Johny Johny, No Pappa!

 Recently I was at the iconic Indian Coffee House (ICH), Thirunakkara, Kottayam. I have any number of stories to tell relating to the ICH; stories of my first visit to an ICH sometime in 1975 to the latest. Every time it was the Masala Dosa and their special Coffee that I had to my satisfaction. For almost half a century the Masala Dosa tastes the same and the aroma of the coffee remains unchanged, as tempting as ever before. I can go on talking about the exciting ICH experiences over the past half-a-century. Let me restrict to the latest experience at the ICH, Thirunakkara, Kottayam.

A month ago I was there for my Masala Dosa and Coffee. The waiters there know that I like to get the coffee hot from the kitchen only after the Dosa was finished. That day as usual I was sipping the coffee after the Dosa when a man came in and occupied the chair opposite to mine. I almost rose from my seat seeing the film personality just opposite to me. It was the actor-director Johny Antony. Siting so near a celebrity in fact made me a little uncomfortable and perhaps noticing this he started talking to me like an ordinary man and tried to make me feel at ease. A minute into his jocular way of speaking non-stop, I was a little relaxed. I slowly turned around to see jealous faces staring at me for my luck, but to my dismay  could find none. I felt anguished by the insensitivity of the people and told myself that such a film personality in a public place in Tamil Nadu would have been treated differently and would have been mobbed by people for selfies and autographs. I felt pity for him and started talking to him. I told him that I have watched all of his movies starting with CID Moosa. To make him happy I made a brief analysis of his various movies and tried to shower some praise on him. Just when my strategy seemed to be working, he asked me whether I want to have a selfie with him. I could not have asked for more. I told him "very kind of you sir..., you are such a simple person...., celebrities never offer fans a chance for a selfie...., usually it's so irritating for the celebrities..". My words didn't seem to enthuse him much though that characteristic smile was there on his face all the time I was talking. After pausing for a while he told me "of all the things you said I agree with one thing... yes I am a simple person. But what can I do? Wherever I go people flock around me to take selfies thinking that I am Johny Antony and I oblige!"

I was crest fallen. Now I didn't turn around to see jealous faces as I was sure that all around it should be faces with sarcasm writ large. The only way I could have got back to life was to have another bout of Dosa and Coffee. And I did exactly that.