Bully

Jokes work for an audience. It’s just a narrative which some people find humorous. Some jokes work for a very large audience while some for a specific set.

I think many times people take jokes further than they should. We don’t all have the same level or sense of humour. Add to that the fact that sometimes people have experienced trauma of varying degrees and some jokes can stir that shit up, and you just might want to tread lightly. Test the waters, so to speak.

Some jokes that work very well on a set of people may also completely bounce with another set. It does not mean that the other is less evolved or narrow-minded than the other. Jokes have to work at a certain level of comfort, even while it pushes boundaries. Which is why jokes on topics like racism or history or culture/society really need to be worded and delivered carefully for it to land. Personally, I would not mind any level of jokes my best friends make on or with me; I might not tolerate the exact same joke from someone else I do not know.

Which brings me to my point that sometimes people use jokes as a license to bully. If you make a joke at someone’s expense or tease someone and they take offence, perhaps, (I don't really believe this but let's say for argument's sake) you have a more tolerant sense of humour. But if you already know that they don’t like it, and you keep doing it, you’re being nothing more than a bully. So maybe stop? And joke with the people that find you funny.

Jokes are sometimes very stupid too. Have you heard about the Giant Peach Head one? According to the late Matthew Perry, this is one of the most polarising jokes he tells. Half of the people find it amusing, while half just get annoyed. Here is the joke:

This guy is standing on the street and he has a giant peach for a head. And a man walks up to him and goes, “Uhm, you’ve a giant peach for a head. What’s up with that?” And the guy says, “Funny story, actually. A genie came up to me and granted me three wishes. And for my first wish I asked to be rich. And a guy came up with a briefcase with a million dollars and I’m a millionaire. And I’m a millionaire! For my second wish, I asked for the most beautiful woman in the world to fall madly in love with me. Mila Kunis walked up to me and said, I love you, we’re getting married in a month. For my third wish, I asked to have a giant peach as a head.” 

What do you think? Funny or not?

Lungno Khawhthla

Journal entry dated 12.6.2021

Han phur viau mai ila, hlim ve theih zel mai.

Lungno Khawhthla hmuh ka chak bawk a, DC Pi Maria leh BDO Pu Chhuana ten NABARD hnuaia develop an tum a, va tlawh an tum thu an sawiin, ‘Ka lo tel ve dawn’ ka ti ve tawp a. Ka va tel ve tawp ta reng a.

12.6.2021 zing dar 7 ah Keifangtlang aṭangin SDO(S) Pu Tefela nen a Bolero in kan chhuak a. Ngur ah VCP in thingpui min lo siam sak a, buhban leh chhangban kan ei hnu in Tualcheng ram hi darkar 2 tling lo deuhah kan va thleng a. Tualcheng khua luh hmaah kawng peng a lo awm a, thui vak lo chu gravel road kan zawh a. Mahse lei a lo hnip em mai a, kawng laih thar tih takah kawng bal thla leh leimin in a chhilh ṭhenkhat a lo awm bawk nen, Bolero chu a kal thui ta lo.

Ke a thui vak lo kan kal hnu in kawng peng a lo awm leh a, kawng pakhat chu Tuisa Lui panna niin a vei lama peng chu Lungno Khawhthla kawng chu a lo ni ta a. Kawng laih sa chu a tawp hma khawp mai. Kawng aṭanga vei lam pangah chuan ke rahna hnuhma a kal chho a, chu chu kan kalkawng tur chu a lo ni a.

Tualcheng VCP in hma a hruai a, DC leh SP Pu Puitea ten an zui a, an hnungah ka kal a. Kawng tak a awm tawh lo a, tlang pangah VC lamin an lo sah fai na hnu chu kan "kawng" a ni mai a. Ram kal ṭhang vak lo tan chuan hmaa kal te rahna hnu kha chhinchhiah uluk em em a, va rah ve chat chat mai tur ani. Nuam dangdai ve tak chu ani.

Tlemin vawn tur a vang deuh ṭhin a, lei hrulah hrui a lo zam ve deuh nen, pen deuh thauh thauh a ngai a. Thingkung leh hrui zam ah hling nei a awm bawk a, vawn tur melh uluk a ngai phian. Panhnah ang deuh deuh hnah a rawn uai thla nual a, DC leh SP in agriculture potential an titi dun mawlh mawlh laiin kei chu ka mit la ta ber chu kalkawng lei hnawng, huh leh hnah ṭawih ho zinga pangpar sendang te tak te te lo tla darh ve niaih ho kha an ni a. An mawi ang reng a, an delicate hmel bawk nen, an tlakna ram nen khan an inhmeh lo riau a, an in hmeh lohna lai tak te khan a ti lang mawi hle ten ka hre vel a. Mahse an rawn tlakna kung en tur chuan ka hawi chho ta lem lo; eng pangpar nge an nih pawh ka hre lo. Baseball cap ka khum a, ka hma lam thui tak ka hmu thei lo a, pangpar kung en tur chuan dah chhoh fe a ngai dawn a, chutiang tur chuan ka dinna hmun a nghet tawk lo a, ka ngam lem lo.

Thlan tla barh barh turin hun rei a duh lem lo khawp mai. Ka tarmit bun ṭhan loh zawk ka bun a, hmai a thlan nen a tawlh thla duh phian a. Kal pangai a kal a theih loh vangin ka pen deuh chawrh chawrh ṭhin a, ke thlak apiangin hnar ngulah a rawn sawt thla leh ṭhin a. Tarmit tel lova chhun eng, kawng zawlah pawh kal ngai lo tan chuan han lak thlak chi ziazang ni si lo, Covid19 ngaihtuah tawh lek lovin hmai leh tarmit ka khawih sek mai ani.

Fur ruahtui tlak tam hma ani bawk a, a hmun thlen chuan a nuam zek. Kawng nal pawh a tam ta lem lo. Lui pawh a lian lo a, lung leh thingluang ro a tam a, awlsam takin a kal chhoh zai zai theih a. A tuikhawhthla phei chu mawi tak ani. 

Tuikhawhthla in nghahna, tuikhuahte bulah thla kan la a. Helai hmun thlenna tura kalkawng zawng zawng ngaihtuahin Instagram a post tlak tur thlalak pakhat tal lak kha chu tihmakmawh ani. Tualcheng khaw mi hovin an sawi dan hmangin kan thla lakna lai te kha chu fur tui tam lai tak tak chuan tuikhawhthla in a hliah ṭhin e, an ti a, a nih duh hmel fu. Kawng lo sial ṭha se, fur vanglaiin va en leh ngei tur ani.

Thla kan la tui deuh ani, kan team ten min lo hawsan a. Mi 4 chiah kan bang ta: BDO Pu Chhuana, DC PSO Pa Khawma, BDO driver Pa KCa leh kei. Pa Khawman hma a hruai a, kal lama luidung kan zawh chhoh kha zawh lovin, “A chhak lamah kal ang u, kawng an sial thiam lo em mai, khilai kawng peng kha kan pawh hma zawk ang,” a ti a. Kan pali zinga ramvachal ber mai pawh ni lo ramvachal awmchhun ani bawk a, ngaih ṭha takin kan zui chho a. Kal lama kawng a awm lo kan tih kha chu nep te, mihring hniak awm ta lem lo ah khan kan han chho ta a.

Dar a tam ve deuh tawh a, hah tawh sa nen, rilṭam ṭan tawh nen chuan kham panga kawng bo chu duhthusam vak lo. Mahse Pa Khawma chuan kawng ka bo a tih duh miah lo a. A hnunga kal 3 te kha kan kal chak thei ve lo em mai a, kan um pha lo nasa a, min nghah laiin a kal lehzelna tur ngaihtuahna hun a nei mai pawh a, bo chu kan bo deuh chu ani. A khat tawkin “Hei, kawng hlui chu a ni tho ang, mihring hnu a awm,” a ti ṭhin a, a dik leh dik loh kan hre lem lo na in mihring hnu a awm anih chuan ‘helai hi kawng tlak ani lo ve, rauh san ang u’ titu te sulhnu a nih ka ring.

Ṭum khat chu ka pen fuh vak lo a, ka ke ka ulh ṭep. Ka kalpui te pawh a khat tawkin an tawlh zeuh zeuh a, tlema ngaihdam theihna hmun rualrem deuh (entirnan, thing nghenchhan tur awmna ang te) ah kan chawl haw zeuh zeuh a. Ka tawlh lohna chhan hi ka trekking chakna chhan ani a. April khan Adidas trekking shoes thar ka lei a, Spice Girls ho lar laia inches li a sang platform slippers neon green ka neih thin tih loh ah chuan ka pheikhawk neih tawh azawnga lawk ber leh bright ber a ni. Test ka chak em em a, ka han test ta a. An lo design fuh ngang mai a. Hun pangaia a lawk mah mah ka tih te kha tlang pang, rahchhan tur awm mumal lo ah chuan dinhmun phet tur lakah min lo ṭanpui nasa khawp a, ka leina chhan ber a chhuat hraw lutuk pawhin tawlh theihna chance lakah min hum ngang mai. Ka tawlh miah lo! Chhungkua leh ṭhian ho a trek emaw lui kal nikhua apianga vawi khat tal tawlh ziah kha midang tawlh laiin ka nghet tlat. Engineering an va thiam tak!

Pa Khawman vawnchhan tur tiang min sah sak a, mahse ka hawl thiam vak lo. Ka keng tho a, a ngaihna ka hre em em lo. Ka rilru la peng tu atan chuan a ṭha ve tho. Ka kut vei lam hi ka hmang thiam lo nasa khawp mai a, vei lampangah kham chiah a awm si a, kut ding lam pangin thing emaw hrui emaw hnim emaw tal ka pawt duh zawk si a, ka tiang chu ka hnuk kual ta vel mai mai. Bawkvak deuh thaw a ka kal chang phei chuan a hnawk lek lek. Kal lam ang bawkin tlang pang a thingkung zung lo chhuak pawr deuh emaw thingkung emaw hrui emaw inpawh tan na tur ka zawng kual zel a, a khat tawkin ka hrui pawh fuh loh an chat zeuh zeuh bawk a. Ṭum khat chu ka inhnuk chho tur chiah ka hrui pawh ber a dawk zawk mai a, ka phu chiang ngei mai. Khamah a tawlh liam thla chak bawk a, Tawlh ve ta ila tih rilru ah a rawn lang nghal thuak. Thing leh hrui ṭhenkhatah hling a lo awm ve chhen bawk nen, rilru a vak chak duh khawp mai. Chutih laiin lei hrulah hrui an lo zam a, kan petek leh khauh ṭhin bawk a.

Mahse han hlauh vak ngaihna pawh a awm lo. Ka hah tawh, ka hlau si, ti a tihtauh theih ni hek lo, kal duh ta lo ila kan tang reng ani mai a, ṭah vak pawhin sawtna awm chuang lo a, kal leh torh kha thlan tur awmchhun ani. Ka baseball cap pawh a dik lo zawngin ka khum a, hma lam hla deuh hlek en theih mamawh riau a inhriatna ka nei lian sawt hle. Ka hlau tawh ania aw, tih kha vawi thum vel chu ka sawiin ka hria. Kan in ramvachal hleih bawk a, Pa Khawman ka kal ngam loh apiangin a rawn let a, rah tur tlema pawng deuh a ke in min rahhrual sak a, emaw, inpawh kai na tur thing ṭang min zawn sak a, hma kan sawn ve bek bek zel a. Chutih laiin ani chuan “Hei chu Piin a duh dawn hi,” a ti a, eng hnim emawni hi a han pawt phawi a, a keng leuh leuh a. Hnim ka ti a, nauban pawh ani mai thei; ka tan chuan a in ang vek khatih lai chuan.

Phone theihngilh awm thut se, let leh ngai ta se a va retheihthlak dawn ve aw, kan ti a, kan nui dar dar a. Ka bag ah ka phone ka check zeuh phah. A awm ngei bawk a. Mahse awm lo pawh ni se, A thar ka mamawh tawh, tih mai na tur ani tawh ani.

Bawkvak a in ham tan ṭai ṭai laiin ka hnung chiahah Pu Chhuana a lo thleng a. Min ṭawng thlamuan tum kha a hah luatah a ṭawng letling ta hlauh! Hmanhmawh duh reng reng suh ti tur khan, “Hmanhmawh rawh hmanhmawh rawh” min ti. Kha chu ka ngaithla liam puat. A in register hman lo. Hmanhmawh dawn pawh ni ila, ka 4W tawh a, gear thlak theih pawh a ni tawh lo. Amah lah chu a nuih a za a, thlan bawrh bawrh chungin a in pha mar leh a. An nu bulah sa ei insum tur a nih laia Tualcheng VCP ina sa a ei zat ka hrilh mai thei ani.

Beidawn deuh rum rum hnuah kan kalna kawng kha kan va pawh ta hlawl mai a. Mihring hniak awmna nge nge chu kal a lo awlsam hle mai. Kal lampanga kawng awlsam kan tih hauh loh tur kha haw lamah chuan kan hmu rem ta fu. Ka tiang hawl pawh a ṭangkai leh tawh a, ka hmang thiam leh tawh; inpawh tan ṭang ṭang a ngai ta lem lo bawk a, kal a ti awlsamin min chhawk hle. Ka baseball cap pawh a dik zawngin ka khum leh tawh a. Kan chawlh chang pawhin tarmit pawh ka phelh a, ka hru fai vel.

Kan hma deuh hlekah SP team police 2 leh DC driver Pu Mamuana kan va pawh a. Pu Mamuana hian tumbu leh hnim hrang hrang a lo khai bawk a. Ram kal kan in hnehsawh hleih hmel hle mai.

Kan team ten ṭhu muang dar dar in min lo hmuak a, thingpui leh biscuit kan ei ho a. Mizo film emaw stage drama emaw ni tura mawiin kan thingpui in zawh veleh ruah a sur chiam mai a, kan chuanna motor ṭheuhah kan lut sang sang a, Tualcheng khua leh an VCP in kan pan ta a.

Kan thla la leh “short cut” la atalangin kan thleng tlai ta tih mai loh chu midang kha keini aiin an lo hahdam em em bik hran lo a. Kan team a Zote VCP ṭamchhawl phei kha chuan, E khai a ka mualpho der mai, a ti a ti mai a. Kan thlen tlai pui te zinga police 1 pawhin, Tuikhawhthla kha a mawi ka ti leh lo, a ti bal bal a. Helai kham pang hi Obeda slip disc injury lo ti chhuak a, surgery hial ngai khawpa lo ti na tu a lo ni tih te hriatchhuah leh a awl khawp mai. Him dam tak leh nui ho dar dar thei a kan trekking kan zo thei chu hlimawm tak ani.

Mahse taksa hah chuan a daih rei ve phian. Dar 10 a pel chho tawh a, rilṭam tawh vang te pawh a ni thei e, Tualcheng khua kan han thleng chho a, khaw dai ‘Welcome to Tualcheng’ tih in tarna post bulah VLTF ten gate an lo siam chu SDO(S) in a hmuhin, “E saw khua kan thleng dawn e, Welcome to Gate a in ti,” a ti hlawl. Ṭum danga ṭawngkam chhep fuh thei viau pawh an ṭawng sual ve nawk nawk tho mai. Kei chu Bolero seat hnungah ka ngawi hle hle.

Ka Instagram photo pawh ka lungawi viau e. Kawng an sial ṭhat hunah hmel lang zawngin kan la la leh em ang chu.

Whimsy

A few days back, someone I quite respect said he reads my blogs which was nice to hear. But then he added that I write bleak things and I should use my writing skills to write something positive and, if possible, funny.

I did tell him my sense of humour is more macabre than cute but let’s try for a positive piece. I do enjoy a good challenge. Plus I was named Miss Sunshine in my last year of high school. That has to count.

There is a lot of bad in the world. But also there’s a lot of good. The trick is to not dwell on the bad. And by this, I do firmly mean being slightly delusional intentionally to focus on the good. There is even a Bible verse on this that says: He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous¹. I find this deeply comforting. Life is a mixture of good and bad things. And everything is relative.

My life, too, if I muse on it, has been a salad bowl of fun and woe, of mirth and sorrow, of anxiety and hope, of joy and anger… so many things. And I’ve taken a gamble on a lot of things that have sometimes yielded results that I liked. I don’t like regretting things. Even the risks I’ve taken that have not ended happily have been memorable lessons and sometimes, experiences I cherish, even though those happiness have been long gone.

You can’t live life and expect to be happy when you can’t be your authentic self. A lot of times, you find yourself blaming other people for the unhappiness in your life, the stress and tension, the poverty and the misery. You can never expect all the people you meet to be good. Sometimes you just have to move past. And if you’re lucky to find people with whom you can be your genuine self, you are luckier than most.

Some families and relatives are not good. Some friends turn against you. Significant Others may betray you. Sometimes people you don’t even know will cause you pain. You can’t dwell on that. Allow yourself to hurt. And then you heal. I don’t even think there is a formula for healing from trauma.

But sometimes you are just that lucky to have family that supports you. You have friends that laugh with and howl at the moon with you. You find someone to kiss you and battle Life with you. You find strangers that will offer you food and gossip while you wait for a bus to arrive.

Life is a series of whimsy. Best to just enjoy it.

¹ Matthew 5:45 NIV

Tea

There’s three things about tea. I’ll try to keep it concise.

One, tea is not always caffeine. You have all the flower drinks – dried up flowers steeped in hot water. They’re all usually pretty good. Very soothing. Kind of old people-y but comforting. 

But see the thing is, sometimes it’s not even a drink. You pour it all the same and a lot of people prefer it hot. Myself, I pour my tea online because I don’t live close enough to my best friends to pour them actual tea. And in any case, if we do get together, we probably would not be drinking tea. Maybe coffee. Wink.

Two, I used to be one of those people who drank ten cups of tea a day. And this was chai. I loved tea the way North Indians make it – unhealthily. I boil tea leaves with milk, sugar, ginger, elaichi and bay leaves. People who knew me even as recently as two years ago would know me as a Tea Addict. I was always drinking tea. I could drink a pot of it myself. Sweet, milk tea. 

And then something happened in the recent past and I no longer really consume a lot of flour and potatoes. It was really difficult at first because most of the tucks I ate was maida and alu! But three months into cutting off those items brought out a really weird unintended consequence that I stopped consuming sugar and dairy as well! This in turn meant that I no longer really make or drink chai a lot anymore. I do drink a lot of red tea in office and strong, bitter black coffee at home. But no sugar, no milk. 

So my point is, don’t make assumptions about people. They change without you being a part of the process.

Third and last, no one knows what tea costs in Mizoram. And I say this fondly because I am always bemused by euphemisms. Mizo are not straight-talkers. We say one thing to mean something else entirely. This is very difficult terrain for someone who usually shoots straight because she was raised by people who didn’t know how to lie very well. In my life, I have learned to navigate through these cloudy waters where people give other people ten bucks or five hundred or seven lakhs as tea money. Oh, I’ll treat you your next tea! but what the tea actually is, is unclear. Because clearly no cup of tea costs seven lakhs INR. I find this euphemism particularly fascinating. The price of tea in Mizoram, if they don't tell you outright, has its own rules and economy.

Maybe we can discuss this over tea. Wink wink.