Dear friends,
Well, my last blog post was about the pursuit of happiness. Though one may be happy, it doesn't mean everything is hunky-dory in this world. Ironically enough, after my last entry about the pursuit of happiness, I am forced to write something which may perturb sensitive minds a little. These are few wonderful experiences, two of mine, one told by my friend as you will come to know.
1)
One of my friends and I were heading for a casual chitchat at M.G. road. We both were quite hungry. M.G. road is a place which a person should avoid if he is not particularly fond of continental food. Being students still, we couldn't afford beastly expensive places. And given my deep hatred for pizzas we finally decided to go for a berger or sorts in a restaurant where people generally have "meals happily".
Having rushed from my institute to M.G. road, I was craving for water. After the usual self-service at the counter, I asked the guys there for water.
"Sir, no water," a guy said indicating the tap of cold water.
"Please, I don't need cold water. Just a simple glass of water would do."
The guy goes in, five minutes over. I ask another fellow, he goes searching for water. Previous man re-appears giving me apologies for not having water.
After a desultory chitchat and some food, my friend and I parted our ways. I got myself into an auto to take to nearest bus depot. Another boy, perhaps just 15 or maybe 16 also got in asking he also wants to get there.
He looks tired. Perhaps working after school, or no school but only work.
"Do you go to school?", I generally ask these questions.
"No, I work in a restaurant." And he uttered the name of the same place where I had been.
"What man, your restaurant doesn't even have water ! What kind of joint is it?" I said in a jovial way.
"No Sir, actually what happens is that we have orders not to serve water in rush hours so that people buy Colas and cold-drinks."
Shock and awe.
Objection my lord !!
Objection my lord !!
2)
A typical story in a bangalore city bus :
a) You pay conductor 10 rupees asking for a ticket worth eight or nine rupees. He gives you ticket and tells you to collect the change later. Its a rush hour. You tug conductor's coat for the change twice, thrice. He ignores, just goes on or says two more minutes. Then comes your stop. You somehow wade your way through the crowd to get down. You consider yourself lucky that you could find your way to door and let go your change.
b) Sometimes you just forget to collect the change, so does the conductor.
c) You pay conductor exact change and ask for a ticket. Conductor gives you two rupees back and goes on with a smile.
d) Conductor neither does pay you back a single rupee nor does give you the ticket and moves on. This especially happens when you want to get down at next stop or an immediate stop after the next.
e) You somehow manage to get the ticket and after haggling with conductor. The ticket was worth less than you paid for. You bask in the joy of finally winning the ticket but forget to take a look at it.
Nearly three out of four times I have experienced one of the above scenarios.
Objection, my lord !!
3)
One of my classmates went for a leisurely walk in a garden. He saw few children about ten years old playing with the garden toys.
He feels happy watching them play innocently.
He goes near a child. He gives a flower to him or does something of this sort.
The child asks suddenly,"What is your caste, uncle?"
Objection, my lord !!
Objection, my lord !!
Objection, my lord !!
Take care and enjoy,
Onkar
