A Hot Dog and a Little Bit of America We went out for a hot dog. Simple enough. But at KC’s Classic Burger Bar, even a hot dog comes with neon, vintage cars, ice cream… and a little history. 😄 The sign outside said: “IF YOU’RE READING THIS, YOU NEED A BURGER.” Fair enough.We went in. … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #24
Author: MMC 2.0
Mohan Mathew Chacko is a multi-disciplinary freelance writer and one who runs the WORDSOUPS blog as if it’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened in the storytelling blogging world. From the time when he survived a near-death situation on a surgeon’s table, he considers this his second life and believes he is now a better version of his previous self. Nowadays he likes to be known as MMC 2.0 though no one else seems to care.
America, One Moment at a Time — #23
The Dogs Have a Life of Their Own The other day, I was reading the Boston Sunday Globe when I came across an article about a hotel guest kept awake by a barking dog. “Barking mad: Loud dogs, sleepless hotel nights…” It made me smile. Because, as a visitor to the US, I’ve noticed something … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #23
America, One Moment at a Time — #22
When English Needs an English Translator One thing I’ve discovered during our American sojourn: Sometimes I need a translator. Not from English to another language. From English to English. 😄 After all, English is not exactly my first language. And sometimes, even after all these years, my ears seem to have their own ideas about … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #22
America, One Moment at a Time — #21
Lynn, Lynn… The City of Sin? When we came to Lynn, I knew very little about the place. Then I heard its old rhyme: “Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin, You never come out the way you went in. Ask for water, they give you gin — It’s the darndest city I’ve ever been in.” 😄 Not exactly … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #21
America, One Moment at a Time — #20
The Shadows and Shades of the Boston Public Garden Boston Public Garden was bright and sunny the day we visited. The kind of sunny day that makes you reach for your sunglasses... and then wish you had brought a hat as well. 😎 But what caught my attention were the shadows. They were everywhere. The … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #20
America, One Moment at a Time — #19
When the Water Looks Too Shallow — Finding the Channel From our apartment in Lynn, I’ve become quite used to seeing the ferry that carries passengers across the water to Boston. But today, something about it made me stop and look twice. The tide was out. Very much out. The harbour looked as though someone … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #19
America, One Moment at a Time — #18
The Road to Ogunquit We left Boston and headed north. The first part of the journey was pretty much what you would expect from a road trip. Highways, traffic, bridges and plenty of road ahead. Then we crossed into Maine. And there it was: “WELCOME HOME.” We had just arrived. So apparently, Maine was already … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #18
America, One Moment at a Time — #17
Fluent in What’s Next I went to Best Buy to buy a new Mac laptop. I wasn’t expecting to come away thinking about the future. But then I saw this: “We’re fluent in what’s next.” Interesting. Then I saw another young face beside the same words. And another poster said: “Giving teens the tools for … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #17
America, One Moment at a Time — #16
A Question That Goes a Long Way We were sitting at a traffic light when I noticed a message on a billboard above the road. “Are you okay?” At first, I smiled. Because sometimes, when someone does something irritating, those words mean quite the opposite. 😄 But this time, the question was meant differently: “ARE … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #16
America, One Moment at a Time — #15
The Place That Wasn’t on My Bucket List I came across a sign at Niagara Falls: “CHECK THAT OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST.” It got me thinking about my own. The problem is… I don’t really have one. 😄 Well, except for one place. Revisiting Calcutta, my birthplace, which I left for my home in Kerala … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #15
America, One Moment at a Time — #14
Bet You’re Still Smiling What makes you smile? A good joke. A kind word. Someone holding a door open for you. Sometimes, it’s something even smaller. A stranger smiles at you, and you smile back. Especially in a new country, these little moments can feel surprisingly warm. You may never know the person’s name. You … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #14
America, One Moment at a Time — #13
Niagara Falls — And Everything Around It We went to Niagara Falls to see the Falls. And, of course, they did not disappoint. There are actually three waterfalls here. The American Falls, the smaller Bridal Veil Falls, and the much larger Horseshoe Falls, which curves around on the Canadian side. Together, they make up what … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #13
America, One Moment at a Time — #12
The Clouds Were Putting on a Show We were driving from Boston towards upstate New York. It was one of those long American drives where the road seems to have no particular intention of ending anytime soon. The highway stretched ahead. Trees lined both sides. Cars and trucks came and went. And then there were … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #12
America, One Moment at a Time — #11
Nobska — A Lighthouse With a Long View We had seen photographs of Nobska Lighthouse before, but seeing it in person was different. It stands on a little rise at Nobska Point in Falmouth, overlooking the water. It is one of those places where the lighthouse isn’t the only thing worth looking at. There is … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #11
America, One Moment at a Time — #10
Nahant — Just Across the Water From the apartment where we are staying, we can see Nahant. Not all of it, of course. Just a stretch of land across the water, with a narrow strip of road leading towards it. I had been looking at it from our window for some time. It was close … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #10
America, One Moment at a Time — #9
Chatham Has More Than One Story Chatham, on Cape Cod, seemed like one of those places made for postcards. Beautiful buildings, colourful gardens, blue water and boats everywhere. We passed the Chatham Bars Inn, and it certainly didn't disappoint. But a little farther along, we saw another side of Chatham. There were fishing boats moving … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #9
America, One Moment at a Time — #8
The 6 O’Clock Horn From where we stay in Lynn, this is the view across the harbour. The breakwater stretches towards the Atlantic, with the distant residential shoreline beyond it. Every morning, at around six o’clock, a ferry leaves Lynn for Boston. I don't see it every morning. But I hear it. One short blast … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #8
America, One Moment at a Time — #7
The Lighthouse That Learned to Move Nauset Light—with a little taste of Cape Cod. My daughter spotted the coincidence: the Cape Cod chips she had brought along featured the very lighthouse we were standing beside. I have always thought a lighthouse was supposed to be one of the more settled things in life. It stands … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #7
America, One Moment at a Time — #6
The Ocean Doesn’t Take Appointments We boarded the whale-watching boat at Hyannis with one simple objective: Find a whale. The instructions seemed straightforward enough. Go out to sea.Look at the ocean.Wait. The last part, as it turned out, was entirely up to the whale. We had cameras ready. Phones ready. Eyes scanning the horizon. Everyone … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #6
America, One Moment at a Time — #5
When MIT Lets the Wind Decide MIT sailing on the Charles River There they were on the Charles River… little red sails carrying three very familiar letters: MIT. I couldn't help smiling. Somewhere behind those sails is an institution associated with equations, algorithms, engineering, artificial intelligence and people clever enough to understand things I have … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #5
America, One Moment at a Time — #4
Boston and the Seagull Boston across the water A few days ago, Red Rock Park had me looking at the American flags flying at half-staff and thinking about Dolly Parton. Today, I found myself looking across the same water at Boston. Boston was there, beautifully distant. Its skyline rising across the water. Looking rather impressive … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #4
America, One Moment at a Time — #3
The Lighthouse That Isn’t Quite a Lighthouse When I first saw this structure at Marblehead, Massachusetts, I assumed it was a lighthouse. But something didn't look quite right. Where was the familiar solid tower? The sweeping beam of white light? The little keeper's cottage beside it? Instead, there stood this rather elegant skeleton of iron, … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #3
America, One Moment at a Time — #2
The Flags at Half-Staff I noticed the American flag flying at half-staff at Red Rock Park in Lynn. Later, I saw the same thing in other places as we drove around. I wondered why. It was in honour of Dolly Parton, who died this week at the age of 80. There was something moving about … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #2
America, One Moment at a Time — #1
5:55 — The Dawn Show Hallelujah! At five fifty-five,The sky seemed determined to come alive.With the sun in full flame,It outdid every frame…A masterpiece, simply pleased to arrive. And perhaps that is nature’s quiet way:It gives us its best, whether we look or look away.Some will pause, some will pass,Some will simply miss the class…Yet … Continue reading America, One Moment at a Time — #1
Seattle Came Home
Some things travel farther than we realise. My wife and I have just arrived in Boston to spend some time with our kids. We had been looking forward to this trip for a while. There are plans to visit several places, see some sights, eat some food and generally make the most of our time … Continue reading Seattle Came Home
Full Stop.
Even the mind needs one. The yoga instructor announced that we were about to attempt the most difficult yoga pose ever. I immediately paid attention. Finally, something interesting. Until then, it had been an ordinary online yoga class. The instructor was in the studio, while the rest of us were scattered around our homes, each … Continue reading Full Stop.
What Colour Is My Heart?
A little heart-to-heart about an unreasonable workload. I have always wondered what colour my heart is. Red, presumably. That is what we have been told. The human heart is red because it is full of blood. Fair enough. But I have another theory. Perhaps the heart is red because it is furious. Think about it. … Continue reading What Colour Is My Heart?
The Other Queue
This has happened before. I have a special talent. Put me in a place with several queues, and I can identify the slowest one with remarkable accuracy. I don't deliberately choose it. That would at least demonstrate a skill. I study the options, make what appears to be an intelligent decision... and then it becomes … Continue reading The Other Queue
The Sofa That Nobody Sat On
The best stories don't always begin with people. There was a time when almost every respectable middle-class home had one. It wasn't just a sofa. It was a sofa with ambitions. By day, it occupied pride of place in the living room. By night, with a little lifting, pulling and persuasion, it transformed itself into … Continue reading The Sofa That Nobody Sat On
STROLLING STORIES #6 – Three Steps Apart
Sometimes the shortest distance between two people is measured in years, not footsteps. My wife says I walked away from her on our wedding day. She's right. Just not in the way you're imagining. I didn't walk away emotionally. Or spiritually. Or legally. I simply walked away from her at our wedding reception. The plan … Continue reading STROLLING STORIES #6 – Three Steps Apart
Just In Case
Why some boxes are impossible to throw away. I have a confession to make. There are perfectly sensible people who recycle cardboard boxes without a second thought. I am not one of them. If a box is torn, collapsing, and held together largely by hope and old packing tape... I may reluctantly let it go. … Continue reading Just In Case
The Pizza Table
The heroes we notice only when they're missing. There are very few family discussions that end badly after someone says, "Shall we order a pizza?" It is one of civilisation's finest ideas. Within minutes, everyone becomes an expert on toppings. One prefers thin crust. Another insists on extra cheese. Someone inevitably raises the age-old question … Continue reading The Pizza Table
YDK that IDK #5 – The Most Dangerous Sentence
“I already know that.” I have an expert living inside me. Unfortunately, he arrived several years before my actual expertise. He is wonderfully confident. Tragically underqualified. And astonishingly difficult to ignore. I call him My Inner Expert. My Inner Expert has a very simple job. The moment someone begins explaining something, he leans over and … Continue reading YDK that IDK #5 – The Most Dangerous Sentence
The Two Species of Fathers
Some announced their arrival. Others joined the game. Father's Day is over. Which is just as well. No self-respecting father should agree to being celebrated for only one day a year. Imagine informing a father that after 364 days of paying bills, fixing things, dispensing advice nobody asked for, and pretending not to be worried, … Continue reading The Two Species of Fathers
STROLLING STORIES #5 – A Flutter in My Step
Small wings. Long memories. I was not looking for a butterfly. In fact, I wasn't looking at much of anything. I was walking around the grounds of our home in a leafy part of Kottayam, a few kilometres away from the bustle of the town. The morning was quiet. The kind of quiet that allows … Continue reading STROLLING STORIES #5 – A Flutter in My Step
YDK that IDK #4 – The People Who Ask
True expertise isn't knowing everything. It's knowing when to ask. For a long time, I believed experts eventually graduated from uncertainty. At some point, I assumed, a person accumulated enough knowledge, experience, and impressive-looking credentials to receive permanent immunity from confusion. Questions would cease. Doubt would disappear. And understanding would arrive fully assembled. I was … Continue reading YDK that IDK #4 – The People Who Ask
STROLLING STORIES #4 – The Fast Lane Walkers
Not everyone in a hurry is late. Every morning, there is a particular category of walker I encounter. You probably know them too. They are not merely walking. They are advancing. Purposefully. Urgently. As though the future has sent them a message demanding immediate attendance. Their arms swing with determination. Their shoes strike the pavement … Continue reading STROLLING STORIES #4 – The Fast Lane Walkers
The Song She Sang Before Surgery
Some people face fear by calming everyone else first. Most people being wheeled into brain surgery are expected to look frightened. My mother began singing instead. Not loudly.Not dramatically. Just softly… with a peaceful smile on her face. The people around her — my father, uncle, aunt, even the nurses who had grown fond of … Continue reading The Song She Sang Before Surgery
YDK that IDK #3 – The Question I Almost Didn’t Ask
Not all silence comes from understanding. There are certain questions that become heavier the longer we hold on to them. Not because they are difficult. But because we slowly become embarrassed that we still don’t know the answer. I think part of my hesitation came from something deeper too. I have often felt slightly anxious … Continue reading YDK that IDK #3 – The Question I Almost Didn’t Ask
STROLLING STORIES #3 – The Man Who Walked Backwards
Not all progress faces forward. There’s a ground about midway through my morning walking route where young boys and men gather every day to play football and practice various exercises. By the time I reach there, the place is usually alive, especially on weekends. Footballs flying.Whistles blowing.Someone sprinting seriously as if international football selectors are … Continue reading STROLLING STORIES #3 – The Man Who Walked Backwards
The Medicine She Never Named
Some remedies come without labels… and stay with us for a lifetime. The other day, my body seemed to revolt all at once. A leaking nose. Relentless sneezing. A dull headache that refused to leave. And, for good measure, an aching back that made even sitting feel like an effort. It was one of those … Continue reading The Medicine She Never Named
STROLLING STORIES #2 – The Screen Time Club
Where yesterday’s warnings become daily habits I have begun to suspect that my morning walk is less about fitness and more about field research. There was a time I thought these walks were repetitive. Same road. Same turns. Same faces. The milkman with his heroic balancing act of plastic packets. The old tea shop that … Continue reading STROLLING STORIES #2 – The Screen Time Club
YDK that IDK #2 – You Don’t Know… that I Don’t Know
The Day They Thought I Knew What I Was Doing It started with a simple sentence. “You handle it.” That was it. No long explanation.No detailed instructions.Just quiet confidence… directed at me. I nodded. Of course I did. That seems to be a pattern. If you’ve ever had someone assume you knew what to do…when … Continue reading YDK that IDK #2 – You Don’t Know… that I Don’t Know
YDK that IDK #1 – You Don’t Know… that I Don’t Know
The Meeting Where Everyone Understood Everything I nodded through the entire meeting. Not once. Not occasionally.Consistently. Confidently. Almost professionally. The kind of nod that says,“Yes, of course. That makes perfect sense.” It did not. If you’ve ever sat in a classroom, a meeting, or even a simple conversation where everyone seemed to understand except you… … Continue reading YDK that IDK #1 – You Don’t Know… that I Don’t Know
STROLLING STORIES #1 – The Man Who Always Has the Last Word
I just never hear it. Every morning, I go for a walk. Not the same walk. Never the same route. If I were important, I would say this is for security reasons.But since the only person tracking my movements is probably my step counter… and even that has low expectations… I call it brain exercise. … Continue reading STROLLING STORIES #1 – The Man Who Always Has the Last Word
WORDSOUPS 