Hi Admin: really sorry bout this, format got messed up (forgot to
tab!)rather unreadable.. Been inundated with requests to re-set & re-send.
Have now done so - would you be kind enough to re-post this in yr next, with
my apologies ?
..............................................................
If you came in late: Miguel (16), Bertie (10) and Anisha (22), live with
parents, Dr. G.A. and Marilia De Souza, in Mangor, Vasco. Miguel tries to
keep sane, his daily musings 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. Miguel proudly insists "This
is a di-ary, not a bo-llog (blog). It's reel !"
DIARY OF A GOAN TEEN:
_____________________
SUN. 30 APRIL: Mum, Bertie, Anisha, Kazi & I went for the 10am mass at St.
Andrew's. Dad does not go to church (regularly). He calls the church 'God's
commission agent'. In case you're wondering, Kazi is Anisha's Muslim
boyfriend, besotted enough with her pimply face, to even attend our infidel
services. We were squished between 2 matrons reeking of Charlie & chorisao.
Bertie surpassed himself by outshrieking the choir. I think Kazi lifted 50/-
from the collection. That's muslims for you - dad insists they're
light-fingered and have no education.
MON. 1 MAY: Today was a public holiday. But all the shops were open.
Possibly their owners can't read. I went to the hindu temple in Mangor. I'm
very secular. This business of hindus & muslims leaving their footwear
outside fascinates me - the shoe theft is unbelievable. Have you ever
noticed how all the shoe-stores are owned by muslims & hindus - whose
'weekly off' is either Monday or Friday, the day of temple/mosque worship ?
Makes one wonder what the market is like for used chappals
TUE. 2 MAY: Today my parents argued. Mum is long-suffering and saintly. Dad
only 'believes' in the 2 Goan saints - Pe. Agnel and Pe. Jose Vaz. Mum says
dad is no longer a Christian, so he must be either an atheist or agnostic.
Dad insists he's only agnelostic, not agnostic. My grandma, a wacky
devotee, named him Gustav Agnel, and his brother Agnel Gustav. Dad annoys
mum, insisting Pe. Jose Vas was the founder of Vastu - giving direction to
our lives and homes. Tells mum to light a ponti.
WED. 3 MAY: Anisha isn't talking to dad today, because it seems he called
Kazi, 'Dotor Kaza Moyo'(a deranged psychopath, currently in Aguada jail),
and he said their Kazar would be our Mornar. Anisha said dad rails against
other religions yet takes their patient-fees which, she said, was blatantly
hypocritic. Dad insists he took the Hippocratic oath before practising
medicine' so his conscience is clear.
THU. 4 MAY: Bella phoned & Bertie snatched my mobile answering " Piso not at
home, leave your massage !" before I kicked him and retrieved my cell.
Bella's my current belle, pretty but light-headed. But you don't need any
brains to do 11th Arts, so that's OK. I think her brother's a druggie (or a
goonda of some sort), he looks kinda greasy, but hey, who's perfect !
Anyway, she wanted to go for a spin, so I picked her up at 6pm and dropped
her back at 9pm, out of sight of grungy acid-head.
FRI. 5 MAY: At Latin mass we intone "secula, seculorum". I'm super-secularum
today I 'went to mosque'. Man, their marbled floors really sparkle. But
when they bend en masse for namaz, you get some idea how Saddam gassed the
Kurds. And the beggars outside are much more inventive (humko kucchh
dena..) than those outside St. Andrew's. I didn't see Kazi there (unless he
was disguised in a burqua), but then again muslims don't have collection
plates passed around. Still puzzled how muslims are allowed 9 wives. Or is
that cats ......?
SAT. 6 MAY: Did I tell you we have a dog ? His name is Hitler, and he takes
his role very seriously - visiting genocide upon ghantti children. On their
part, they gang up on him, lure him, then douse him in paint & diesel. The
result is absolute pandemonium. When he bites a couple, the ghantti ladies
come whining home to my mum for compensation. Dad always insists mum pay
them by cheque - he says all beggars have accounts in Dena bank. He seems
also familiar with their family trees.
_____________________________________________
Do not post admin requests to the list.
Goanet mailing list (Goanet@goanet.org)
