23rd February to 1st March 2026
This past week has been one of constant movement and quiet anxiety. Ever since my wife’s biopsy confirmed lymphoma, I have been shuttling between diagnostic centres and hospitals. A PET scan was completed, and on medical advice, an MRI of the orbit followed.
By God’s grace, both scans revealed no abnormalities elsewhere in the body. It appears that the affected portion may have been removed at the time the biopsy sample was taken. After reviewing the reports, the MCCF doctors’ team decided on a “wait and watch” approach — no chemotherapy, no radiation for now.
It is a tremendous relief for the entire family. After days of tension, we are finally able to breathe a little easier.
With this reassuring news, I returned to my usual place at the tea kadai bench over the past three days. Though not all the regular members were present, the familiar rhythm of conversations slowly resumed.
Yesterday, a gentleman from Pondicherry joined us and his name escapes me at the moment — and upon learning that he was fluent in French, Sundarrajan, who is equally proficient, immediately began conversing with him in French. It was delightful to watch these two elderly men animatedly exchange thoughts in a foreign tongue, transporting our modest tea stall briefly to Paris. I could not resist capturing the moment in a photograph for the blog.
On 1st March, discussions centred around the US–Israel–Iran tensions and the T20 World Cup match between India and the West Indies. The tea kadai had introduced a “special” — Kara Vadai. Essentially a masala vadai, but shaped like a small grenade. When asked about the unusual shape, the master promptly replied, “Because of the US–Iran conflict!” Even geopolitics finds its way into our snacks.
As for cricket, India must win this final Super Eight match to secure a place in the semifinals. The stakes are high, and opinions at the tea bench were even higher.
And so another day passes in our community — filled with global politics, cricket debates, inventive snacks, and steaming cups of tea. Much of it may seem irrelevant in the larger scheme of life, yet in its own way, it offers comfort and continuity after a week of uncertainty.
