Late Every evening

Every evening our maid comes late for work. So my wife is pissed off every evening. She is supposed to arrive at 6 pm. But she comes at 6.30 or 6.45 pm. One day she decided to scold the maid. 

Image from here

The designated scolding-day arrived. That day also she came late for work.  45 bloody minutes late. We were supposed to go out for shopping after the maid left. Now we had to cancel our plans as shops would be closed by the time the maid left. Here is what happened later.

‘‘Krrrrrrr Krrrrrrrr’’. The doorbell. My wife waits for about 30 seconds before opening the door. During these 30 seconds, she gathered all the anger she could. Then she opened the door and let the maid enter. She decided to scold the maid in a creative manner so that she never forgets this lesson.

With a very serious face, in a very serious tone, my wife asks: ‘Savitri, do you have a watch or a mobile phone where you can see time?’

Maid: ‘Yes deedi. I have a mobile phone’. She hoisted her mobile phone up in the air with a smile.

My wife (about to explode in anger): ‘Tell me what is time on the phone now.’

Maid: ‘Deedi, I can’t read. I will ask my husband and tell you.’ She went on to dial her husband’s number and ask him what time it was!

My wife stood there watching the maid make this phone call. The anger she amassed disappeared. While she was comprehending the fact that the maid could not read, or did not have any sense of time, the maid finished her conversation over phone.

With a smile, she said: “Deedi, it is 6.45 now.

I could hear a distinct ‘Pling’ sound emanating from my wife’s face and filling the entire house. At that moment, she decided to accept the simple maid as she was. Let her come for work when her 6 pm arrived.

Then there was peace in the house. For a few days.  

What is your muse?

Boredom if the parent of art.

You may disagree with the statement above. You may. But the question here is, is the muse or inspiration limited to 'beautiful' and 'charming' things/ideas? Can boredom, ugliness, despair and lack of interest be one's muse?

In my opinion, anything could be your muse. The other day I was sitting at my desk not interested in doing my work. There were a piece of paper and a black pen on the desk. I took them and started drawing. In about 20 minutes, I had a beautiful drawing. Lack of interest in work was my muse.

Often, we disregard inspirations because we think they are not worthy of being your muse. Who would look at a fallen flower and write a poem? Some do. And they turn out to be classic poems. The little things that surround us are in fact a lot more meaningful than the larger-than-life inspirations we look for. The ordinary that surrounds us has sufficient inspirations for us to change the world. We could find them; but only if we look.

So, what is your muse?

A Lesson on How to Stand in a Queue from Kanpur

This morning, at the petrol pump inside IIT Kanpur.

I joined the 'queue' to fill petrol in my bike. (Queue means a group of people crowding around the pump. The sequence of priority doesn't exist- might is right!

Image from Here (representational image only)

One fellow pulls up and squeezed his way through the queue and positions himself in front of my bike!

I said to him in stern, serious voice: "Please stand in the queue."

He looked at me as if I said something in Greek and said: "Ye jagah apka hi hai." (This place is yours.)

I remained quiet since he sounded apologetic. But when my turn to fill petrol came, he just squeezed in and filled petrol!

Now, what should I have said? According to Kanpur Style Manual (latest edition), I should have abused him verbally and thrashed him if I had time. But me being a Malayali kept quiet and mentally lamented about the yogi-run state's lack of respect for the other.

Here in Kanpur, you are elite if you can squeeze your way through the rush. You are considered respectable if you can kick others' asses and be the first in the queue. You are a heroine/hero if you can abuse someone louder and dirtier than your rival. Yes what the yogi said is right. We Malalayees need to learn a lot from UP: from how to run schools, hospitals and governments, to how to stand in a queue! 

Just In Case...

To love someone is to give your all.
But I would advise you to keep a bit for yourself.
Just in case…

Scared of #MeToo!

When I wore lipstick, they laughed at me.

When I walked the ramp, they scorned me.

When I said I am equal or more, they chased me.

When I showed I was better than them, they stoned me.

But when I told them that I don’t care,

They were scared. Of Me!