first encounter with AIDS!!!!

It was year 1997 and i had just stepped in to 7Th standard. Those were the time when Radio's were becoming obsolete. Yup FM's were yet to revolutionise things. People in my home had the habit of listening to TRICHY AM. Few spiritual things followed by morning news interested them. Only when the news came on air, i used to wake up....I guess it was aired around 7 in the morning.

Immediately after the news ended, there was ad campaign, to spread the awareness about AIDS. by the time i became aware of my existence and the reality, this ad campaign would be near its end. For me music always interested. And these people had a song for educating the masses...

This song always ended in a beautiful rhyming note adorned (LOL) with the following words

எய்ட்ஸா பத்தி தெரிஞ்சுக்குங்க, எச்சரிக்கயாயை இருந்துக்குங்க!!!!!

(know about aids and beware of aids!!!!)

Well since that was the first thing i hear in the morning, these two lines soon found its own niche in my head, when i was finding 2+2=4 to be difficult...After that whenever people in my home talk about some disease or hygienic or something bad, these two will take center stage in my bloody head. For long i wished i knew what aids was.....I always thought AIDS was someone, some person or some animal and i need to fight him with my bare hands when i encounter....

But as each day passed by and me waking up to the music of the ad campaign, the fear about aids grew to far greater heights than i could think about. On a fine holiday i was sitting idly, reading some spooky stuff...

That is when I really got the idea of what AIDS was!!!! BRILLIANT. AIDS is an evil soul. எய்ட்ஸ் ஒரு பேய், பூதம். (its an evil spirit, demon). It can attack anytime when it enters our house. A great idea struck me.

My grand dad is a vedic scholar. My dad was busy with his office files, while mom was reading some magazine. Since it was a holiday everyone was relaxed and it was well past 2 in the noon. I went to my mom

me: அம்மா நா ஒன்னு சொல்லணும்!!!! (ma, i need to tell u something)

My mom was puzzled. What a 7th standard boy could tell her???!!!

mom: என்னடா ?

me: அம்மா நம்ப வீட்டுக்கு எய்ட்ஸ் வராம இருக்க.... (ma, to prevent AIDS from entering our home)

By now dad has also got his attention on me, my mom had a total expressionless face...

me: தாத்தாட சொல்லி வீட்டு வாசல எய்ட்சுக்கு மந்திருச்சு காப்பு கட்ட சொல்லு மா, அப்பறம் நம்ப வீட்டுக்கு எய்ட்சு வாரதுமா.....

(tell grand dad, and tie a knot in our house entrance with proper rituals so that AIDS will not come to our home)

By now my mom, dad and grand dad were laughing like anything. I was embarrassed. Finally after some 5mins my mom enquired

mom: யாருடா உண்ட எய்ட்ஸ் பத்தி சொன்னது? (who told u about aids?)

me: அதான் டெய்லி கார்த்தால ரேடியோல படறாங்களே!!!! (Daily morning they are singing about it in the radio) and i sang the last two lines, as if i was in ARR studio!!!!

Again there were laughter in the house. Then my mom told nothing to worry about it.....To this day when we sit and talk about old things in my house, we still laugh together...

Though my mom told not to worry about it, it took me some 5 more years to understand the basics of evolution and AIDS!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) LOL