A Typical Teenager

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"Dad", €þÂä™ÁÅ Chris ÁýÃÛÂ, "I'm bored

already". ¡ÁžÃÿʙʮÁÅòÏý¦ ¥Á  ¬ÁÅ¡ÁôœÁë
§ÁœÂäþÃ7Ã. ‚¡Áôå™Ê ÿˬÁÆѨÅ7ÌúÂÖ™ÁÅ. ¥ÉÅþÁäþÊ
™Ëë©Á§÷ð ¨Ë¬ÉϬÁÅ 7Áƙ ©ÁúÃÖÏžÃ. ©Ê¬Á©Ã¬É¨©Á¨Å
¥ÉÅžÁ¨Å£ÉýÃÛþÁ¡Áå™ÃþÁÅÏúÄ §ÍüÆ 7§ÁÅ œÄ¬ÁÅ7ÁÅþÃ
‡7ÁÑ™Ã7Í «Ã7§Áì7É™ÁÅœÁÆ „Ïý™ÁÅ. Š7ÁÑ™Ê ˆÏ
©É®Áò™ÁÅ - ©Â™Ã7ÁÅþÁä ‚žÁâ§Ã ¬ÊäÿÃœÁŨŠ- John €þÊ
7ÁŧÁë©Â™ÁÅ, Julia €þÊ €¥Á Âé¦œÍ 7Á¨Ã¬Ã ©É®ÁœÂ™ÁÅ
(þÂ7ÁÅ œÉ¨Ã¬ÃþÁÏœÁ ©Á§Á7ÁÆ). ©Ä®ÁÅò ¥ÁÅÁÅÓ§ÁÆ
7Á¨Ã¬Ã …§ÁťĞÁ ¡Á™Ã §ÍüϜ ‡7ÁÑ™ÁÅÏý§Í,
ˆÏúʳÂà§Í œÉ¨ÄžÁÅ.

¥Á  ¡ÁôœÁë§ÁœÂäþÃ7à œÉ¨ÅÁÅ Š7ÁÑ ¥ÁÅ7ËÑþ §ÂžÁÅ.

'7ÁÇ´Âß €þà ¥ÁÅžÁÅ⠡ʧÁÅ¡É™ÃœÊ žÂþÃä ¥ÁÅúÁÖýÂ
'Chris' úʬÁÅ7ÁÅþÂä™ÁÅ. ©Â™Ã œÃϙà 7Áƙ €ÏœÂ
€¥É§Ã7Áþ÷ œÃÏ™Ê. úÃþÁä¡ÁåýÃþÁÅÏúÄ €¨©Âý˱ͦϞÃ
¥Á§Ã... ‚¡Áôå™ÁþÁÅ7ÁÅþà ˆÏ ¨Â¤ÁÏ? úÃþÁä¡Áôå™ÁÅ
¬ÁÏÄœÁÏ ¥ÄžÂ, œÉ¨ÅÁÅ ¬ÃþÄ¥Á ¨ ¥ÄžÂ
7ÌÏúÁ¥Ëþ ŸÂê¬Á „ϙʞÃ, ‚¡Áôå™ÁžÃ7Áƙ ¨ÊžÁÅ.
¡ÁÁýà ¡Áõý ©Â™Ã ÁžÃ¨Í7à ©É®ÃœÊ, §Â7÷ ¥ÁÆê¬Ã7÷
€§Ãúà ͨúʳ™ÁÅ. project work €þÂä™ÁÅ,
ÁýÃÛ ©ÃþÁ£™ÁÅœÁÆ ©ÁôÏýÅÏžÃ. §ÂœËëœÊ 7ÌÏúÁÏ
baseball practise €þÂä™ÁÅ. žÊþÃ7Ä þÊþÁÅ
7ÁþÃ7Á§ÃÏúà ÿÉ™÷ ²ÍþÁÅ ¡ÉýÅÛ7ÁÅÏýÂ™Ê Âþà ] ¡ÃúÃÖ
Š¡Áôå7ͨʞÁÅ. ‚7Á œÁ¡Áå7Á þœͣÂýÅ ¡ÊìþÉ7ÂÑ™ÁÅ.
¥ÁÆê¬Ã7÷ ¥Á ÂþÁ™ÁÅ.
7ÂþÄ, ‡7ÃÑþÁ¡Áå™ÃþÁÅÏúÄ Š7ÁýÊ Ì™Á©Á ..

¥ÉÅœÂàþÃ7à úɱÂå¨ÏýÊ Š7Á typical teenager.

Tell me again, Dad, why do we need to go
to India now?
‚7Á ¨Â¤ÁϨʞÁÅ, ƒ³Â§Ëþ ¬É¨©Á¨Íì, ¥Á Â
…§Ì7Á³Â§Ã ©É®Âò¨þà þêÁÖ¦ÏúÁÅ7ÁÅþÂäþÁÅ. ©Ä™ÁÅ
ˆ¥Ã úÁ±Âå¨Í œÍúÁ7Á, œÂœÁ¦Áê, ¥Á Â¥Áé þÃþÁÅä
¥Á§Ä úɦü§ñÍ7Á¥ÁÅÏžÊ Š7Á ³Â§Ã ¥ÁþÁ …§ÁÅ
úÁƙ¨þà ú¨ €þÁÅ7ÁÅÏýÅþÂä§Áþà úɱÂåþÁÅ.
úÁÆ¡ÃÏú¨Ã, €7Áљéœ©Á§Á›Ï Š7Á³Â§Ã ©Â™ÁÅ
ÁÏý¨žÁ§Á¡Á™Ã ¡Áë¦Á Â›Ï .. þÞÂë¨ÂöÁ§Á¨Å ¬Á§ÃÂÓ
€þÁŤÁ©ÃÏú¨à €þÁÅ7ÁÅþÂäþÁÅ. ¥Á  ]©Ã™Á7ÁÅ
¨Ê7ÁÅÏ™Â, §ÉÏ™Áų§ÁÅì ¡ÊìþÁŨŠ¥Á §à úéÁ§Ã7à üÉý÷
¨Ä©ÁôžÌ§Á7Á¨ÊžÁÅ... €¦þ ¬Á§Ê, ©É®Âò¨þÃ
¨Â÷ œÍ ÿËžÁ§Â£ÂžÁÅ úʧ¥ÁÅ. ] §ÂœÃë7Á7ÁÑ™Á
¡ÁýÅÛ£ýÂÛþÁÅ.
ÿÍý¨Íì ¡Á™ÁÅ7Ìþà ¥Á§Âä™ÁÅ ¥Á ©Áõ§ÁÅ7ÁÅ
£¦Á¨ÅžÊ§Â¥ÁÅ. §ÂœÁëϜ ‚žÁâ§Ã7Ä ¬Á§ÃÂÓ
þÞÁë¡ÁýۨʞÁÅ. §Ë¨Å £¦Á¨Êâ§ÁÂþÊ ‚žÁâ§Ã7Ä 7ÁÅþÁÅ7ÁÅ ¡Ã¨©Á™ÁÏ ¥ÉÅžÁ¨Å£ÉýÃÛÏžÃ. €ÏžÁ§ÁÏ ©Â®Áò 7§ÁŨÍ
¥ÉÅžÁ¨ËÏžÃ... ú¨ ¬Ê¡Ê ¡Á™ÁÅ7ÁÅþÂäÏ. ‡7ÃÑ ‚ÏýÃ7à £¦Á¨ÅžÊ§ÂÏ.

7Á®ÁÅòœÉ§ÃúʬÁ§Ã7à ³Â¦ÁÏœÁëÏ 7©Á¬ÁÅàþÁäžÃ. ¥Á§Ä €ÏœÁ úÃþÁäžÊ¥Ä 7žÁÅ ¥Á  …§ÁÅ. …§ÎœÁ¨ÏœÂ

7ÃýÃ7ĨÍÏúà £¦Áý7ÁÅ úÁƳÂþÁÅ. ¡ÁúÁÖþà ±Ì¨Â¨Å, ±Ì¨Â¨Å „þÂä …§Ã¨Í 7ÌÏúÁÏ ¥É™Á§÷ä  ´Â¡Áô¨Å,
‡ýÅúÁƬÃþ úçÁŨÃ7à …ÁÅœÁÆ ©Á§Ã¡Ë§ÁÅ - ú¨ ¬ÃþÃ¥Á  ræÊý§ÁÅì €©Ä „þÂä¦. Š7Á ¥ÁÏúà junior
¡ÁëªÂÏœÁÏ „ÏžÃ. ˆžÍ ¬ÊÛ«Áþ÷ ©Á¬ÁÅàþÁäýÅÛÏžÃ, college, hospital 7Áƙ „þÂä¦. ¥Á  ‚¨Åì …§Ã7Ã
ýËëþÁÅ þÉ¥ÁéžÃ ©É™ÁÅœÍÏžÃ. €ÏžÁÅ7ÊþʥɠþÂ7ÁÅ úéÁí§Ã „Ï™ÁýÏ ©Á¨ì, …§ÁϜ žÂýÃ
¥É¨Å7ÁÅ©Á ©ÁúÃÖÏžÃ. 7ÁÇ«Áß 7Áƙ þÉ¥ÁéžÃ 7Á®ÁÅò ©É®Âò¨Ãð©ÁúÃÖÏžÃ. þÊþÁÅ ¡ÁôýÃۡɧÃÃþÁ …§ËþÂ,
œÉ§ÁŬÁÅàþÂä™ÁÅ. 'Dad, can we get some coffee' ƒú¨ ¥Á §ÁÅå¨Å §Â©Á™ÁÏ©Á¨ì - 7ÌþÃä 7ÌþÃä úÍýì
€þÂä™ÁÅ. ‚7ÁÑ™Á ýËëÏ¨Í €ýÅ©ÁÏýéà žÌ§Á7Á©Áô.... €¬Á¨Å ÁŧÊà¡ÁýÛ¨Ê7Á±Í¦Á ÂþÁÅ. þÊþÁÅ©É®ÃòþÁ
‚žÃÍ ¬ÊÛ«ÁþÊžÍ ©Á¬ÁÅàþÁäýÅÛ ©ÁôÏžÃ, €7ÁÑ™Á ¬ÁÆѨÅ, 7¨Êüà ‚©ÁþÃä 7ÁÇ«Áß7à úÁơìÁÆà©ÁúÂÖþÁÅ.
œÉ¡ÃåžÂâÏ €þà ¬Á§ÃúɱÂåþÁÅ. ©Â™Ã7à 7ÌÏúÁÏ ©Ã¬ÁÅÉœÃàþ ±Â¡ÁÏ ‹¡ÃÂÓ þÂ
³ÍžÁϜ ©ÃþÂä™ÁÅ. 'ú¨ ¥ÁÏúà 7ÁŧÂë™Ê,
¬ÊÛ«Áþ÷ ¨Í 7墀 ©Â™Ã7à þÁúÁ֨ʞÁÅ. €¬Á¨Å ©Â®Áò ±Â¡Á¥÷..€þáÃÏúÃÏžÃ
7Á¡Áôå¨Å úÁÆ™Á™ÂþÃ7Ê €¬ÁÿÁêÏ „þÂä¦. þÂ7ÊžÍ
€¨©ÂýÅ7£ýÃÛ þÊþÁÅ œÂʳÂþÁÅ. ©Â™ÁÅ ¥Á ÂœÁëÏ "Dad, can I call Julia now?" €þÂä™ÁÅ, ¬É¨÷
7Í7÷ œÉúÁÅÖ7ÁÅþà œÂÁ™ÁÏ ¥ÉÅžÁ¨Å£ÉýÂÛ™ÁÅ. how ²ÍþÁÅ œÄ¬ÁÆà. ˆ§Íå§÷Û úʧÃþÁ ©ÉÏýþÊ
much longer, dad? €þà €™Ã™ÁÅ. ±Â¡ÁÏ €žÉâ7ÜĬÁÅ7ÁÅþÂä™ÁÅ ƒ ²ÍþÁÅ. ¨œÁ ]ªÁÖ§ÁêÏœÍ
‚¡ÁåýÃ7Ê §ÉÏ™ÁŧÍüŨþÁÅÏúà ¡Áë¦Á ›Ï.... ‚Ï7Í úÁÆúÃÏžÃ, 7ÂþÄ þ ¥ÉÅÿÁÏ¨Í úçÂ7ÁÅúÁƬà ˆ¥Ä
ÁÏýþÁä§ÁÅÏýÅÏžÁþà úɱÂåþÁÅ. €þÁ¨ÊžÁÅ. ‚¡Áôå™ÁÅ 7§ÁŨÍÏúÉÏžÁÅ7ÁÅ, ‚ÏýÃ7É®Âò7Á
œÄ§Ã7Á úʬÁÅ7ÁÅÏžÁÅ©ÁôÂþÁþà þÁúÁÖúÉ¡Êà,
úéÁ§Ã7à ¥Á  …§ÁÅ ©ÁúÃÖÏžÃ. ¥Á  €7ÁѦÁê ¨œÂ, ¬Á§ÊþÁþÂä™ÁÅ.
£Â©Á§ÁÅ ¥ÉÂÿÁþÁÆ ¥Á Â7ͬÁÏ ¬ÊÛ«ÁþÃ7ÌúÂÖ§ÁÅ.
ýËëþÁÅ ¥Á®Äò £¦Á¨Êâ§Ê¨Í Á£Á£Â ¥Á  ¡ÉýÉۨŠŠ7Á €§ÁÁÏý¡Áë¦Á Â›Ï œÁ§ÁÅ©ÂœÁ úéÁ§Ã7à ¥Á Â
žÃÏ¡ÃÏú™ÁÅ ©Â®Áò ™Ëë©Á§ÁÅ. ú¨¬ÁÏ©ÁœÁð§Â¨ ‚ÏýÃ7à úʧÂÏ. ¥Á  €¥Á Âé, þÂþÁä§ÁÅ £¦Áý
œÁ§ÁÅ©ÂœÁ ©Ä®Áòþà úÁƬÁÅàþÂäÏ£ýÃÛ €ÏžÁ§ÁÆ ú¨ ©É§ÁÏ™Â¨Í 7ÁƧÁÅÖþà ¥Á Â7ͬÁÏ ‡žÁŧÁÅ
excited  „þÂä§ÁÅ. ¨œÁ 7ÁÇ«ÁßžÁÃÓ§Ã7à ©ÁúÃÖ úÁƬÁÅàþÂä§ÁÅ£ͨŠ- 7§ÁÅ ÊýÅžÁÁÓ§Ã7à §ÂÂþÊ
¡Á¨7Á§ÃÏúÃϞà "ˆ§Â ‡¨Â „þÂä©Áô?! 7ÃëÏžÁýó§à ‚žÁâ§ÁÆ £¦Áý7à ©ÁúÃÖ ³ÂíÁœÁÏ ¡Á¨Ã7§ÁÅ. €¥Áé
úÁƬÃþÁ¡Áôå™ÁÅ ‚ÏœÁ úÃþÁä ¥ÁÅžÌâ¬ÁÆà „Ï™Ê©Â™Ã©Ã þÁþÁÅä ¡Á¨7Á§ÃÏúà 7ÁÇ«Áßþà ÁýÃÛÂ
- ‡ÏœÁ ‡žÃñͦÁ ©÷ ! ¥Ä €¥É§Ã7Â¨Í þÄ7ÁÅ £Â 7ÎÁ¨ÃÏúÁÅ7ÁÅÏžÃ.
¬Á§Ã±Í¦þÁýÅÛÏžÊ! ". ±Â¡ÁÏ ©Â™Ã7Ã
Š7ÁÑ¥Á Âý7Áƙ €§ÁáÏ7¨ʞÁþà ©Â™Ã¥ÉÅÿÁÏ 7ÁÇ«Áß úÃþÁä¡Áôå™ÁÅ, ©Ä®Íò³Â§Ã €¥É§Ã7 ©ÁúÃÖ ¥Á ÂœÍ
úÁƬÃþÁ ¨œÁ7à €§Áá¥Á¦ÏžÃ. how are you doing, Š7Á ]§ÁÅ þɨ¨Å Á™Ã±Â§ÁÅ. €¡Áôå™ÁÅ ©Ä™ÁÅ §ÍüÏœÂ
Krishna, you look so big now! €þÁäžÃ. I'm ¥Á Â¥Á Âé ¥Á Â¥Á Âé €ÏýÆ ¥Á  €¥Áé ©ÉÏýÊ
fine, aunty! But can you please not call me œÃ§Ãʩ™ÁÅ. žÂþÃœÍ ]¥É7ÁÅ7Áƙ ©Â™ÃœÍ ú¨Â
that, aunty, please call me Kris €þÂä™ÁÅ. úÁþÁÅ©Áô. §ÍüϜ ©Â™Ã£ÂÍÁŨþÄä úÁƬʞÃ.
"‚ÏœÁ¥ÁÏúáʧÁÅ ¡ÉýÅÛ7ÁÅþà ‚žÊÏŽ§Áé§ÂþÄ7ÁÅ!" §ÍüÆ ©Â™Ã7à ¥Á Â¥Áé žÍ¬Á œÃÏýÊÂþÄ œÉ¨ì©Â§ÊžÃ
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úÃþÁä ±Âý¨Å, ¡ÁžÂê¨Å €©Ä þʧÊåžÃ. ³ÂäþÁÏ
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ú¨©Á§ÁÅ7ÁÆ œÁþÊ úʬʞÃ. ±Â¡ÁÏ, ] œÁ§Á©ÂœÁ
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7ÁÆúÁÅþÂä™ÁÅ. "maamma, can I have another
one too?" €þà €™Ã™ÁÅ. €¥Áé ]ªÁÖ§Áê±Í¦
©Â™Ã©ÁÏ7Á Š7Á³Â§Ã úÁƬà "œÁ¡Áå7ÁÅÏ™Á§Â þÂþÂä,
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"maamma, can I have one". "ûÄ …§ÍÑ©Ê
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friends €¦Á Âê§ÁÅ, ±Â¡ÁÏ ƒ ¡ÃúÃÖ ¡Á¨ÉìýƧáèì7Ã
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