Sweating eyes.

Eyes sweat. I discover this a few years ago when I been visiting fambly in Florida.

I been cosy-up on the fat settee in me sister and brother-in-law living-room, watching Kal Ho Nah Ho, a light, romantic movie in New York. Brother-in-law pass by. “Are your eyes sweating as yet?” he ask and crack heself up at he joke.

“Huh?”

He explain how one day, me sister and me two li’l nephews, five and seven years old, been watching the movie, sniffling when they reach sad parts. Brother-in-law tease them. Me younger nephew, wiping he eyes, say, “Daddy, I’m not crying, it’s just my eyes sweating.”

Last night me eyes sweat copiously. Couldn’t let me mother see though, I woulda feel shame. Because, tough- talkin’ me, I don’t let me eyes sweat that easy.

Yeah, tough-talkin’ me. Couldn’t keep these eyes from sweating when they light upon them li’l Mumbai chil’ren at the Oscars. Li’l brown boys with black suit and bow ties and the girl-chile in a blue frou-frou frock, a proper li’l girl dress. I mentally will the cameraman to focus even half a minute on she but he didn’t get me signals.

This morning, on MSN chat brother-in-law tell me it is a’ excellent movie. I ain’t see it as yet but I hear about the controversy - who in India ain’t like it yet plenty folks there celebrating now. Online, I read the opinions of Mericans who resent the film and cuss it. I wonder what they make of a Muslim musician going onstage in they country, winning awards so freely.

In one big ocean of division, that is where we seem to live, running into separate islands of beliefs, cultures, unconscious of the fact that what happen in that vast ocean does affect all of we.

Yet, despite that space, despite bad history, India and England pool talent to tell one story. Ocean does unite too as it wash from this shore to yours. When you spin the globe, all you see is one body of water linking lands.

Before the Oscars, one o’ them boy-actors who grow up in a better-off home did get interviewed by NBC on Sunday Morning, they show he playing cricket. This chile, very articulate, speak perfect English, describing he reaction to he first exposure to that hard, mean other life in Mumbai, a life he never know exist before. I wonder how working on this movie gon change he. On stage at the Oscars, he smile been like sea in sunshine. Me eyes sweat.

Then I ketch a glimpse of the smallest boy. He face look like they light a lamp inside he. He couldn’t contain he excitement, it pouring from he big, bright eyes. He remind me of all me nephews. I wonder what he been thinking, what he gon go back and tell he friends and family. What he gon grow up to be. Me eyes sweat a li’l more.