May 7, 2025 • 43 mins
In this episode, Gandhi sits down with her mom to talk about everything from childhood troubles to which kid is her favorite. They also discuss the toughest part about what it was like to actually raise a little Gandhi.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
What's up.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's sauce on this side. I'm Gandhi from the Elvisturing
Morning Show, and today is going to be a little
bit different kind of than my other podcasts because I
sat down with my mom. I know, I got a
lot of positive feedback when I sat down with my dad.
And since Mother's Day is right around the corner it's
happening this weekend, I thought I would do a Mother's
Day episode with my mama, who, yes, I call her
(00:25):
chicken for lots of reasons, but mostly because whenever she
wakes up in the morning, she's got curly hair, sort
like me, and she looks like a crazy chicken. So
that's where that comes from. Enjoy it. Enjoy your moms
if they're around and you have good relationships with them,
because sadly, parents aren't gonna be here forever. And I
love mine so much. So here's my mama. I do
(00:48):
love Chichen. How you doing, chick Lit, I'm doing well.
So you wanted to come and do the podcast. So
what have you worked on for us to talk about today?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Absolutely nothing.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I'm not sure shocked by this. So when you wanted
to be on the podcast, what did you want to
do here.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I just wanted to talk to you, that's all.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
What do you want to talk about?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Let's talk about your childhood?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Oh great, okay, Well, first of all, this is my mother,
Mangola Gandhi, and she's in town right now. Hopefully this
will come out before Mother's Day, but you're in town
for Mother's Day sort of because you and I are
going to go see a filming of the Kelly Clarkson
Show because of a special Mother's Day edition and they
invited us to go, So.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
We're going to go, I know, and I really appreciate
you thinking about me and asking me to come and
taking care of everything.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Anytime, Chicken. I guess I have some questions because I
didn't think you were going to come prepared, but a
lot of people submitted questions that they wanted me to
ask my parents. But since you want to lead with
my childhood, what do you want to talk about about
my childhood? Because I have questions, but I would love
to know.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Why don't we start with you asking questions?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Why did you guys decide to have children in this
disgusting world?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
First? And if almost I don't think this world is disgusting.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
We don't watch the news so well.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I do watch the news, and I do understand, but
I try to look at the happier side of things.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's probably a better way to us.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
When we had you guys, the world was a great
place and Priya was a good kid live kind of
uh huh. And then we just wanted to make sure
that we had someone she could play with because it's
getting old playing with her.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
That's how it always goes. The air and the spare,
and I'm the spare.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I'd never heard that before, but kind of true.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Well, that's what they say about the Royals, Prince William
and allegedly they always have a second son in case
something goes wrong with the first son and he needs
body parts.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
That would be something. No, that's what they say, very British.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Like, yeah, if you know, God, God forbid William needs
a kidney, we got two over here. He'll be fine.
It's crazy. You never heard that. No, I had not
growing up in India. Oh, I'm surprised because India, as
we know, was colonized by the British. You went to
a British school, but I did not hear this. But
you are a stickler about English.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
I think people should speak English properly, Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
You get on people about who versus whom all the time.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Just my children, an immediate family.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
And anyone on TV or in a movie sometimes sometimes always,
that's okay. Any language should be spoken properly, exactly, and
you speak very proper English. But going back to our childhood,
when we were little, they wanted to put Priya and
I in Esaul classes because you guys had accents and
they thought you couldn't speak English. Yes, so they wanted
(03:38):
to put us in English as a second language class.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I remember that teacher because she didn't know how to
use the word I versus me, and.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
A lot of people don't.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
But she was a teacher and she was correcting you,
but it was incorrect. And when I went in to
talk to her about why she was correcting you, she said, well,
I do understand that English is a second language for
you and you don't understand the differences. So we would
like to help your children. And I said, I'll help
(04:13):
my children. And then I went to the principle and
I said, this has got to change, because the.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Principle was like, who's this immigrant.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
No.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
The principal was wonderful and she said, I'll take care
of it, and she moved you.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So you said Prio was a pretty easy kid. So
we already started the podcast off with lies because you
know that's not true. Priyo was difficult, that is my
older sister in every way. She was a sickly little
child and then she just turned into pain in the ass.
Do you deny this?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
She was a sickly child, she was difficult about being
a pain. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
About that really, she well, you know Priya is going
to listen to this.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
That's why.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Oh, because you're scared, because you're way more scared of
prayer than you are of me.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I am scared fear she's scary. Oh I she never
lets go.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
But if you want to get something done, she's gonna
get it done.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yes, I know. That's why I'm keeping her on the
good side.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
She's always on the good side.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Please, I want to be on our good side exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
So, growing up, then, if Preah was a sickly child
and was a pain in the ass, which you will
not admit now, which one of us was easier to
raise as a child. You were.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
There's no doubt in my mind you were easier to
raise than Priya because you just had You were easy going,
and really Priya kind of took care of you, even
though she was just two and a quarter years older
than you. She she watched out for you, so it
(05:47):
was easier. And what I remember about you is when
I had some work to do, I would tell you,
let's go play hide and seek. I would you would
go hide behind a and I would pretend like I
didn't know where you were so I could get things done.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
You would leave me behind a curtain so that you
could work. That's child abuse. I'm sure it's neglect at
the very least.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
No, please, it's very ingenious, okay. And you'd stay there
for a long time.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Did that ever concern you? How long I would stay there?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
No, it was great.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
How long are we talking? Twenty minutes? Oh no, not
that long? Maybe ten, teneen, h fifteen. That's very close
to twenty mother, not quite okay. So in Dad's episode
when he was on with us, he told the world
that he firmly believed that I was and I'm using
his words, retarded, that there was something wrong with me developmentally.
(06:43):
He told all of the KinderCare teachers, look out, what
were your thoughts on that because people really got a
kick out of that one.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
I never thought you were retarded, because I could I
would see some things that were, you know, like glimmers
of intelligence. Okay, so I didn't think that you had
any kind of learning disability. I just thought you were
spoiled by your sister, Yes, because she did everything for
you said there was no need for you to learn.
(07:10):
I just I knew that, you know, there was hope,
unlike your father.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
And then I would concern. Yeah, he was more concerned,
but he was genuinely concerned. Correct, because people think it's
a joke, and I say, no, he was really serious.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Not as serious as he makes it out to be now,
but he did have some concerns. It's like she doesn't speak,
she never crawled. She just does things so in leaps
and bounds versus the incremental that most children go through.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So on that note. One of the other things that
people ask about because he says it. And if I say,
I obviously do not remember any of this because I
was a little baby, what do I remember? He will
swear that I never had a first word, that it
was a sentence.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
That is correct, you corroborate what was the.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Sentence, Mom, I want milk. This happened. I mean it
took me.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I turned around and looked at you and said what
because Pria was not there to help. Prea had gone
an overnight sleep over at someone's house, and you were
sitting in the chair and I was doing something in
the kitchen and you said, Mom, I want milk. Those
were your first words to me.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
And your reaction was who spoke?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Who was that baby? Yeah, but still I did not
expect that coming out of you, given that you didn't
even say mama, dada or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
I was holding a bad thing. I wanted to impress you,
and it worked.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
It worked. It didn't impress me. It scared the heck
out of me. I really thought, like, what happened to you?
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Like I was possessing? Yes, I get that a lot
still even now. Well, people wonder. So I was an
easier child to raise because I was just easy going
and Priya did most of the raising. Is what you're saying,
because again you know she's going to listen to this.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Yeah, pre did a lot of work with you. She
kept you kind of she she'd spy on you and
tell me if you was doing something.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
She did not.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
She did too.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
She probably only told you things just to kind of
keep you in there, because I know Priya has kept
so many.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Secrets older when you were older, but not not when
you were up to three years old.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
No, well, three, I was what would I possibly do
when our three.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Roll over and eat a plant that still be hanging
hanging down? And then I had to call poison control
to see if you know I should take you in?
Speaker 2 (09:36):
So how many times? Well, first of all, one could
argue that this is your fault for allowing someone who
was about two three years older than me to watch me.
If I'm eating a poison plant? Where were you?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
I was there, That's how I caught you.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Oh, I thought you prance hold on you hold on me?
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Well, but eventually I saw she's she said. Pria said, mom,
Meda is eating something like a puppy. And then when
I looked, it was you chewing on a I think
it was a phylodendron.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
How many times do you guys think you had to
call poison control on me? Because I know Dad did
when he thought I ate the mercury out of a thermoterm.
You did when I apparently ate this plant.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I don't think there was many more, because then you're
gonna call me negligent. No, I'm not gonna tell you
even if I remember.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Free vice history. Okay, so two that we know of
for sure. But between Praya and I, I was definitely
the one that got into more trouble and got injured more.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yes, all the time.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
But you still say I was easier to raise even
with those things.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yes, because you had routines. Okay, you would get up
at the right time, you would eat, you would fall
asleep and take a nap.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
You guys, I ate once a week.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Well, yeah, but you ate, Okay, you know there was
something or the other you would eat once a week
was your big I called it the tankamm but you'd
eat it a little bit. And when I spoke to
the pediatrician, they said, don't worry when she's hungry.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Shel and I show so And I used to get
injured all the time.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Because you would do goofy things. You learned how to
smr salt and you said, mom, let me show you
I can do a summer salt. And you were standing
on the stop of the stairs, twelve steps and you
took off and I had to run up to catch
you midway.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I distinctly remember falling down the steps multiple times. Yes, yeah,
but I didn't get hurt too badly, okay.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Because you were cut and then once you fell into
the laundry basket that was on the bottom of the
steps that saved you.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Baby gates could have prevented all this.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I don't think they would have prevented you. You would
have pushed.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Them, probably, you know what I think about all the time.
So I have friends who have kids, are having kids,
they're in that new parent face, and all of them
are trying to babyproof the house. And I said, I
don't really remember our house ever being babyproofed. It was just,
you know, I could have grabbed a knife if I
wanted to, or scissors, or fallen down the steps, done whatever.
And I distinctly remember you saying, yeah, we didn't do
(12:06):
any of that because you were moving into our house
as a baby. We were not moving into your house,
so you needed to adjust to the way our house was,
and you guys just didn't baby proof things. It was interesting,
but that's true.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
You were moving in with.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Us, so I wasn't moving in. I was born against
my will.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
One way or the other you were coming into the
home that we lived in. It's not like we left
the scissors hanging out on the floor where you could
reach them. Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Do you ever wish you had more than two kids?
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Really?
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
How many would you have wanted?
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
For maybe you would want two more of Priya or I.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Yes, and it's me, oh yeah or me.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
You're right? You are correct, good job chicken. Yeah, but
you would want two more?
Speaker 3 (12:53):
That would have been okay, But I was just it
was not a good time.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
So right, because you started working, Yes, your career that
you still have to this day. Yes, when I was born, correct, right?
How long after I was born?
Speaker 3 (13:06):
A month?
Speaker 2 (13:06):
So what is your actual title at this moment?
Speaker 3 (13:08):
I'm the national director for EO.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
For the United States Postal Service. Yes, and she's still
doing this job despite the fact that we've been trying
to say you should retire and just enjoy your life.
You like working.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
You love being a boss.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
I like the work I do. I like the people
I work with. They're awesome. Wherever I've gone.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
And you've gone to a lot of places. So yes, Columbus, Ohio,
then to South Florida, yes, those are my two places
where I grew up. And then you went to Saint.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Louis for a little a little while, and then Chicago correct,
and then Washington, d C. Correct, Then Dallas yes, and
then Tampa yes.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
And that's where you guys have found yourselves back in
Florida right now.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
So people ask me all the time where it's home
for you, and I say, I don't really have a home. Obviously,
home is going to be where my parents are. But
because you guys have moved so much, and I've moved
a few times myself, I don't really have a place
where I identify as this as home. My apartment feels comfortable,
but New York City doesn't feel like home to me.
It's a strange thing, and I can't explain it. Because
(14:11):
Pria certainly has a home. She is Columbus, Ohio through
and through, and she has planted her feet and she's
going to stay there and that's home. But I don't
really have a place where I feel that way.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Well, you've got to think about home is what your
heart is, and your heart should be in Tampa, Florida. No, please,
So that's please home. What if my heart is in Columbus, Ohio. Well, okay,
then my heart is with you guys.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
But you guys make it really difficult to try and
ever plant roots somewhere that hasn't been able to happen
because you move so much. And I'm happy that you
move and you follow your career and your heart and
your desires. But then that sort of made me the
same way, which I know drives you insane, because you
would love it if I could just stay where you are.
But I learned from the best. Well, thank you, You're welcome.
(14:55):
But that's why I don't really know where I would
call home. I have no idea. I guess that just
changes as my heart changes. And I like it here
right now.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
When you were maybe nine or ten years old, we
had come to New York to visit, and you took
to it like a fish to water. You loved it.
I saw you with your back back, just walking up
and down the streets, and I said, she's going to
be in New York.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
I loved New York until I was living in South Florida,
and then I thought, ah, this is way better. I
love Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale and just the sunshine
and the palm trees and the ocean. It was great.
And I remember thinking when I started working in radio,
when I was a little baby intern, thinking, yeah, the
top of the mountain is New York City, but I
don't ever want to live in New York. I would
(15:41):
rather go to LA because I got really hooked on
that sunshine after a while from Florida, and I thought, ah,
I'll never go to New York. I'm gonna go to
LA instead. And then of course I ended up here.
But I do love it. I'm very happy here, and
I'm glad you're in New York versus California. Yes, yeah,
because it's closer to you, guys.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
It is. It's closer. And I have more affinity towards
the East Coast than I have to the West coast.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
So let's talk about you for a minute, and how
you and dad came from Bombay, India. Mumbai. What do
you call it? You call it Bombay, don't you? You
call it Mumbai? Now I call it Mumbai. Now you
call it Mumbai. It was Bombay when you were growing up. Yes,
you guys came from there to Youngstown, Ohio.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Why Okay? So his brother, dad's brother lived in Youngstown,
Ohio and sponsored him to come to the United States.
So he came to Youngstown, Ohio, went to college over there,
got his CPA from that.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Well, you guys had already done college also in India,
so this was this was advance training.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Yes, So that's how we ended up in Youngstown. But
then his first job was in Columbus, Ohio. We kind
of state, but we just wanted some.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Stability for Priya.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
For Priya, yeah, because she's our favorite. And then when
it came time to move, there was an opportunity that
I shouldn't have passed up, and I'm glad I didn't
pass the opportunity up. I just feel bad sometimes that
you had to be uprooted. But in a few months
you loved South Florida.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, I still do. My heart is in South Florida
and in Columbus and in Boston. I leave a little
bit of it everywhere I go, and I like it
that way. We have Priya, she's everyone's home base. We
can always go and stay with her and see her
and be there when we need to, and I do
all the time. So when you had kids and you
(17:43):
decided to pursue a career, you never let the kids
get in the way of the career. How did you
balance those things, because it seems like a lot of
people have a really hard time with that.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Again, the kids came to live with us, and we
gave them everything they needed. And I think kids kids
adapt very easily. If you left them, you were flexible.
You may the were more flexible than Priya. But she
went where we went.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
So Danielle works here right, and she is amazing. She's
such a good mom. She doesn't ever miss a track
meet or a soccer game. She doesn't miss anything. She says,
she feels so badly if she misses those things. You
guys did miss those things. It never bothered me. I
never felt like, damn, I wish my mom was here.
I just didn't take it. I guess that seriously. Even
though I won medals and stuff and I was pretty
(18:30):
good at soccer. Did you feel bad about missing that stuff?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Oh? Of course I felt very bad about missing a
lot of your games. But it was a balance. Whenever
I was in town, because I traveled a lot, I
made sure I came to your games. I even coached
for a while.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
If you remember a soccer little Yeah, I did whatever
I could to balance. I think you did a really
good job of it. Thank you well, thank you, And I,
like I said, never feel bad about having any of
that stuff be missed.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Not very.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I don't want to say sentimental, because I am sentimental
about things, but that kind of stuff, I was just like, okay.
It actually used to drive me nuts when Dad would
come to games, because he just yells things that don't
even make sense, and then you get into arguments with
coaches because he doesn't even know what he's doing. But
he'd be like, shoot the ball, but I'm the goalie.
What do you mean shoot the ball? That's crazy. That
used to stress me out. So I was fine with
people missing games.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Well, Dad cheered for both teams.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Yeah, I didn't not know what was going on. He
just knew he wanted his kid to score. And that
was that. So what was would you say the hardest
part about raising us?
Speaker 3 (19:32):
I don't know that I ever found anything really difficult.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Don't rewrite history. Well, you had to come to school
for me, at least, I'll just say this for me. Oh,
you had to come to my school constantly. Yes, but
that didn't bother you.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
It bothered me then a little bit because sometimes it
was your fault, yes, sometimes, And then it was difficult
to understand why you weren't complying, you know, with just
simple things.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
As an adult. Now that I am an adult, you
see a little more clearly why I wasn't complying with
certain things.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yes, I do understand that. Even then, I understood what
you were thinking. But what I couldn't understand was the
teacher told you not to do something. Why did you
have to do it? Even though you were right? Many
times I'd say, but she is the teacher. You've got
to understand. You have to listen to your teacher, and
unless it made sense to you, you wouldn't do it.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
I think I'm stilling that in some capacities specifically, what
are things that stand out to you that you remember
the band?
Speaker 3 (20:32):
You did not like your teacher with good reason because
she had said you were tone deaf and you'd never
amount to anything. I mean she said it, yeah, talentless,
and I mean she said that in front of the
whole class too, And that's what made me very, very
upset because I knew what talent you had, because you
had private music lessons. That got me, But what you
(20:55):
were doing at that time was on purpose. You had
the drums and you would go off beat by one
beat just to throw everyone off. Yeah, and it was
difficult to do, but you did it.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
And yes, you you were little shit. Okay, Okay, that
it's okay. I so looking back at that, I definitely
got in trouble a lot when I was in school.
I got in detention, I got this undud, I got
all of the things. Everything happened. I would skip school
a lot. I think, looking back at it, I was
very bored. And I also think you and Dad saw
(21:29):
that immediately when I was a child, and I think
you guys did everything you possibly could to keep me busy.
I was involved in everything jazz, tap, ballet, piano, drums, soccer, gymnastics,
like you name it. You guys tried to put me
in those things, art classes. I remember you guys saying,
if there's not something in your hands, you are up
to nonsense. And you tried really hard to keep me
(21:51):
busy and keep me from being bored. I think a
lot of the time I was bored.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
You would have been troublesome no matter where if it
wasn't something that you would have liked.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Really, yes, I loved dark class. Never got any complaints
from our art teachers. And you know what, I loved science.
I was a science nerd. I loved it, and I
still got in trouble in our science class.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
You did get in trouble a lot, and you got
in trouble on the school bus, and you got kicked
off the school bus. And then Pria.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Stood up to help you as her sister. Yeah, I'm
a little lawyer, and the bus.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Driver got upset with her and threw her off too.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Yeah, well, Priya, we don't need to get into what
she said. But Pria said something very snarky and horrible
and sarcastic and mean to that bus driver, who deserved
it at the moment. Actually, when I was little, I
thought she deserved it. But now that I'm growing up,
I'm like, God, that would have been horrible driving these
kids around who were just throwing food and being assholes.
So I will reverse that. She doesn't deserve it as
an adult. When I was little, I thought she's being
(22:44):
very mean, and so did Pria, and Priya lit her up,
and then that bus driver cried and Priya got in trouble.
The only times Priya ever got in trouble when we
were little was because of you.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
And I remember going to school and talking to your
principle and saying that the punishment when you don't let
them go on the bus is really punishing me because
I have to now take time off of work to
take them to school, drop them off, and bring them back.
At different times.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
That principle was a turd. He didn't care well.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
He'd put you back on the bus, and then we
punished you at home.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
You know something about that principle because he's the same
one that when I was moving to South Florida, he
told you, guys, it was good, yes, that I was
getting out of that school system, even though it was
an incredible school system, but that I was getting out
of there because all of my friends were trouble and
I was trouble, and we needed to be separated. One
of the people that he was referring to in that
group was Elise, who is a baller boss, amazing person
(23:40):
within her company. She has always been genius and incredibly sweet,
And he just had these horrible opinions of people. He
thought whatever he thought based on who we were hanging
out with. That principle, did you know what happened to him.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
He got in trouble with doing something with kids and dares.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
No. Well, first of all, our dare officer get a dui,
so that was exciting. But no, that principle went to
another school and he ended up getting serious charges because
there were some sexual assaults that happened there and he
tried to cover them up.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Oh I did. Yeah, so I don't remember that.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
But I'm just going to say, pay attention to your kids,
not necessarily all the teachers all the time, because they're
not always right. They're human as well. And he was
wrong about a lot because the lease of everybody, the
people that he thought were so amazing not doing well.
Elise kicking all the ass.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
I knew Elise, and it was not at least that
I was ever worried about about. I really wasn't worried.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
You were more worried about my friends in Miami.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Yes, some of them I was concerned about. I mean
when when I found them sleeping outside in our driveway
all night long. I mean that's something to be worried about.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
It happened one time. But also a lot of those
kids that you were concerned about, look at them now,
they're doing amazing things, and they're doing really well. Sometimes
you just got to give kids a little bit of space.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
A little bit always miracles.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Yes, Wait, so every single one of these people as
a miracle.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
I wouldn't say every single one. I love them. They
were great kids personally, they were wonderful with me. Yeah,
but there was something that was not school worthy that.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
They did well. Maybe people need to reassess what is
school worthy and what is rewarded in school and what
is punished in school.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Okay, but I believe you make the change first, and
until you make the change, you comply.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
But what if by not complying, we affected change because
they saw, Wow, there's a pilot kids here who are
getting really good grades, who are for some reason a
little troublesome, maybe because they're bored. Maybe in those ways,
then school curriculum would change a little bit, or they
would split the classes up differently. I mean, there's a
(25:44):
lot that could happen. I understand you guys in the
follow the role, follow the rule stuff, But I just
think in life in general, and by the way, we,
or at least me, you married into it, come from
a line of revolution, a blood line of revolution. You're
more of a Gandi than any of us. But I
think that sometimes you just have to be very corny.
Here be the change you wish to see in the world.
(26:04):
If you don't like something, why comply? If it doesn't
make sense, why comply? You know where I learned that.
Your husband, Dad tells me all the time, question everything,
If it doesn't make sense, don't do it.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
And then he'll say, take care of it. Mangolo. Yeah right.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
I mean, to be fair, Dad didn't come to school
as much as you did, but Dad still showed up
just to tell people they were giving us two high
of grades.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Yes, I mean came because your grades I think were overinflated.
Oh they were. I think it was a lower standard
and we compared it to what we did when we
were in school. And yes it was a private school
and so on, but what you did in school was
was not a worthy at all.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Whatever. Okay, So I'm gonna ask you a couple questions
and then we have to wrap it up. True or false?
I lived alone my senior year of high school.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Semi true?
Speaker 2 (26:49):
What is semi true about it?
Speaker 3 (26:50):
Dad and I would come occasionally back just to make
sure that you were okay. Okay, everything was going well,
and we wondered how the couch cut broken. Nobody knew
until I saw a photograph of twenty people on it.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, so okay, I will I'll try to make this short.
My senior year of high school. The summer before my
senior year of high school, you got a job offer
in what was at Saint Louis. That was Saint Louis
at that time, and you decided, this is an opportunity
you can't pass up. So I'm going to take this job.
But it was my senior year of high school and
moving me as a senior would have been diabolical. So
(27:30):
as a group, we all decided, maybe it makes more
sense if you stay here, because in Florida at that time,
I don't know if they're still there. There were scholarships
called the Bright Future Scholarships. If you were an above
a certain percentile on your standardized test scores SAT's acts,
and you had above a certain GPA, you would get
a full ride to go to college. So you guys said,
(27:51):
as long as you do that, and as long as
you continue to play soccer and have your job, you
stay here and basically hold down the house. And we
will go to Saint Louis and live in Saint Louis,
which is what happened. So senior year of high school,
that is what I did. Nothing that bad happened. I
was a pretty good, pretty good kid when it came
to the stuff that really could have gone south. I
did break your couch because I did have parties. I
(28:12):
didn't want to sleep in that house by myself. That
was crazy, you know me, I'm scared of the dark,
so Christina would sleep over all the time. But we'd
also have little parties, especially when the hurricane was coming.
We had a hurricane party. And that is when the
couch broke because there was a pull out couch in
the living room and there were like fifteen of us
sitting on that thing and we broke it. And then
my mom and dad came home and they tried to
pull the couch out and it wouldn't come out, and
(28:33):
they're like, what happened here? I said, I don't know,
that's crazy. Oh my god, broken couch. And then my
dumb ass left a pilot pictures out and there was
a photo of all fifteen of us sitting on that
pullout bed. So that's what you're talking about But overall,
I still showed up for soccer all the time. I
did skip a lot of school, but I still graduated
with a four point two GPA, so you can't be
(28:53):
too mad about it.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
I was not mad about your grades. I was upset
about your or absenteeism.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Because why can't you just go to school? But to me,
I'm saying, why do I have to go to school
if I've got a four point two gpa? And I
knew that I had secured that scholarship, so why why
not just enjoy my senior year, go to the beach
at a ball. You should be.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
Happy, Okay, in retrospect, I'm happy, but at that time, no,
you almost didn't get something because of your absenteeism.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
There were a couple things. So I remember in eighth
grade I almost didn't go to Washington d C. Because
I had too many detentions. And then they wanted to
say that I couldn't walk during graduation because I had
skipped too much, which one I didn't want to walk.
I didn't even want to go to graduation. I hate
that stuff, but you guys really wanted it. So then
instead of saying, well, you can't walk, because you have
too many absences for the year. Shout out to my
(29:43):
high school. They let me graduate early. That's probably the
substandard stuff you're talking about, though, Yes, Like, why are
you going to be mad at a kid who doing
okay just because they didn't show up to gym class? Oh,
go to gym. I played soccer and I was in
(30:05):
track and I was on a step team. That's enough
physical activity for me.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Fast forwarded. Now you're working not here. Yeah, But if
you were working and you got all your work done
in three days, uh, does that mean you can just
be a bum for the next stop?
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Well?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
What am I getting paid based on? Am I getting
paid based on the amount of work I've been putting out?
Or am I getting paid a certain amount to do
a certain amount?
Speaker 3 (30:28):
You're being paid to come to work five days a
week and get all the work done, and if you
get it done early, then we'll give you more.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Well that sounds like shit. That sounds like a horrible deal.
I'm just saying. So these are the things where I'm
talking about. Maybe some change. You could affect some change,
because if you pay me, I'm gonna use your terms
right for the postal service. If you pay me, and
I know that these are not actually tasks that happen.
But if you pay me to sort a thousand pieces
(30:55):
of mail a week, that is the expectation. And I
can sort those thousand pieces of me in two days.
What do you care if I'm there for the whole
week or two days, Because if what you say is well,
if you can do it in two days, then we're
going to give you more mail to sort. You're punishing
people who are more efficient, and then you're raising the
standard and you're trying to turn people into robots. And
(31:15):
a work life balance is important.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Work life balance is important. But if I pay you
to come to work for five days and you get
the work done in two, that means you're more efficient.
You will be recognized for that. You can get awards
for that, but you gotta come back for the awards.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
Could be, could be, or they do.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
In some cases they do actually have physical.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Benefits, because I think a lot of companies try to
give you a plaque, and you know, you should be
really happy to get use this plaque, but I can't
eat that and it's not paying my bills, so I
don't really care about a plaque.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
I think both should be there because the plaque stays
there with you as a memory forever the money is
used up.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Yeah, I take the money. I don't care about the
stupid plaque. You could keep all the awards in all
the plaques. When people ask you, know, how, how how
can we make your life better at work? What is
it that we can do to improve your life? There's
a very simple answer there. You can pay me more
and or you can give me more vacation. I think
that is what the majority of people would say would
increase their quality of life.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Yes, but they also remember the plaques that they have.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
So then my next question, if you could have done
something differently raising Priya and me, what would it be.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
I don't think we have enough time haha for that,
but I really can't say differently, I would have paid
more attention to what you liked to do and where
your talents were versus thinking like most Indian parents like
this is the path to go. I would have paid
(32:44):
more attention like, for example, you you were more artsy
in so many different ways, but I didn't encourage pushing
you that way. We didn't stop you and that's why yeah,
you went to radio. I'd have paid more attention to that. Okay,
looking at out of the norm circumstances.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Okay, are you happy with the way both of us
have turned out?
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Yes? And I always think the power that you both
have turned out well in spite of sometimes the benign
neglect that we had.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
You and Dad. Both of you said, that's funny.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Because that is a term we talk about with each other.
It was like we weren't as involved, so we called
it the benign neglect, But you turned out fine.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
See, I think I would disagree with you guys there one.
I don't feel like there was benign neglect. I think
you guys treated us much more like adults than most
of our friends' parents treated them, and because of that,
we became pretty fiercely independent when we were younger. I
think that's kind of a good thing. I see a
lot of people, you know, kids now that are'm like,
(33:47):
what are you doing? You're like seventeen years old. You
should be able to do that. You should be able
to go out on your own and handle these things
I saw. If you guys think that was a benign neglect,
I actually think it was pretty good. But also, you
guys were much more involved in school things and not
involved in social life things. And we say this all
the time. Every Indian kid has two lives. They have
(34:08):
the life that their parents think they lead, and they
have the life they really lead. They're not always wild
and crazy and insane. But you know, Indian parents are like, well,
if you had fun yesterday, you don't need to have
fun today.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
Why.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
I don't know, They just say it. Be bored. I
don't think that there's anything wrong with the way that
you guys did it. You guys were pretty hands off
with the social lifes and we didn't get into really
trouble in that capacity. I mean like, yeah, I egged
some houses and toilet papers, Like, yes, I did those things.
Pria never did, but I got into more trouble with that.
But nobody got knocked up in high school. Nobody really
even had boyfriends when we were little.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Yeah, because we'd scared the heck out of you. We'd
told you that you could not have any boyfriends until
you were thirty.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
And you thought anybody listened to you, Well, yes, yeah,
I still did. And then this is the other funny
thing about Indian parents. They're like, don't date anyoneuntil you're
thirty and then you turn thirty and they're like, why
aren't you married with four kids? How do you think
that's supposed to work?
Speaker 3 (35:00):
To work out? Yeah, thirty is a number that's thrown
out just because it's an easy number. Okay, but we
don't mean that.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
You mean twenty five, uh, twenty two. Maybe worry about
your studies and then just immediately get married and have children.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
No work, enjoy yourselves a little. I've always said, when
before you get married and have children, enjoy yourselves, because
once the kids come, things change, so thank you.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
So then the last question everybody always wants to know
how my parents feel about the fact that I don't
want to get married, Are you okay? Not to be honest,
not really, not really, not really why I don't know.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
Let me tell you. I have some aunts who were
not married, okay and led professional lives and you know,
did just fine.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
So I don't think that you need a person to
be with you, But I think there's a sense of
comfort when there's something for me, yes, for me, and
later on for you to have some one in your life, okay,
whose dependable, reliable, cares about you, and it's there for you.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
So you'd be Okay. If I had a boyfriend forever
and we didn't get married, yeah, okay, so I mean
shut out, not I was a boyfriend, I'd rather we're
not talking about slitting around. It's not floating around.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
I'm talking about someone who's there through thick and thin. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
I mean, aren't you happy that you're saving all that money?
Speaker 3 (36:27):
No?
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I mean you can just give it to me if
you want to.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
No, I'm still holding out hope.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Okay, one day, then one day, one day, some money,
and if not, then I'm using that money to take
an awesome trip around the world. I would love it
if you booked that trip right now. What do I
tell you guys all the time? Please stop saving money
for Pria and me. Yes, take your trips, live your lives,
enjoy it, make the memories. That's what we want more
(36:53):
than anything else. I don't want all your money. I
just want my mom and dad and I want them
to have a really good time.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
And I appreciate that, and I know that, and I
am glad that you don't need any of the things
that you know I'll fall backs. I am really really
proud of you both about that. But what I was
raised with and what I think about having, you know,
savings and so on for a rainy day and for
my children. It's hard to give up.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Okay, but what if you just took this money you're
saving for my mythical wedding and you used it for
this trip that you really want to take. I would
love that.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
Let me think about it, Let me think about it.
It sounds it sounds great, right, it sounds great.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
I think it's a good plan.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Oh maybe we can all go for six of us go.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
Brendan and Corey.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
Yes, okay, of course, okay.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
And then the other question, what did you think was
one of the most difficult times you can remember when
it came to parenting me, something that was really hard
for you to watch happen, or something that you thought
was really hard for me to deal with.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
The worst to me was when Chad passed away.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Oh yeah, that was the worse for me too. I'm
glad we agree. That was my first boyfriend.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
And it was very difficult for me to watch you
suffer the way you did because it was so sudden
and unexpected and he was so young. That was that
was difficult.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Yeah, I would definitely I would agree on that. That
was for sure the hardest. And I told you I
that you know, there are things in life that sort
of rewire who you are and the way that you
deal with things and address things. And I feel like
that was the thing for me, a big thing for me,
but not in a horrible way. I mean, of course,
(38:36):
could I wave a wand and I wish he was here? Yeah,
for sure, I know that you can't. But I told
you this yesterday. We were talking about this yesterday. It
made me really change the way I look at loss,
and I look at things now, like flowers, where you
know it's gonna go away. At some point, everything good,
sadly is gonna go away. It doesn't mean there's not
(38:57):
gonna be more good stuff on the way, but some
like the thing you love the most in your life
might not be there forever, so you should just enjoy
that thing while it's there. And I spent so long
being so sad about Chad, and I still am, but
I got to a point where I became very happy
that I ever knew him and that I ever had
him in my life, because nobody will ever get that
ever again. I got that, and I was so fortunate. Yes,
(39:21):
that was terrible and traumatic and horrible, and I would
not like to go through it again. But if I
look at life as a whole, I'm so I hate
to use the word blessed. You know how I feel
about religion. I feel so blessed that I ever had
him in my life, because no one's getting out again.
But I got it and it was awesome.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
Well, that's truly a good way to look at things,
you know, instead of regrets, to see what benefits you
got from it. And I wish that more of us
could do that, the things that we had versus the
things we don't have. Good way to look at things.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
And I have a lot. I have a lot of
really great stuff, and I just am loving it while
it's here. And I think that we're all just I
don't know, we're lucky. And I did see you tense
just for a quick second when I said, do you
know how I feel about religion? Because I know how
you feel about religion, and you are a religious person,
you do care about it, you like to go to temple.
The only times I really go to temple are when
my mom takes me. She is a temple dweller. She
(40:13):
loves it. She gets a little bit nervous when I
say I don't believe in this kind of stuff. I
see her go ah, But I believe in a higher power.
Don't worry, mama, And.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
That's all I care about, is that you believe in
a higher power. And I've always said, and this may
not go of a well with a lot of people,
but it is. Religion is a crutch that I use
many times when I can't deal with things myself. Then
I look up to something to help me. And whatever
(40:47):
it is, and however it works in it, maybe I'm
doing things to make it happen, but it happens, and
so I attribute it to the power that I cannot see.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
Okay, And I believe that there is definitely something that
I cannot see and there is a power greater than me,
because it cannot be humans are it. It can't be this.
This place is ghetto, humans, trash. There's got to be
something bigger and better and amazing out there, and I
believe it's there. And for you, I still have all
the little gods in my house. You saw them yesterday.
I saw you looking at them. I still I will
(41:19):
always go to temple with you. I just have my
issues with organized religion. You know where I got that from?
Your husband?
Speaker 3 (41:26):
Yeah, my husband does that. But you know what else
my husband does when he has an.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
Issue, He goes to the temple.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Go to the temple, and would you pray for a
quick healing recovery for me?
Speaker 2 (41:36):
You know, because he's a nut job. Oh well, you victim.
I also attribute any of my strangeness or oddity to
you picking dad to be my dad, and.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
I don't regret it at all.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
Okay, okay, good well. I would like to end this
episode telling you I think you are the best mom,
and you are an amazing role model for me and
for other girls out there that you can do every thing.
You can be a great mom, you can have a
great career, you can do all this stuff. And I
love you and I never doubt that you guys love me.
And I'm very very happy and Pria and I say
(42:10):
this all the time. I couldn't have asked for two
better parents. Despite the fact that you guys have turned
into absolute lunatics, You're the best.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Thank you, Mada.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
You're very welcome.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
Okay, So picking up, bye bye.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
And there you have it. So you met my mom,
you met my dad. Up next, I would love to
have my sister at some point. She'll talk a lot
of shit. My mom's probably the nicest of the three.
But also I'm very excited about next week's episode because
our boy Josh actually came and said he had something
he wanted to tell me and he's willing to do
it on the podcast. And I am fascinated to know
(42:52):
what this is because whenever something comes from Josh, you
can trust that it's going to be some wild shit
and I can't wait. So, like, Hello, subscribe, leave a
review if you would like to. You can always leave
a talk back on the Little iHeartRadio app. There's a
microphone for you to essentially just leave me a voicemail.
I would love to hear it. And follow me on
Instagram at Baby Hot Sauce. So until next week when
(43:14):
we have Josh on along with Diamond and Andrew, have
a fabulous day, Give all your mamas a hug for me,
and Happy Mother's Day. Well on Sunday, Happy Mother's Day.
What's up.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's sauce on this side. I'm Gandhi from the Elvisturing
Morning Show, and today is going to be a little
bit different kind of than my other podcasts because I
sat down with my mom. I know, I got a
lot of positive feedback when I sat down with my dad.
And since Mother's Day is right around the corner it's
happening this weekend, I thought I would do a Mother's
Day episode with my mama, who, yes, I call her
(00:25):
chicken for lots of reasons, but mostly because whenever she
wakes up in the morning, she's got curly hair, sort
like me, and she looks like a crazy chicken. So
that's where that comes from. Enjoy it. Enjoy your moms
if they're around and you have good relationships with them,
because sadly, parents aren't gonna be here forever. And I
love mine so much. So here's my mama. I do
(00:48):
love Chichen. How you doing, chick Lit, I'm doing well.
So you wanted to come and do the podcast. So
what have you worked on for us to talk about today?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Absolutely nothing.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I'm not sure shocked by this. So when you wanted
to be on the podcast, what did you want to
do here.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I just wanted to talk to you, that's all.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
What do you want to talk about?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Let's talk about your childhood?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Oh great, okay, Well, first of all, this is my mother,
Mangola Gandhi, and she's in town right now. Hopefully this
will come out before Mother's Day, but you're in town
for Mother's Day sort of because you and I are
going to go see a filming of the Kelly Clarkson
Show because of a special Mother's Day edition and they
invited us to go, So.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
We're going to go, I know, and I really appreciate
you thinking about me and asking me to come and
taking care of everything.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Anytime, Chicken. I guess I have some questions because I
didn't think you were going to come prepared, but a
lot of people submitted questions that they wanted me to
ask my parents. But since you want to lead with
my childhood, what do you want to talk about about
my childhood? Because I have questions, but I would love
to know.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Why don't we start with you asking questions?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Why did you guys decide to have children in this
disgusting world?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
First? And if almost I don't think this world is disgusting.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
We don't watch the news so well.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I do watch the news, and I do understand, but
I try to look at the happier side of things.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's probably a better way to us.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
When we had you guys, the world was a great
place and Priya was a good kid live kind of
uh huh. And then we just wanted to make sure
that we had someone she could play with because it's
getting old playing with her.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
That's how it always goes. The air and the spare,
and I'm the spare.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I'd never heard that before, but kind of true.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Well, that's what they say about the Royals, Prince William
and allegedly they always have a second son in case
something goes wrong with the first son and he needs
body parts.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
That would be something. No, that's what they say, very British.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Like, yeah, if you know, God, God forbid William needs
a kidney, we got two over here. He'll be fine.
It's crazy. You never heard that. No, I had not
growing up in India. Oh, I'm surprised because India, as
we know, was colonized by the British. You went to
a British school, but I did not hear this. But
you are a stickler about English.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
I think people should speak English properly, Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
You get on people about who versus whom all the time.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Just my children, an immediate family.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
And anyone on TV or in a movie sometimes sometimes always,
that's okay. Any language should be spoken properly, exactly, and
you speak very proper English. But going back to our childhood,
when we were little, they wanted to put Priya and
I in Esaul classes because you guys had accents and
they thought you couldn't speak English. Yes, so they wanted
(03:38):
to put us in English as a second language class.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I remember that teacher because she didn't know how to
use the word I versus me, and.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
A lot of people don't.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
But she was a teacher and she was correcting you,
but it was incorrect. And when I went in to
talk to her about why she was correcting you, she said, well,
I do understand that English is a second language for
you and you don't understand the differences. So we would
like to help your children. And I said, I'll help
(04:13):
my children. And then I went to the principle and
I said, this has got to change, because the.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Principle was like, who's this immigrant.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
No.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
The principal was wonderful and she said, I'll take care
of it, and she moved you.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So you said Prio was a pretty easy kid. So
we already started the podcast off with lies because you
know that's not true. Priyo was difficult, that is my
older sister in every way. She was a sickly little
child and then she just turned into pain in the ass.
Do you deny this?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
She was a sickly child, she was difficult about being
a pain. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
About that really, she well, you know Priya is going
to listen to this.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
That's why.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Oh, because you're scared, because you're way more scared of
prayer than you are of me.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I am scared fear she's scary. Oh I she never
lets go.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
But if you want to get something done, she's gonna
get it done.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yes, I know. That's why I'm keeping her on the
good side.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
She's always on the good side.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Please, I want to be on our good side exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
So, growing up, then, if Preah was a sickly child
and was a pain in the ass, which you will
not admit now, which one of us was easier to
raise as a child. You were.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
There's no doubt in my mind you were easier to
raise than Priya because you just had You were easy going,
and really Priya kind of took care of you, even
though she was just two and a quarter years older
than you. She she watched out for you, so it
(05:47):
was easier. And what I remember about you is when
I had some work to do, I would tell you,
let's go play hide and seek. I would you would
go hide behind a and I would pretend like I
didn't know where you were so I could get things done.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
You would leave me behind a curtain so that you
could work. That's child abuse. I'm sure it's neglect at
the very least.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
No, please, it's very ingenious, okay. And you'd stay there
for a long time.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Did that ever concern you? How long I would stay there?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
No, it was great.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
How long are we talking? Twenty minutes? Oh no, not
that long? Maybe ten, teneen, h fifteen. That's very close
to twenty mother, not quite okay. So in Dad's episode
when he was on with us, he told the world
that he firmly believed that I was and I'm using
his words, retarded, that there was something wrong with me developmentally.
(06:43):
He told all of the KinderCare teachers, look out, what
were your thoughts on that because people really got a
kick out of that one.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
I never thought you were retarded, because I could I
would see some things that were, you know, like glimmers
of intelligence. Okay, so I didn't think that you had
any kind of learning disability. I just thought you were
spoiled by your sister, Yes, because she did everything for
you said there was no need for you to learn.
(07:10):
I just I knew that, you know, there was hope,
unlike your father.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
And then I would concern. Yeah, he was more concerned,
but he was genuinely concerned. Correct, because people think it's
a joke, and I say, no, he was really serious.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Not as serious as he makes it out to be now,
but he did have some concerns. It's like she doesn't speak,
she never crawled. She just does things so in leaps
and bounds versus the incremental that most children go through.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So on that note. One of the other things that
people ask about because he says it. And if I say,
I obviously do not remember any of this because I
was a little baby, what do I remember? He will
swear that I never had a first word, that it
was a sentence.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
That is correct, you corroborate what was the.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Sentence, Mom, I want milk. This happened. I mean it
took me.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I turned around and looked at you and said what
because Pria was not there to help. Prea had gone
an overnight sleep over at someone's house, and you were
sitting in the chair and I was doing something in
the kitchen and you said, Mom, I want milk. Those
were your first words to me.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
And your reaction was who spoke?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Who was that baby? Yeah, but still I did not
expect that coming out of you, given that you didn't
even say mama, dada or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
I was holding a bad thing. I wanted to impress you,
and it worked.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
It worked. It didn't impress me. It scared the heck
out of me. I really thought, like, what happened to you?
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Like I was possessing? Yes, I get that a lot
still even now. Well, people wonder. So I was an
easier child to raise because I was just easy going
and Priya did most of the raising. Is what you're saying,
because again you know she's going to listen to this.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Yeah, pre did a lot of work with you. She
kept you kind of she she'd spy on you and
tell me if you was doing something.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
She did not.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
She did too.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
She probably only told you things just to kind of
keep you in there, because I know Priya has kept
so many.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Secrets older when you were older, but not not when
you were up to three years old.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
No, well, three, I was what would I possibly do
when our three.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Roll over and eat a plant that still be hanging
hanging down? And then I had to call poison control
to see if you know I should take you in?
Speaker 2 (09:36):
So how many times? Well, first of all, one could
argue that this is your fault for allowing someone who
was about two three years older than me to watch me.
If I'm eating a poison plant? Where were you?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
I was there, That's how I caught you.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Oh, I thought you prance hold on you hold on me?
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Well, but eventually I saw she's she said. Pria said, mom,
Meda is eating something like a puppy. And then when
I looked, it was you chewing on a I think
it was a phylodendron.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
How many times do you guys think you had to
call poison control on me? Because I know Dad did
when he thought I ate the mercury out of a thermoterm.
You did when I apparently ate this plant.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I don't think there was many more, because then you're
gonna call me negligent. No, I'm not gonna tell you
even if I remember.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Free vice history. Okay, so two that we know of
for sure. But between Praya and I, I was definitely
the one that got into more trouble and got injured more.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yes, all the time.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
But you still say I was easier to raise even
with those things.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yes, because you had routines. Okay, you would get up
at the right time, you would eat, you would fall
asleep and take a nap.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
You guys, I ate once a week.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Well, yeah, but you ate, Okay, you know there was
something or the other you would eat once a week
was your big I called it the tankamm but you'd
eat it a little bit. And when I spoke to
the pediatrician, they said, don't worry when she's hungry.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Shel and I show so And I used to get
injured all the time.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Because you would do goofy things. You learned how to
smr salt and you said, mom, let me show you
I can do a summer salt. And you were standing
on the stop of the stairs, twelve steps and you
took off and I had to run up to catch
you midway.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I distinctly remember falling down the steps multiple times. Yes, yeah,
but I didn't get hurt too badly, okay.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Because you were cut and then once you fell into
the laundry basket that was on the bottom of the
steps that saved you.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Baby gates could have prevented all this.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I don't think they would have prevented you. You would
have pushed.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Them, probably, you know what I think about all the time.
So I have friends who have kids, are having kids,
they're in that new parent face, and all of them
are trying to babyproof the house. And I said, I
don't really remember our house ever being babyproofed. It was just,
you know, I could have grabbed a knife if I
wanted to, or scissors, or fallen down the steps, done whatever.
And I distinctly remember you saying, yeah, we didn't do
(12:06):
any of that because you were moving into our house
as a baby. We were not moving into your house,
so you needed to adjust to the way our house was,
and you guys just didn't baby proof things. It was interesting,
but that's true.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
You were moving in with.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Us, so I wasn't moving in. I was born against
my will.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
One way or the other you were coming into the
home that we lived in. It's not like we left
the scissors hanging out on the floor where you could
reach them. Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Do you ever wish you had more than two kids?
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Really?
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
How many would you have wanted?
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
For maybe you would want two more of Priya or I.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Yes, and it's me, oh yeah or me.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
You're right? You are correct, good job chicken. Yeah, but
you would want two more?
Speaker 3 (12:53):
That would have been okay, But I was just it
was not a good time.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
So right, because you started working, Yes, your career that
you still have to this day. Yes, when I was born, correct, right?
How long after I was born?
Speaker 3 (13:06):
A month?
Speaker 2 (13:06):
So what is your actual title at this moment?
Speaker 3 (13:08):
I'm the national director for EO.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
For the United States Postal Service. Yes, and she's still
doing this job despite the fact that we've been trying
to say you should retire and just enjoy your life.
You like working.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
You love being a boss.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
I like the work I do. I like the people
I work with. They're awesome. Wherever I've gone.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
And you've gone to a lot of places. So yes, Columbus, Ohio,
then to South Florida, yes, those are my two places
where I grew up. And then you went to Saint.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Louis for a little a little while, and then Chicago correct,
and then Washington, d C. Correct, Then Dallas yes, and
then Tampa yes.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
And that's where you guys have found yourselves back in
Florida right now.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
So people ask me all the time where it's home
for you, and I say, I don't really have a home. Obviously,
home is going to be where my parents are. But
because you guys have moved so much, and I've moved
a few times myself, I don't really have a place
where I identify as this as home. My apartment feels comfortable,
but New York City doesn't feel like home to me.
It's a strange thing, and I can't explain it. Because
(14:11):
Pria certainly has a home. She is Columbus, Ohio through
and through, and she has planted her feet and she's
going to stay there and that's home. But I don't
really have a place where I feel that way.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Well, you've got to think about home is what your
heart is, and your heart should be in Tampa, Florida. No, please,
So that's please home. What if my heart is in Columbus, Ohio. Well, okay,
then my heart is with you guys.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
But you guys make it really difficult to try and
ever plant roots somewhere that hasn't been able to happen
because you move so much. And I'm happy that you
move and you follow your career and your heart and
your desires. But then that sort of made me the
same way, which I know drives you insane, because you
would love it if I could just stay where you are.
But I learned from the best. Well, thank you, You're welcome.
(14:55):
But that's why I don't really know where I would
call home. I have no idea. I guess that just
changes as my heart changes. And I like it here
right now.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
When you were maybe nine or ten years old, we
had come to New York to visit, and you took
to it like a fish to water. You loved it.
I saw you with your back back, just walking up
and down the streets, and I said, she's going to
be in New York.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
I loved New York until I was living in South Florida,
and then I thought, ah, this is way better. I
love Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale and just the sunshine
and the palm trees and the ocean. It was great.
And I remember thinking when I started working in radio,
when I was a little baby intern, thinking, yeah, the
top of the mountain is New York City, but I
don't ever want to live in New York. I would
(15:41):
rather go to LA because I got really hooked on
that sunshine after a while from Florida, and I thought, ah,
I'll never go to New York. I'm gonna go to
LA instead. And then of course I ended up here.
But I do love it. I'm very happy here, and
I'm glad you're in New York versus California. Yes, yeah,
because it's closer to you, guys.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
It is. It's closer. And I have more affinity towards
the East Coast than I have to the West coast.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
So let's talk about you for a minute, and how
you and dad came from Bombay, India. Mumbai. What do
you call it? You call it Bombay, don't you? You
call it Mumbai? Now I call it Mumbai. Now you
call it Mumbai. It was Bombay when you were growing up. Yes,
you guys came from there to Youngstown, Ohio.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Why Okay? So his brother, dad's brother lived in Youngstown,
Ohio and sponsored him to come to the United States.
So he came to Youngstown, Ohio, went to college over there,
got his CPA from that.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Well, you guys had already done college also in India,
so this was this was advance training.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Yes, So that's how we ended up in Youngstown. But
then his first job was in Columbus, Ohio. We kind
of state, but we just wanted some.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Stability for Priya.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
For Priya, yeah, because she's our favorite. And then when
it came time to move, there was an opportunity that
I shouldn't have passed up, and I'm glad I didn't
pass the opportunity up. I just feel bad sometimes that
you had to be uprooted. But in a few months
you loved South Florida.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, I still do. My heart is in South Florida
and in Columbus and in Boston. I leave a little
bit of it everywhere I go, and I like it
that way. We have Priya, she's everyone's home base. We
can always go and stay with her and see her
and be there when we need to, and I do
all the time. So when you had kids and you
(17:43):
decided to pursue a career, you never let the kids
get in the way of the career. How did you
balance those things, because it seems like a lot of
people have a really hard time with that.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Again, the kids came to live with us, and we
gave them everything they needed. And I think kids kids
adapt very easily. If you left them, you were flexible.
You may the were more flexible than Priya. But she
went where we went.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
So Danielle works here right, and she is amazing. She's
such a good mom. She doesn't ever miss a track
meet or a soccer game. She doesn't miss anything. She says,
she feels so badly if she misses those things. You
guys did miss those things. It never bothered me. I
never felt like, damn, I wish my mom was here.
I just didn't take it. I guess that seriously. Even
though I won medals and stuff and I was pretty
(18:30):
good at soccer. Did you feel bad about missing that stuff?
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Oh? Of course I felt very bad about missing a
lot of your games. But it was a balance. Whenever
I was in town, because I traveled a lot, I
made sure I came to your games. I even coached
for a while.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
If you remember a soccer little Yeah, I did whatever
I could to balance. I think you did a really
good job of it. Thank you well, thank you, And I,
like I said, never feel bad about having any of
that stuff be missed.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Not very.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I don't want to say sentimental, because I am sentimental
about things, but that kind of stuff, I was just like, okay.
It actually used to drive me nuts when Dad would
come to games, because he just yells things that don't
even make sense, and then you get into arguments with
coaches because he doesn't even know what he's doing. But
he'd be like, shoot the ball, but I'm the goalie.
What do you mean shoot the ball? That's crazy. That
used to stress me out. So I was fine with
people missing games.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Well, Dad cheered for both teams.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Yeah, I didn't not know what was going on. He
just knew he wanted his kid to score. And that
was that. So what was would you say the hardest
part about raising us?
Speaker 3 (19:32):
I don't know that I ever found anything really difficult.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Don't rewrite history. Well, you had to come to school
for me, at least, I'll just say this for me. Oh,
you had to come to my school constantly. Yes, but
that didn't bother you.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
It bothered me then a little bit because sometimes it
was your fault, yes, sometimes, And then it was difficult
to understand why you weren't complying, you know, with just
simple things.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
As an adult. Now that I am an adult, you
see a little more clearly why I wasn't complying with
certain things.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Yes, I do understand that. Even then, I understood what
you were thinking. But what I couldn't understand was the
teacher told you not to do something. Why did you
have to do it? Even though you were right? Many
times I'd say, but she is the teacher. You've got
to understand. You have to listen to your teacher, and
unless it made sense to you, you wouldn't do it.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
I think I'm stilling that in some capacities specifically, what
are things that stand out to you that you remember
the band?
Speaker 3 (20:32):
You did not like your teacher with good reason because
she had said you were tone deaf and you'd never
amount to anything. I mean she said it, yeah, talentless,
and I mean she said that in front of the
whole class too, And that's what made me very, very
upset because I knew what talent you had, because you
had private music lessons. That got me, But what you
(20:55):
were doing at that time was on purpose. You had
the drums and you would go off beat by one
beat just to throw everyone off. Yeah, and it was
difficult to do, but you did it.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
And yes, you you were little shit. Okay, Okay, that
it's okay. I so looking back at that, I definitely
got in trouble a lot when I was in school.
I got in detention, I got this undud, I got
all of the things. Everything happened. I would skip school
a lot. I think, looking back at it, I was
very bored. And I also think you and Dad saw
(21:29):
that immediately when I was a child, and I think
you guys did everything you possibly could to keep me busy.
I was involved in everything jazz, tap, ballet, piano, drums, soccer, gymnastics,
like you name it. You guys tried to put me
in those things, art classes. I remember you guys saying,
if there's not something in your hands, you are up
to nonsense. And you tried really hard to keep me
(21:51):
busy and keep me from being bored. I think a
lot of the time I was bored.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
You would have been troublesome no matter where if it
wasn't something that you would have liked.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Really, yes, I loved dark class. Never got any complaints
from our art teachers. And you know what, I loved science.
I was a science nerd. I loved it, and I
still got in trouble in our science class.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
You did get in trouble a lot, and you got
in trouble on the school bus, and you got kicked
off the school bus. And then Pria.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Stood up to help you as her sister. Yeah, I'm
a little lawyer, and the bus.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Driver got upset with her and threw her off too.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Yeah, well, Priya, we don't need to get into what
she said. But Pria said something very snarky and horrible
and sarcastic and mean to that bus driver, who deserved
it at the moment. Actually, when I was little, I
thought she deserved it. But now that I'm growing up,
I'm like, God, that would have been horrible driving these
kids around who were just throwing food and being assholes.
So I will reverse that. She doesn't deserve it as
an adult. When I was little, I thought she's being
(22:44):
very mean, and so did Pria, and Priya lit her up,
and then that bus driver cried and Priya got in trouble.
The only times Priya ever got in trouble when we
were little was because of you.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
And I remember going to school and talking to your
principle and saying that the punishment when you don't let
them go on the bus is really punishing me because
I have to now take time off of work to
take them to school, drop them off, and bring them back.
At different times.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
That principle was a turd. He didn't care well.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
He'd put you back on the bus, and then we
punished you at home.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
You know something about that principle because he's the same
one that when I was moving to South Florida, he
told you, guys, it was good, yes, that I was
getting out of that school system, even though it was
an incredible school system, but that I was getting out
of there because all of my friends were trouble and
I was trouble, and we needed to be separated. One
of the people that he was referring to in that
group was Elise, who is a baller boss, amazing person
(23:40):
within her company. She has always been genius and incredibly sweet,
And he just had these horrible opinions of people. He
thought whatever he thought based on who we were hanging
out with. That principle, did you know what happened to him.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
He got in trouble with doing something with kids and dares.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
No. Well, first of all, our dare officer get a dui,
so that was exciting. But no, that principle went to
another school and he ended up getting serious charges because
there were some sexual assaults that happened there and he
tried to cover them up.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Oh I did. Yeah, so I don't remember that.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
But I'm just going to say, pay attention to your kids,
not necessarily all the teachers all the time, because they're
not always right. They're human as well. And he was
wrong about a lot because the lease of everybody, the
people that he thought were so amazing not doing well.
Elise kicking all the ass.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
I knew Elise, and it was not at least that
I was ever worried about about. I really wasn't worried.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
You were more worried about my friends in Miami.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Yes, some of them I was concerned about. I mean
when when I found them sleeping outside in our driveway
all night long. I mean that's something to be worried about.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
It happened one time. But also a lot of those
kids that you were concerned about, look at them now,
they're doing amazing things, and they're doing really well. Sometimes
you just got to give kids a little bit of space.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
A little bit always miracles.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Yes, Wait, so every single one of these people as
a miracle.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
I wouldn't say every single one. I love them. They
were great kids personally, they were wonderful with me. Yeah,
but there was something that was not school worthy that.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
They did well. Maybe people need to reassess what is
school worthy and what is rewarded in school and what
is punished in school.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Okay, but I believe you make the change first, and
until you make the change, you comply.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
But what if by not complying, we affected change because
they saw, Wow, there's a pilot kids here who are
getting really good grades, who are for some reason a
little troublesome, maybe because they're bored. Maybe in those ways,
then school curriculum would change a little bit, or they
would split the classes up differently. I mean, there's a
(25:44):
lot that could happen. I understand you guys in the
follow the role, follow the rule stuff, But I just
think in life in general, and by the way, we,
or at least me, you married into it, come from
a line of revolution, a blood line of revolution. You're
more of a Gandi than any of us. But I
think that sometimes you just have to be very corny.
Here be the change you wish to see in the world.
(26:04):
If you don't like something, why comply? If it doesn't
make sense, why comply? You know where I learned that.
Your husband, Dad tells me all the time, question everything,
If it doesn't make sense, don't do it.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
And then he'll say, take care of it. Mangolo. Yeah right.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
I mean, to be fair, Dad didn't come to school
as much as you did, but Dad still showed up
just to tell people they were giving us two high
of grades.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Yes, I mean came because your grades I think were overinflated.
Oh they were. I think it was a lower standard
and we compared it to what we did when we
were in school. And yes it was a private school
and so on, but what you did in school was
was not a worthy at all.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Whatever. Okay, So I'm gonna ask you a couple questions
and then we have to wrap it up. True or false?
I lived alone my senior year of high school.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Semi true?
Speaker 2 (26:49):
What is semi true about it?
Speaker 3 (26:50):
Dad and I would come occasionally back just to make
sure that you were okay. Okay, everything was going well,
and we wondered how the couch cut broken. Nobody knew
until I saw a photograph of twenty people on it.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, so okay, I will I'll try to make this short.
My senior year of high school. The summer before my
senior year of high school, you got a job offer
in what was at Saint Louis. That was Saint Louis
at that time, and you decided, this is an opportunity
you can't pass up. So I'm going to take this job.
But it was my senior year of high school and
moving me as a senior would have been diabolical. So
(27:30):
as a group, we all decided, maybe it makes more
sense if you stay here, because in Florida at that time,
I don't know if they're still there. There were scholarships
called the Bright Future Scholarships. If you were an above
a certain percentile on your standardized test scores SAT's acts,
and you had above a certain GPA, you would get
a full ride to go to college. So you guys said,
(27:51):
as long as you do that, and as long as
you continue to play soccer and have your job, you
stay here and basically hold down the house. And we
will go to Saint Louis and live in Saint Louis,
which is what happened. So senior year of high school,
that is what I did. Nothing that bad happened. I
was a pretty good, pretty good kid when it came
to the stuff that really could have gone south. I
did break your couch because I did have parties. I
(28:12):
didn't want to sleep in that house by myself. That
was crazy, you know me, I'm scared of the dark,
so Christina would sleep over all the time. But we'd
also have little parties, especially when the hurricane was coming.
We had a hurricane party. And that is when the
couch broke because there was a pull out couch in
the living room and there were like fifteen of us
sitting on that thing and we broke it. And then
my mom and dad came home and they tried to
pull the couch out and it wouldn't come out, and
(28:33):
they're like, what happened here? I said, I don't know,
that's crazy. Oh my god, broken couch. And then my
dumb ass left a pilot pictures out and there was
a photo of all fifteen of us sitting on that
pullout bed. So that's what you're talking about But overall,
I still showed up for soccer all the time. I
did skip a lot of school, but I still graduated
with a four point two GPA, so you can't be
(28:53):
too mad about it.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
I was not mad about your grades. I was upset
about your or absenteeism.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Because why can't you just go to school? But to me,
I'm saying, why do I have to go to school
if I've got a four point two gpa? And I
knew that I had secured that scholarship, so why why
not just enjoy my senior year, go to the beach
at a ball. You should be.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
Happy, Okay, in retrospect, I'm happy, but at that time, no,
you almost didn't get something because of your absenteeism.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
There were a couple things. So I remember in eighth
grade I almost didn't go to Washington d C. Because
I had too many detentions. And then they wanted to
say that I couldn't walk during graduation because I had
skipped too much, which one I didn't want to walk.
I didn't even want to go to graduation. I hate
that stuff, but you guys really wanted it. So then
instead of saying, well, you can't walk, because you have
too many absences for the year. Shout out to my
(29:43):
high school. They let me graduate early. That's probably the
substandard stuff you're talking about, though, Yes, Like, why are
you going to be mad at a kid who doing
okay just because they didn't show up to gym class? Oh,
go to gym. I played soccer and I was in
(30:05):
track and I was on a step team. That's enough
physical activity for me.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Fast forwarded. Now you're working not here. Yeah, But if
you were working and you got all your work done
in three days, uh, does that mean you can just
be a bum for the next stop?
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Well?
Speaker 2 (30:19):
What am I getting paid based on? Am I getting
paid based on the amount of work I've been putting out?
Or am I getting paid a certain amount to do
a certain amount?
Speaker 3 (30:28):
You're being paid to come to work five days a
week and get all the work done, and if you
get it done early, then we'll give you more.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Well that sounds like shit. That sounds like a horrible deal.
I'm just saying. So these are the things where I'm
talking about. Maybe some change. You could affect some change,
because if you pay me, I'm gonna use your terms
right for the postal service. If you pay me, and
I know that these are not actually tasks that happen.
But if you pay me to sort a thousand pieces
(30:55):
of mail a week, that is the expectation. And I
can sort those thousand pieces of me in two days.
What do you care if I'm there for the whole
week or two days, Because if what you say is well,
if you can do it in two days, then we're
going to give you more mail to sort. You're punishing
people who are more efficient, and then you're raising the
standard and you're trying to turn people into robots. And
(31:15):
a work life balance is important.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Work life balance is important. But if I pay you
to come to work for five days and you get
the work done in two, that means you're more efficient.
You will be recognized for that. You can get awards
for that, but you gotta come back for the awards.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
Could be, could be, or they do.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
In some cases they do actually have physical.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Benefits, because I think a lot of companies try to
give you a plaque, and you know, you should be
really happy to get use this plaque, but I can't
eat that and it's not paying my bills, so I
don't really care about a plaque.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
I think both should be there because the plaque stays
there with you as a memory forever the money is
used up.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Yeah, I take the money. I don't care about the
stupid plaque. You could keep all the awards in all
the plaques. When people ask you, know, how, how how
can we make your life better at work? What is
it that we can do to improve your life? There's
a very simple answer there. You can pay me more
and or you can give me more vacation. I think
that is what the majority of people would say would
increase their quality of life.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Yes, but they also remember the plaques that they have.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
So then my next question, if you could have done
something differently raising Priya and me, what would it be.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
I don't think we have enough time haha for that,
but I really can't say differently, I would have paid
more attention to what you liked to do and where
your talents were versus thinking like most Indian parents like
this is the path to go. I would have paid
(32:44):
more attention like, for example, you you were more artsy
in so many different ways, but I didn't encourage pushing
you that way. We didn't stop you and that's why yeah,
you went to radio. I'd have paid more attention to that. Okay,
looking at out of the norm circumstances.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Okay, are you happy with the way both of us
have turned out?
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Yes? And I always think the power that you both
have turned out well in spite of sometimes the benign
neglect that we had.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
You and Dad. Both of you said, that's funny.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Because that is a term we talk about with each other.
It was like we weren't as involved, so we called
it the benign neglect, But you turned out fine.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
See, I think I would disagree with you guys there one.
I don't feel like there was benign neglect. I think
you guys treated us much more like adults than most
of our friends' parents treated them, and because of that,
we became pretty fiercely independent when we were younger. I
think that's kind of a good thing. I see a
lot of people, you know, kids now that are'm like,
(33:47):
what are you doing? You're like seventeen years old. You
should be able to do that. You should be able
to go out on your own and handle these things
I saw. If you guys think that was a benign neglect,
I actually think it was pretty good. But also, you
guys were much more involved in school things and not
involved in social life things. And we say this all
the time. Every Indian kid has two lives. They have
(34:08):
the life that their parents think they lead, and they
have the life they really lead. They're not always wild
and crazy and insane. But you know, Indian parents are like, well,
if you had fun yesterday, you don't need to have
fun today.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
Why.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
I don't know, They just say it. Be bored. I
don't think that there's anything wrong with the way that
you guys did it. You guys were pretty hands off
with the social lifes and we didn't get into really
trouble in that capacity. I mean like, yeah, I egged
some houses and toilet papers, Like, yes, I did those things.
Pria never did, but I got into more trouble with that.
But nobody got knocked up in high school. Nobody really
even had boyfriends when we were little.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Yeah, because we'd scared the heck out of you. We'd
told you that you could not have any boyfriends until
you were thirty.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
And you thought anybody listened to you, Well, yes, yeah,
I still did. And then this is the other funny
thing about Indian parents. They're like, don't date anyoneuntil you're
thirty and then you turn thirty and they're like, why
aren't you married with four kids? How do you think
that's supposed to work?
Speaker 3 (35:00):
To work out? Yeah, thirty is a number that's thrown
out just because it's an easy number. Okay, but we
don't mean that.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
You mean twenty five, uh, twenty two. Maybe worry about
your studies and then just immediately get married and have children.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
No work, enjoy yourselves a little. I've always said, when
before you get married and have children, enjoy yourselves, because
once the kids come, things change, so thank you.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
So then the last question everybody always wants to know
how my parents feel about the fact that I don't
want to get married, Are you okay? Not to be honest,
not really, not really, not really why I don't know.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
Let me tell you. I have some aunts who were
not married, okay and led professional lives and you know,
did just fine.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
So I don't think that you need a person to
be with you, But I think there's a sense of
comfort when there's something for me, yes, for me, and
later on for you to have some one in your life, okay,
whose dependable, reliable, cares about you, and it's there for you.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
So you'd be Okay. If I had a boyfriend forever
and we didn't get married, yeah, okay, so I mean
shut out, not I was a boyfriend, I'd rather we're
not talking about slitting around. It's not floating around.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
I'm talking about someone who's there through thick and thin. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
I mean, aren't you happy that you're saving all that money?
Speaker 3 (36:27):
No?
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I mean you can just give it to me if
you want to.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
No, I'm still holding out hope.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Okay, one day, then one day, one day, some money,
and if not, then I'm using that money to take
an awesome trip around the world. I would love it
if you booked that trip right now. What do I
tell you guys all the time? Please stop saving money
for Pria and me. Yes, take your trips, live your lives,
enjoy it, make the memories. That's what we want more
(36:53):
than anything else. I don't want all your money. I
just want my mom and dad and I want them
to have a really good time.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
And I appreciate that, and I know that, and I
am glad that you don't need any of the things
that you know I'll fall backs. I am really really
proud of you both about that. But what I was
raised with and what I think about having, you know,
savings and so on for a rainy day and for
my children. It's hard to give up.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Okay, but what if you just took this money you're
saving for my mythical wedding and you used it for
this trip that you really want to take. I would
love that.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
Let me think about it, Let me think about it.
It sounds it sounds great, right, it sounds great.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
I think it's a good plan.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Oh maybe we can all go for six of us go.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
Brendan and Corey.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
Yes, okay, of course, okay.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
And then the other question, what did you think was
one of the most difficult times you can remember when
it came to parenting me, something that was really hard
for you to watch happen, or something that you thought
was really hard for me to deal with.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
The worst to me was when Chad passed away.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Oh yeah, that was the worse for me too. I'm
glad we agree. That was my first boyfriend.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
And it was very difficult for me to watch you
suffer the way you did because it was so sudden
and unexpected and he was so young. That was that
was difficult.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Yeah, I would definitely I would agree on that. That
was for sure the hardest. And I told you I
that you know, there are things in life that sort
of rewire who you are and the way that you
deal with things and address things. And I feel like
that was the thing for me, a big thing for me,
but not in a horrible way. I mean, of course,
(38:36):
could I wave a wand and I wish he was here? Yeah,
for sure, I know that you can't. But I told
you this yesterday. We were talking about this yesterday. It
made me really change the way I look at loss,
and I look at things now, like flowers, where you
know it's gonna go away. At some point, everything good,
sadly is gonna go away. It doesn't mean there's not
(38:57):
gonna be more good stuff on the way, but some
like the thing you love the most in your life
might not be there forever, so you should just enjoy
that thing while it's there. And I spent so long
being so sad about Chad, and I still am, but
I got to a point where I became very happy
that I ever knew him and that I ever had
him in my life, because nobody will ever get that
ever again. I got that, and I was so fortunate. Yes,
(39:21):
that was terrible and traumatic and horrible, and I would
not like to go through it again. But if I
look at life as a whole, I'm so I hate
to use the word blessed. You know how I feel
about religion. I feel so blessed that I ever had
him in my life, because no one's getting out again.
But I got it and it was awesome.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
Well, that's truly a good way to look at things,
you know, instead of regrets, to see what benefits you
got from it. And I wish that more of us
could do that, the things that we had versus the
things we don't have. Good way to look at things.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
And I have a lot. I have a lot of
really great stuff, and I just am loving it while
it's here. And I think that we're all just I
don't know, we're lucky. And I did see you tense
just for a quick second when I said, do you
know how I feel about religion? Because I know how
you feel about religion, and you are a religious person,
you do care about it, you like to go to temple.
The only times I really go to temple are when
my mom takes me. She is a temple dweller. She
(40:13):
loves it. She gets a little bit nervous when I
say I don't believe in this kind of stuff. I
see her go ah, But I believe in a higher power.
Don't worry, mama, And.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
That's all I care about, is that you believe in
a higher power. And I've always said, and this may
not go of a well with a lot of people,
but it is. Religion is a crutch that I use
many times when I can't deal with things myself. Then
I look up to something to help me. And whatever
(40:47):
it is, and however it works in it, maybe I'm
doing things to make it happen, but it happens, and
so I attribute it to the power that I cannot see.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
Okay, And I believe that there is definitely something that
I cannot see and there is a power greater than me,
because it cannot be humans are it. It can't be this.
This place is ghetto, humans, trash. There's got to be
something bigger and better and amazing out there, and I
believe it's there. And for you, I still have all
the little gods in my house. You saw them yesterday.
I saw you looking at them. I still I will
(41:19):
always go to temple with you. I just have my
issues with organized religion. You know where I got that from?
Your husband?
Speaker 3 (41:26):
Yeah, my husband does that. But you know what else
my husband does when he has an.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
Issue, He goes to the temple.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Go to the temple, and would you pray for a
quick healing recovery for me?
Speaker 2 (41:36):
You know, because he's a nut job. Oh well, you victim.
I also attribute any of my strangeness or oddity to
you picking dad to be my dad, and.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
I don't regret it at all.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
Okay, okay, good well. I would like to end this
episode telling you I think you are the best mom,
and you are an amazing role model for me and
for other girls out there that you can do every thing.
You can be a great mom, you can have a
great career, you can do all this stuff. And I
love you and I never doubt that you guys love me.
And I'm very very happy and Pria and I say
(42:10):
this all the time. I couldn't have asked for two
better parents. Despite the fact that you guys have turned
into absolute lunatics, You're the best.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Thank you, Mada.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
You're very welcome.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
Okay, So picking up, bye bye.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
And there you have it. So you met my mom,
you met my dad. Up next, I would love to
have my sister at some point. She'll talk a lot
of shit. My mom's probably the nicest of the three.
But also I'm very excited about next week's episode because
our boy Josh actually came and said he had something
he wanted to tell me and he's willing to do
it on the podcast. And I am fascinated to know
(42:52):
what this is because whenever something comes from Josh, you
can trust that it's going to be some wild shit
and I can't wait. So, like, Hello, subscribe, leave a
review if you would like to. You can always leave
a talk back on the Little iHeartRadio app. There's a
microphone for you to essentially just leave me a voicemail.
I would love to hear it. And follow me on
Instagram at Baby Hot Sauce. So until next week when
(43:14):
we have Josh on along with Diamond and Andrew, have
a fabulous day, Give all your mamas a hug for me,
and Happy Mother's Day. Well on Sunday, Happy Mother's Day.
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