfortable, so activities suspended, should resume. Hopefully, I should be able to spot more birds now during our walks. The trees are already showing signs of sprouting buds, & so, Spring should be round the corner. ! Cheers to that!

Two things I would definitely like to see. One, a typical Wild West town (a la Rio Bravo etc.) with cowboys with chaps & ten-galloners perched on their heads & The Alamo, where Davy Crockett fought the famous battle. As I’ve mentioned in my blogs of yore, these are places, events & characters, one grew up, reading  and hearing about in school, along with  heroes from  India. They’ve made a place somewhere in your mind & hence the urge to set one’s eyes upon the real thing. Perhaps it would be disappointing, (like the all-American hot dog!!) or, perhaps even greater than what we read. We shall see, when we shall.

Till then TC you all.

Ashok Gune

This has been written over a period of   a few  weeks , therefore, events have been reported in that time frame!