Dyna, my cousin sister, always called Papa, 'byoun' ... it rhymed with his Konkani name 'Zuon', for John. However, the meaning of it was known to all. Papa really had the capacity to gulp much. Nonetheless in all these years, he never ever raised his hand, even when he was totally zonked out - which was quite often.
Willy named him 'Superman'. Not only he, several others in the family too called him by that name. Papa was always happy about it. I gathered he liked it, as it was not something irritating but named after some innocent incident. However, I never really knew the origin of that name. Neither did I call him by that name anytime. Only after the funeral did I once ask Willy, how did that name start and stick. Willy tells me that it was soon after his and Roshni's wedding that they were all taking around the wedding guests, showing them Hyderabad. At one of the tourist spots Papa stood beside a cutout of superman, mimicking it by flexing his muscles. That's how Willy gave him that name and it really did stick. That was the name we heard at home all the time!
Looking further back, to days when Willy and I were really small, I really believed him to be a strong man, a superman! Not the sort who did all amazing things, but certainly for his dedication and ability to carry on working, slogging, day after day, no matter what. Six days a week he slogged. When he came home, he really was tired. Initially he cycled to his workplace. Then for a while he took the bus. Then he bought a Moped. But for years, it was his atlas cycle. As a boy, I never really knew his work place. Only many years later, he took me once. That trip was by car. Only that day it struck me - and struck me hard - to see the distance he covered by cycle, everyday!
Thank you Papa!
Willy named him 'Superman'. Not only he, several others in the family too called him by that name. Papa was always happy about it. I gathered he liked it, as it was not something irritating but named after some innocent incident. However, I never really knew the origin of that name. Neither did I call him by that name anytime. Only after the funeral did I once ask Willy, how did that name start and stick. Willy tells me that it was soon after his and Roshni's wedding that they were all taking around the wedding guests, showing them Hyderabad. At one of the tourist spots Papa stood beside a cutout of superman, mimicking it by flexing his muscles. That's how Willy gave him that name and it really did stick. That was the name we heard at home all the time!
Looking further back, to days when Willy and I were really small, I really believed him to be a strong man, a superman! Not the sort who did all amazing things, but certainly for his dedication and ability to carry on working, slogging, day after day, no matter what. Six days a week he slogged. When he came home, he really was tired. Initially he cycled to his workplace. Then for a while he took the bus. Then he bought a Moped. But for years, it was his atlas cycle. As a boy, I never really knew his work place. Only many years later, he took me once. That trip was by car. Only that day it struck me - and struck me hard - to see the distance he covered by cycle, everyday!
Thank you Papa!
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