If you came in late: Miguel (16), Bertie (10) & Anisha (22), live with
parents, Dr. G.A. & Marilia De Souza, in Mangor, Vasco. Miguel's daily
attempts at sanity are dominated by his rambunctious family, friends,
neighbours, pet, father's patients and the endlessly bubbling ingredients
that make up the chaotic, modern Goa of today. Hitler, the mongrel family
pet and Kazi Rizvi, Anisha's boyfriend, make technical appearances. Miguel
proudly insists "This is a di-ary, not a bo-llog (blog). It's reel !"
DIARY OF A GOAN TEEN - 2:
________________________
Holidays are over. Miguel's been away a fortnight & school starts tomorrow.
SUN. 28 MAY: Dear diary, oh how I have missed thee, flesh of my flesh. I
have not seen your face for a whole fortnight. This week started so full of
promise. And mysterious phone-calls....every two hours my cell would
buzz:"You think you're india shining ? #&[EMAIL PROTECTED] want polish ?!!" When I
refused the polish offer, another expletive. Some nut probably. Great news.
First, Dr. Kaza Moyo, the deranged psychopath is to be paroled ! Then, no
mass today, as Mum & Dad fly to Shimla, and Anisha & Kazi go with them upto
Mumbai. Bertie is being sent to an orphanage ! Wishful thinking.......
MON. 29 MAY: The mystery of the phone-calls is solved. I am alone. At 5 pm,
my cell buzzes again: "Vasco Polish ! Saiba wants to see you !" Ah, sweet
mystery of life. I reply " Which ? Polish cyber ?!" Big mistake. Within 30
min. a Black Maria races up outside our modest dwelling on Mangor, and two
mismatched constables haul me down to their tatty vehicle.The driver leers
at me wolfishly. Mental note to have him sent to Dr. Kaza Moyo. At new Vasco
police stn., constables Mutt & Jeff drag me in. Mutt yells "Do you know who
we are ?" (What am I,Google?!). Quoting common knowledge I venture "Sakharam
Havaldar?" Second mistake. I'm summarily thrown in the cells. It is 6.28 pm.
TUE. 30 MAY: Have you ever been inside police-cells in Goa? First they book
you in the occurrence book, rap you smartly with a knobby ruler, then divest
you of belt, shoes, mobile & money. As you never get these back, one assumes
there's a thriving black-market in these items. The cells are one large
partitioned, grimy, windowless slum, with no furniture and basic bucket
sanitation. No guesses why the floor is wet. Meals are a crapper - as no one
cooks, meals are supplied by a near-by café. I've no doubt they are customer
leftovers, they taste like bilge. Nobody knows I'm in, the Saib is away, and
apparently 'habeas corpus' now allows you to be held 24 hours without trial.
WED. 31 MAY: At 10am, the Saib is 'in' and I am hauled before him."Where
have you been this past fortnight?" "Gao". "Shut up! Gao, who?" ( is this a
knock, knock joke?)"Say, Gao, Saiba!!" "Oh, cyber-gao!" A clip on the ear.
These cops have no sense of humor, they're mostly from Galgibaga. "You have
been disrupting communal harmony,passing derogatory comments against hindus,
muslims & christians!" "Where?" "On GoaNet!" "GoaNet? What's that, a fishing
daily from Kharewaddo?" Another blow. "Where is your father?" (What am I,
Darth Vader?)"We're not afraid of him !"(Unfortunately, father has often put
them down). "Back to the cells with you ! One more night will do you good !"
THU. 01 JUNE: Constable Jeff is agitated. All Goa cops are on tenter-hooks
as Dr. Kaza Moyo is to be released on Saturday at Aguada, police-bandobasts
are to be mounted,all kinds of sections from '0' to '144' to be promulgated,
the international press will be there, so CRPF reinforcements are being
flown in from Delhi, and here they have their hands half-full with a
half-wit college kid. I think the real problem is Dad has finally been got
hold of in Shimla by Bella, and is flying back tomorrow. His fury can be all
consuming. In the meantime, I cannot be released on bail, as I am officially
in the occurrence book and the earliest judge only resumes duty tomorrow.
FRI. 02 JUNE: My day in court ! What a farce. Justice Pinga is as witless as
police saiba."What is the charge?" "Saib, he wrote all communities are chors
and many other bad things" "Are there any witnesses?" "Saib, they're all in
Boston, Amrika". "Then you cannot hold him without bail - release him on Rs.
20,000 bond!" My turn. "Saib, I'm not guilty - the BJP made me do it!" "Keep
quiet! Do you have the money or not?" "Not!" "Don't you know anybody?" I see
Bella in court and wink at her. I whisper to the constable. He blurts out
aloud "Saib, he says he knows a judge!" "Which judge??" "Saib, Judge-ill !"
The court is horror-struck,I am instantly released. Churchill strikes again.
SAT. 03 JUNE: Hell hath no fury like Darth Vader. Father is back & Churchill
has promised to gherao Vasco police station as soon as Dr. Kaza Moyo has
watched the Da Vinci Code. I am showered and rested and join the whole
nation in watching live TV coverage of Dr. Kaza Moyo being released from
Aguada jail. Snipers patrol the Aguada turrets and sniffer-dogs have a hard
time with journalists. Anyone would think Dr. Moyo was Hannibal Lector,
though there have been rumors of missing animals at Aguada and I notice the
police-dogs giving him a wide berth. Dr. Moyo is ecstatic, drools and grins
madly, rolls his eyes and screams "Viva!" at intrepid reporter Godfrey
Gonsalves, who is today reporting from the Aguada end. I drop off to sleep.
_________________
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