Shoe Polish

I have a friend of mine. However, I don't like him. He can do something that I can never manage to do. He can keep his shoe shining and sparkling, throughout the day and day after day after day. You can never spot him with a blot in his shoe. It is not just one but both the shoes are spotless.

I feel very jealous of such people. Either they do something that I can never manage to do in my life or they do not do something that I do with my shoes.

If you are a guy who can see a small stone while you walk and have no impulse to kick you are the nerd with a spotless shoe.

If you can see a small pool of water on the road and get no inclination to splash it all over you can go ahead and have a spotless shoe.

If you can see a tree that just about snares you into believing you cannot climb it and you actually don't climb it, you can have a spotless shoe.

If you can see dust carefully heaped up by your neighbour and you still go on without jumping all over it, please have your spotless shoes on. I like it specially after polishing your shoes with a brilliant shine on the way to school on a Monday morning. It is also the best time to make your neighbour go crazy and to return the shoes to its original glory. Never mind the stern warnings from your school monitors.

If you can see fresh cow dung and walk right past without knowing if there are worms in there or not, spotless shoes are for you.

If you can compare others' shoe and you do not take pride in taking satisfaction that your's is the most worn out pair, spotless shoes are for you.

If you do not enjoy walking in soggy shoes, spotless shoes like you.

The greatest joy I get is when I am able to see my toes through the front of the shoe.

It is time for my father to get me a new pair of spotless shoe.

Water, Water

There is a wonderful town called Nanjangud - a town endowed with God's bounty. Lush, green and people happy with reaping the benefits of the land.

Just as any other place - once it fell into degeneration due to over exploitation and drought. One summer people started experiencing the cruelty of nature. It continued for the next few years and then it became really acute. The once harmonious people started getting angry, frustrated and demoralised. Their crops withered, the town's embellishments worn out, the town began sporting haggard looks.

The people gathered, thought it over and concluded that the Town Municipality has to resolve the issue and bring back the town to normalcy.

First a few people petitioned the Municipal Chief for water. After a few months they realized this was not going to work and intensified their agitation.

All the town elders formed a big group of the entire town and went to the Town Municipality Chief's residence to represent the matter.

When they reached the house, it looked forlorn. The chief's palatial house, once a pride of the town, looked deserted. No neatly trimmed bushes; No flowering plants and all fruit bearing trees bereft of even leaves. It seemed lonely.

Town elders took the long walk along the pathway and reached the entrance. The house seemed to be devoid of life. The Chief's mother was sitting at the threshold staring at the void.

The people's representative asked, "Salutations to you, Mother. May we see the Chief".

Mother replied, "May God bless you, son. May I know the purpose of your visit".

Representative said, "Mother - We need a solution to the acute water problem that we the town people are facing. We want the Chief to provide a solution at the earliest".

Mother pointed to backyard and said, "Go, son. You may meet the Chief at the backyard. He is drawing water from the almost dried well. He is planning how deep he has to dig further to draw water for the next year. I would suggest you do the same. We cannot change nature and it is better to plan and take action to alleviate the suffering".

And the people returned without meeting the Chief. All of them were puzzled as to why the biggest issue for the people a few moments ago was no longer there.

This happened many, many years ago and the town now is back to it's days of glory.

A real life incident as told by my dear friend Shashidharan A N.

I will start a Travel Agency

Today's trip back from office was a surprise. I was waiting for an auto when a taxi came in. Waiting for a negative response I told I would pay Rs.100/- - the auto rate. Surprise, Surprise, he agreed. And then I started. Here is his story.

He appeared to be in his mid 30s. But then he's been driving for 24 years now. He looks much younger than he is.

I am Balu. I've been driving since '84. I have driven all kinds of vehicles. I am doing an Ambassador now.

I am uneducated. I am extremely conscious of this and with a vengeance I have tried to be better. Because I am uneducated I have no bad habits. Perhaps that is reason you feel I appear younger that what I actually am.

I have two sons. The eldest one is 22. He works for a Bank. ICICI - Nungambakkam. He is in charge of marketing. He finishes his job by afternoon and later he does insurance work for Bajaj. He is always in meetings and returns home only after 1 am. He always wanted to work for a bank. He gets enough money. He has a power steering car. He drives it himself to work. He is a good boxer. He builds his body and he has lots and lots of medals. The house is filled with cups and medals. He studies very well. I was able to educate him till 10th and after that he did everything over correspondence. He is always the first or second. Third is ok but he gets tensed if he is not within the first three. What is life if you are not at the top.

The younger one is zero is studies. He is studying for cinema direction. He always keeps watching movies. He does not allow anyone to sleep peacefully. He watches a lot of english movies and says this is the angle from which it should have been shot. I have allowed him to follow his dreams.

Both of them have grown with their own efforts. I am nothing.

I cooked my lunch today as I do everyday. My wife is ill. She is a mental case. She wants buildings and houses. For what I earn we can afford to eat peacefully three times a day and that is enough for me but not for her. But I take care of her.

I will open a travel agency very soon. I will have three cars - Indica, Ford Ikon and a Mitsubishi Lancer. All AC.

Life Goes On

Talk with auto drivers in Mumbai and Chennai during December 2007 and early 2008.

Mumbai December 2007

Suresh drives an own auto. In mid 20s he is excited with his vehicle and leads a care free life.

He is from a village near Sangli. He and his family shifted to Mumbai a long time ago. He bought an auto a couple of years ago. Since they lived in a shanty without ration card – he had to go in for a auto loan from a private money lender and not a bank. He took about Rs.60,000.00 as loan and repaying Rs.5,000.00 a month for three years. However, he is not displeased.

He spends all the extra money he gets on the auto. He has bought a cassette player a year ago with woofer and two speakers costing him Rs.5,500.00. This makes it difficult to find space for some luggage at the rear of the passenger seat, but music is more important for him. He brings out a new cassette almost daily. He is proud but says his next idea is to replace the cassette player with a CD player.

His is not yet married and his parents are unhappy with him because he spends a lot on the auto.He leads a hand to mouth existence living in deplorable conditions. After paying for the loan and the cassette he has anything hardly left to eke out a living. The airport is expanding the authorities have already issued notice for vacating the shanty. They would be provided with an accommodation outside the city.

Suresh is happy with himself.

Maharashtra – A Pilgrimage

Visit to Shirdi, Shani Shinganapur and Nashik.

It was first of sorts in several respects. I, Sridharan and Desi traveling for the first time together. We drove down to Shirdi starting at about 9.45 pm and arriving at Shirdi by about 4 am the next day (30^th December 2007).

At Shirdi had a good darshan of Baba. I’ve fulfilled the vow of giving away Rs.2.00 that I made during my previous visit to Shirdi in 2005.

From there we proceeded to Shani Shinganapur by afternoon. Do not miss the sugar cane juice on the way – the best that you can get, the freshest – the sugarcane is cut from the fields in front of you and the ox crushes them to give you the fresh juice.

The last stop was Nashik. We hired an auto to go around. The Kala Ram, The Gora Ram, Sita Gufa, The Triveni sangam (Aruna, Varuna and Godavari meet here). This place is known as Panchavati.

From there, we drove back to Mumbai. I drove part of the way – I felt it was a bit risky in the sense that I hadn’t slept the entire last night. I drove for about three hours from midnight to 3 am. First time in a highway in night. First time in a highway at night in ghat sections. First time in a highway in ghat section in a diesel car. First time in a highway in ghat section in a diesel car with extreme heavy truck traffic. But then all of us arrived safely.

Christmas Celebrations

Christmas - Celebrations - Birth of Christ.
Baby Christ in Barn, Christmas Tree, Santa Claus, The big Gift, the Star(sic) and 'Jingle Bells' note and the bell.
Saujas, Nephew, Age 6, 09th September 2007,

My Dream

Today I dreamed of a girl sleeping in a thuli (hammock).

Swati, Daughter, 09^th September 2007

Yo Yo Academy

I have started a Yo Yo Academy. Here is the application form you need to fill up. It will cost you Rs.500/- to participate in the competition.

I am going on 15th September to London to start the Academy and conduct the competition by December. I will return after that. Please get me the ticket and find a room for me to stay there.

- Saujas, Age 6, 8th September 2007

Rat and the Mouse

I am Saujas, the Rat and Swati is the mouse. One day, a dinosaur came into our house and scratched our faces. Then we died. An ambulance came and took us to the hospital. The doctor said there is no need for injections – only a few stitches in the face and neck. We returned home after two days.

A few days later, the same dinosaur came again. This time I shot him with a bullet gun. One more came and I shot it too. One more came and I shot that one. One more came and I shot it. I kicked each one of them high in the air and they vanished.

Story by Saujas, Age 6 – 08^th September , 2007

Lord Rama from Gulbarga

This man is from Gulbarga. A professional village dramatist/performer who normally dons the role of Rama. The profession of rural drama is now going to dogs and he has come to Bangalore to make a living using the only thing he knows – as a performer. And begging. :-( I gave him Rs.10/-.