So this morning we impressed the boys by waking up before 11 on a Friday :x They're like "You woke up very fast today." And furthered this admiration by going with them to the old people's home - and let me tell you, it's no Wilkinson's. It looks like it used to be some kind of temple or something, with an open cobbled square in the center and narrow enclosed corridors containing the place from the street. To get there we had to squish like chickens into a city bus - I haven't ridden a city bus since I was 7. Dame. All these people were seriously sardined into the bus, and then we were just sitting there awkwardly trying to keep our boys in sight. They're such gentlemen, they let us have the seat. And even put one of them next to us to make us feel better. OK, so that's probably not what they had in mind, but still. It worked. Some of the men can be kinda creepy... Unfortunately the impressment stopped there. We immediately proceeded to feel totally useless, first unable to put on my apron properly and then just kinda standing there awkwardly while they whipped through the job they do twice a week. Nice guys. They were very patient with us, showing us how it's done and letting us do more and more, but probably secretly thinking in their minds, "Dang, these girls are pretty dumb. And useless. They can't do anything right." Especially me. While I was standing there waiting for somebody to tell me what to do, one of the residents came up to me smiling toothily and pointing and chattering at my Nike sneakers. I hope she wasn't saying something like, "I made those in a sweat shop when I was a kid!" That would make me feel so horrible. I hate Nike. I've been wearing my Payless moccs, but not to wash beds and do laundry in mass, and anyway my toes have started poking through the top. :( And they're sideways. The shoe part has kinda slipped off the sole so that the side is pretty much on the ground 98% of the time... But whatever. Anyways, we built up some muscles doing laundry, scrubbing and wringing and tossing and leaping out of the way while people dumped out the other buckets, because nobody told us we should bring chappals, so we were just soaking our sneaks... I discovered these strange new muscles in my forearm, just next to my wrist... They're like... guns. Seriously. And I also got some nice ones in my lower back. Mmmm... You should get tickets. That's right. To the gun show. I'm sorry. Cheesy and old... I never tire of it. :D The boys were laughing at me because my hat slipped down over my eyes while I was washing and I couldn't really see... I hadn't washed my hair in three days :x so I was kinda trying to hide it, but after I decided it was hindering my already low performance I ditched it. So after we finished the boys took our aprons for us (it's sad how much they take care of us) and tossed us the soap, and then we and three of the boys followed Mama to watch the cremation of the 12 who'd been killed in the shooting two days ago. We didn't see much, but they were gonna make us pay Rs. 250 for the "culture heritage" aspect of it... So we snuck in the back way. Mwahaha. And then missed the ritual part of it... But it happens. That's what counts. So because of this shooting there were no taxis or busses, so we had to walk home. We stopped for some fried peas and channa and soya, some good protein to keep us alive until we got home, and then pani... The boys once again saved my life a few times, making sure I was going the right way and didn't walk in the road. I can't believe I needed them to tell me these things. Or that it was just understood, even if I didn't really... The language barrier makes life a little bit difficult and awkward, but no big. They're supercool anyway. [In a gangsta voice] supafly. Haha. Speaking of gangsta, they are ALL OVER the place out here. It's kinda hilarious... ANYWAYS, on the way home we passed this mob chasing a police motorcycle down the street. I guess the shooter was an army guy gone berserk, or something, so they don't have much respect for those guys these days. Most of the people I've talked to think the king is a good guy, but some aren't so sure I guess. I guess you can never really have a government that makes everybody happy, can you? So yeah, it took us an hour to walk home in the heat of the day... It was sooo good for us though... Exercise. So that's how politics is good for our health - mentally, physically, spiritually... OK maybe not. But whatever. It helped us get whipped into shape for a bit. :D And because of the strike we got all tired out walking home and were going to go out and buy sarees with Maizji this afternoon, as well as go sightseeing, but ended up showering and getting stuck in a web - a spider solitaire web. Hah. Haha. That game is so addicting... Dame. And Amit is supposedly coming over soon with some cool movies, but he's pretty lazy, so who knows if he'll actually come or not. He will. Nicole's here. Mwahahaha. [Ashwin hisses:] AMITSHAKYA...