My Personal 'Will Knot & Mr.Watt' Tale

Its nothing new when someone calls us and v r not able to recognize their voice or we confuse them for someone else. It happens to the best of us. But its heights when your own parents confuse u with ur sibling over the phone (& no, we are not identical twins). Infact until this incident happened I never thought there's any similarity between my sis & me, whatsoever. We don't look alike, we dont dress alike, our tastes ranging from food to fashion to men are poles apart. In short, we are anything but similar.
But every once in a while something like this happens that just proves me wrong. This incident happened when I was still in school (just after my 11th exams) and sis was doing her MBA in Pune. I, alongwith a few friends of mine had gone to bid farewell to a friend who was moving out of town for good. The train had got delayed by an hr and was now arriving at 10:00 pm instead of the scheduled 9:00 pm. In a small town like ours, 10:00 pm is considered quite late & so to save my parents a sudden fluctuation in their heartrate and blood pressure, I thought of calling them & telling them about the delay. Here's how the conversation went:

Daddy: Hello
Me: Hi Daddy! Its me.
D: Hi sweety, how are u?
(M: eh, Whats this formality about? I just saw them half an hr back)
M: I am fine. How r u? (If Dad wants formality then so be it)
D: We are doing good. Hows your studies going on?
(M: Is this a trick Qn? Is he being sarc that I am out with friends? Did mom squeal about my marks?
M: Hmm ... well, studies are going on fine.
D: Thats good to hear. Listen, you have got an interview letter.
M: What interview letter?
D: Its from xyz (it all sounded greek & latin to me, anyway) company in Bombay.
M: xyz? Whats that?
D: How do we know. You applied for it.
M: When did I apply? (Which company? When did I apply? They responded ... cool)
D: (After scanning through the 'supposed' interview letter) last month.
M: (What the $#%^? How forgetful can I be - cant even remember something that I applied for? How am I gonna pass my 12th board?)
D: Its at 10:00 am, Sunday morning.
M: Sunday? Its day after. How am I gonna go there? (Logistically, its impossible. Can I postpone the interview but WHAT INTERVIEW IS IT? Damn!)
D: Take a train or bus.
M: What about reservation? Will u not be coming with me? (I will have to start tonight ALONE! How come he is letting me travel all by myself???)
D: Ofcourse not. U take some friend with u.
M: (Friend? %#$@ I knew it - its always about my friends. Why are they after me & my friends? Dad must be really pissed that I am out so late.)
D: Ok, here talk to Mom, she is trying to pull the phone out of my hand. (& gives the phone to Ma or maybe Ma succeeds, whatever)
Ma: Hi muththe (pearl). How are u?
M: (Oh no, here we go again. Whats come over them?) I am fine.
Ma: Did u have ur dinner?
M: No, will have it when I get back. (Hope the samosas get digested before I reach home)
Ma: Good. Don't get thin. Dont diet.
M: (Diet & me - why is she pulling my leg?) No Ma, I wont.
Ma: Ur phone bill must be running high. Keep the phone. We will call u once u r back in Pune.
M: Pune? (& now just like the reality of Keyser Soze's identity dawns on the cop in 'The Usual Suspect', the reality behind the extra sweetness, interview, Bombay, no dieting instructions, everything, also dawns on me. Everything falls in place & I almost yell on the phone) Ma, this is Reenu not Beenu. I just called up to say the train is delayed & I will be late.
Ma: Oh, so its u, we thought its your sister. Yeah, ok ... come back soon. (Her disappointment so evident in her voice).

Since then everytime I call my parents I start with: "Hi Daddy, its me, from US" saves them a lot of disappointment and me, a lot of confusion.