Not all Fridays bring a smile it seems as was the lesson learnt last week, not to mention of the one too many life has been teaching me graciously for a while now :o) !
Whoever coined the phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbikam must be as old or near extinct as the language itself. Or perhaps again, it's a distinct disadvantage of proudly belonging to a country which has been for centuries fuelling the economies of so called great nations. All the same, Visas are a dreaded nightmare reoccurring my way often for my liking in the recent times. Ah, but we can endure all and more for friends !
So there it was, a rise and shine early Friday morning that saw me check re-check arrange re-arrange documents for a visa interview scheduled in the City to be followed by a non-stop hop off and hop on routine on public transport to reach my workplace far away from City, made worse by an over booked outlook calendar :( ! Is it a surprise at all if am to mention my absolute detest for rush hour traffic especially on the Tube which has now taken a political turn with Leaders chiming in chorus about the ambitious expansion plans in their kitty to ease commuter inconvenience if elected.. ah, as if we ever would fall for such a silly gimmick ! Well, packed in the carriage of this train where opening my newspaper seemed an atrocious act of space grabbing, was fighting to stay near the doors to make a quick exit when a fellow-desi struggling quite like me moved over with a smile. Time has caused the cautious in me to be more active so haltingly I return half a smile. "Mallu..??". Thought quite didn't catch that until he repeated loud enough for my senses to decipher this time, "You are Malayalee, right ??". Squaring hunched up shoulders with my trademark folded-arms-stony-glance I respond, 'No, Indian.' What followed was amusing - he shrugged muttering 'that's ok..', relocated to other corner of the carriage until we pulled into a station where he alighted walking past me like I existed but invisibly.
And we blame the British for their Divide and Rule policy !!
2 comments:
On the verge of being rude, doesn't that counts as hypocrisy if you also thought the same thing an instant before? He was only bold or rude enough to voice the thought..
Pardon my ignorance Richa, but I do not quite follow you ! If you think I would hold a smile back because someone does not hail from where I am, you are mistaken. I would have willingly chatted up with him a minute or two subject to him asking the right questions :o)
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