The Chasing Iamb

Never say Kozhikode unless you want to meet Malayalees. I was on a postage-stamp sized dance floor in Jaipur and made the mistake of yelling a sentence including 'Kozhikode!' across at someone. (Why?Can't remember now) Three ladies leaped at me to mark me as a sister under the skin, since I had got the 'zh' right. The madly hilarious Sarayu Srivatsa, who only a moment previously had decided she was Gama, had gone into a deep wrestler squat and was slapping her thighs... stopped. 'Kutty! Me too!' she screamed.
Behind me I heard another yowl of sisterhood. And there was a leather-jacket wearing stylish woman I had been ogling in the afternoon , cooing 'Kutty! at me. 'Who are you?' She laughed and said, "Jaishree Mishra.' 'Mishra?" "Endu cheyaam?" she sighed. We giggled at each other and she went away. Later it was brought to my attention that I had asked Takazhi's granddaughter whether she was a Malayalee.

In other news, I succumbed to the blitz about Sara Paretsky and bought Total Recall. I am happy to report that it was very satisfying. VI Warshawski is (barring Kathleen Mallory) probably the coolest detective ever. Of course with Kathleen Mallory, one is told over and over again that we can't like her. Warshawski, smartalecky, lovely, competent Warshawski is incredibly likeable. The plot is elaborate enough without being convoluted and the writing intelligent without sidelining the mystery.Now I am wondering about the Paretsky essays.