SHOULD I WISH YOU OR SHOULD I COMPLAIN TO YOU?





Pic.; Rekha Prakash

Some seven years ago, early one morning, I received a phone call from the mother of one of my students. She had a petty grievance and I gracefully assured her that the needful would be done. I hoped, the matter would end there. But, the lady was going on and on and on …

“Rest assured ma’am,” I conveyed to the lady keeping my cool, “It is a small matter.”

“Small matter?” the lady flared up and took off, all over again!

I realized I had committed a sacrilege by saying “It is a small matter”!

“Ma’am, I am sorry, if I have offended you,” I had still the composure to convey to her, “But, trust me, you don’t have to worry … Today is my 50th birthday!”

That didn’t help either … The lady had more to say …

And, I hung up my phone …

“To hell with you,” I said, now irritated and hurt, knowing it very well, that she neither heard what I just said nor felt what I meant when I had said, “Ma’am, today is my 50th b’day.” Yes, all that she was obsessed with was her own early-morning agenda … which, despite my graceful assurances, she was unwilling to drop.”

So, I had hung up the phone and screamed from this side of the planet – “To hell with you”!

Do we bother to check with the other person before we complain to him nastily – that too early in the morning – if it is his b’day or wedding anniversary (Leave alone if he is in a hospital or graveyard)?

I am just asking, knowing it well, that we don’t …

But, if the other person lets us know that it is his 50th  b’day or wedding silver-jubilee, then?

I think, we are heartless morons if we keep playing our nasty broken-records!

So, today, early in the morning, I sent this message to my eleventh-standard student, Isha:
“Good morning Isha.
Please attend the class today at 9 am or 6.30 pm …
You had missed yesterday’s. Sir”

I forwarded this message to Isha’s mother, too, who is my FB friend.

I received an instant reply from Isha’s mother:
“Ok sir. Isha will attend at 6.30 pm. Thanks.”

All this happened before I left my house. When I reached my office at 8 and logged on to my computer, I noted that it was the b’day of Isha’s mom!

“Oh no!” I felt bad for the silly complaint I had made, early in the morning, about her daughter to Isha’s mom … Yes, when she, certainly, did not want to hear it from anyone …

I did not wait to do amends. I wrote:

“Happy b’day ma’am. I feel bad, that I sent, early this morning,
Isha’s message (complaint) instead of wishing you …
Really sorry. Have a great day and a year ahead. Love.”

Isha’s mom was quick:
“HAHA!! Thank you sir for the wishes.”

I was relieved … yes, when I did not hear from other side of the planet – “Go to hell.”

GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Unknown said…
How true.in our daily routine we tend to forgetvtgese small but important things.I for instance forget the birthdays anniversary etc of friends.but that little efforts to remember and wish helps develop long term relaationshio
February 24, 2016 at 12:46 PM
Unknown said…
How true.in our daily routine we tend to forgetvtgese small but important things.I for instance forget the birthdays anniversary etc of friends.but that little efforts to remember and wish helps develop long term relaationshio
February 24, 2016 at 12:46 PM
Gerald D'Cunha said…
Yes Srinath..' Thanks a lot. Love
February 24, 2016 at 12:59 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi...
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How ...
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or pain...
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...