A little read

I am reading a rib-tickling amusing book ‘I lost everything in the post-natal depression’ by Erma Bombeck. I found this book trapped between other unread pieces. I usually read books when I am commuting, traveling or want to have a great time. And about picking this book, I am subliminally drawn to humor, satire, sarcasm, in fact all kinds of hilarity. I can quote few of my favorites from this book:

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The husband is fond of back-yard cooking and has invited people for supper and the meal is taking longer than usual. Here’s the excerpt of the wife-husband conversation:

Husband: “Just a little longer. Are the guests getting hungry? Is it really that long?”

Wife: “Are you kidding? It’s the first time I have seen my fingernails grow.”

Husband: “Just a few minutes and the coal will be ready”

Wife: “Do you mean to say you haven’t put the meat on yet?”

Husband: “Give them some more hors d’oeuvres”

Wife: “It’s no use. They are beginning to get ugly”

Husband: “Go and check everyone to find out how they want the meat: rare, medium rare, etc.”

Wife: “13 raw, 14th one ate his coaster and said that would hold him”

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Wife gets her hands on husband’s car, there’s a fender bender

Wife: “Where are you going?

She asks when she sees him leaving his dented fender and bolting towards the house

Husband: “Don’t move your car. I am going to call the police”

Wife: “Police?? For crying out loud, I’m your wife”

Husband: “This is no time for Nepotism”

And I giggle after reading this!

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The ultimate one that got me rolling on the floor with laughter was:

I regard the obituary of the girdle factory with mixed emotion. It is like your mother in law moved out because there are snakes in your apartment.

Hahahahahah!



Happy New Year!

My first day of New Year at work was quite a day. With not a great wrapping up to year 2012 I wished New Year to preen through nicely and nothing makes me skeptical about people. It seems the wish made my day bloom like Brooke’s poetry.

I usually take the ac bus to work for obvious reasons of comfort and pleasant trip. The upholstery of these buses is clean and cozy. The people who travel by them do not push and jostle. They do not make the world know why their maid didn’t turn up for work or their demanding boss breathing down their lungs is discussing another assignment while they are traveling or how mad they are on their neighbors. So the travel is quiet, peaceful, soft and discreet.

On my way to work this bus was unusually crowded. I was disappointed on seeing the pack of people clinging on to each other like they do in routine train and bus. My sloppy mood grew bigger and bigger when I had to hold on to hand rail and didn’t get any seat. There was certain haggardness in the way I was carrying my bag and tiffin. My bag was little heavy and I was holding the supports. So it was a rough ride to work. I drew my attention towards the other immensely crowded red buses. I drifted my thoughts towards the otherwise clean people who were standing next to me. The thoughts were comforting and I fixated my glance on the streams of sunlit roads. You don’t see such roads in Mumbai because it is usually stockpiled with vehicles and people. I was on expressway and a comparatively lesser crowded zone. So I smiled.

Suddenly an elderly gentleman offered to hold my bag since he saw I stood in extremely prickly position juggling my things. I smiled at him and gave him my bag. I saw him reading some IIT guy’s memoirs. He was old but not feeble. He held his old-fashioned bag beneath mine and read unremittingly. At a junction near Airoli the crowd narrowed down but still seats were full. A seat close to a middle-aged man emptied and all standing passengers threw their yearning glance on it. The polite man offered me the seat, though I refused earlier but noticing that delaying it for another second would land it in other’s lap I sat. I felt quite better because my legs had started to hurt. I could not thank him more. He didn’t look tired. In fact he looked fresh like water lilies, radiating a positive aura and smiling beautifully at everyone.

I realized that no matter how wretched or worn out one can feel it ends with a sunny day. We live in disappointments, betrayal, envy, deception and what not but we often forget to appreciate the little things that make us smile and thank lord for a beautiful life. I have made a different resolution this year, which is to appreciate every little thing which made me smile. It could be a child’s laughter I heard, beautiful flowers I saw at the passageway in my office, my colleague’s effort to crack a joke, my husband’s love-filled morning kisses, my mother’s concern if I crossed the road properly, bus driver’s responsiveness when he cautions the passengers to watch out for two-wheelers on getting off the bus and every other little thing which made me beam.

Its cheers to life!

Happy New Year 2013