IN THE MEAN TIME...

















At the signal, the traffic-cop – they fondly call him in our bambaiyya colorful-bhasha – ‘Mama’ – blows the whistle. The young-man in the Maruti has jumped the signal. The car slows down and stops at quite a distance from the signal… Mama keeps running behind till he reaches the car. The ritual follows: “Give the license…” The receipt book from the pants-pocket and the pen from the shirt-pocket are out… 

The young-man has still not come out of his car… He gently cajoles our mama… But, the mama is not pleased… Then, the young-man comes out… Takes our mama on the sides… The negotiations are on… It is clear, the young-man is not having his license, as well… Surely, he must have failed to wear his seat belt, too. Finally, the mandavli is done… You know, what I mean! The young-man is back on road, and off he zooms like a Ferrari… and, our mama is back to his business, at the signal!


Meanwhile, the signal must have changed not less than five times! And, not less than five times that figure,  it must have been jumped… yes, blissfully by others as our mama was so busy – and so hell-bent – on ‘straightening’ the  Maruti boy!



This morning, I was telling someone, not to make a big deal – and get caught-up – in another person’s flaws so much and for so long… that he might fail to notice what happens ‘in the mean time’!


Yes, the other person has his flaws… as we all do. But, he has so many wonderful traits, too. And, when you are upset, and obsessed, with this man’s one-or-two flaws, and go about making a big deal about it – hell-bent in ‘straightening’ him – what actually is going to happen is: you will fail to see how wonderful that person actually is with so many of his good qualities… 





Yes, take it from me: 


in the bargain, 


you will lose the closeness!



And, that is not what you wanted… Right?


You have to help the man – the other guy – gently… with trust and good intentions… to ‘respect the signal’! It takes more than ‘running behind him’ with your receipt book and the pen!


“O mama… O mama! 



“Life is what we experience, right now, right here… when we are busy planning for it!”


  

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.:Manoj Nair


Comments

Heena Nagpal said…
O mama! what a lovely post! Heena
November 3, 2012 at 1:27 PM
Francis D'Souza said…
Very well built. Francis
November 4, 2012 at 8:38 AM
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