The chain of inertia

Ok, here is how it goes. Whatever name comes to my mind, I will write it down, and whichever related word comes to my mind, I will jot it down alongside.

Off we go, start!

Abhishek - Kalia

Kalia - Manoranjan

Manoranjan - SAB TV

SAB TV - Sony TV

Sony TV - Sony Max

Sony Max - Cricket World Cup

Cricket World Cup - 2003

2003 - Plus One over

Plus One over - Apeejay

Apeejay - Jalandhar

Jalandhar - Punjab

Punjab - Number 1 State

Number 1 State - India Today

India Today - Paper

Paper - Trees

Trees - Conserve

Conserve - Water

Water - Problems

Problems - Bachaao! (Help!)


If you are wondering what this is, I have been facing water problems over the last few days at my place in Kalyani Nagar, Pune.



Monday, 8:15 PM - I returned home from office and looked forward to a great dinner ahead, just when I noticed that there was no water in my flush. Thinking that it may have to be repaired again, I started planning whether to call the plumber or to wait till my landlord arrived after his vacation( he is not a plumber, but really good at that). Just then, I noticed, that water wasn't coming in my wash basin. It wasn't coming in the other taps of the wash room. Soon I noted it wasn't coming in all the taps of the house as well.

Shocked. Horrified. Amused. Disappointed. I went down and enquired from the security guard who informed me that water had been cut by the Municipal Corporation and wouldn't come till 8'o clock in the morning.

Fumed by the fishy facts, I took biscuits, chips, and juice for dinner; owing to lack of hunger.

Tuesday, 7:45 AM - I woke up to find that the taps were dry. I started waiting for the water to make a grand comeback into my place.

Tuesday, 9:55 AM - Due to the much delayed comeback, I started thinking of alternate plans as I had to reach office.

I picked up my cell phone.
"Hello"
"Hi boss, is this Ramdev General Store?"
"Yes, speaking"
"Do you have that big mineral water bottle having capacity of 40-50 litres?"
"We have for 20 litres"
"What's the price? "
"70 rupees"
"Chalenga! (Will be fine!) Can you deliver it at my home?" (the shop is outside my society, just a couple of minutes walk)
"Uhh.... Yaaaaa.... What's the address? "
I gave him my address.

Tuesday, 10:23 AM - No grand comeback, as the guy hadn't delivered water, I called him up again to give a gentle reminder, who assured that his boy would reach in 2 minutes.

Tuesday, 10:32 AM -
*DING DONG*
"Hello Boss"
"Hi. You had ordered water? "
"Oh yes . Hope you didn't face any difficulty locating my apartment" (I had heard sounds of a guy stopping lift at every floor, stepping out and stepping back in)
"No, not at all"
"Here, 70 rupees"
"Where's the old bottle? "
"Old bottle? I have ordered for the first time!"
"Ok. Give Rs. 150 then"
"But why? "
"Don't worry, we will give back the money when you return the bottle"
"Ok"
I went to my bedroom, put 70 in my purse, and took out 150.
"Here you go"
"No boss, 150 is the security and 70 is the deposit. You have to give 220"
"But you should have told this on phone! "
"Don't worry, you will get your money back when you return the bottle"

So I gave him the money to complete the grand comeback and finally I had water. Precious water. Transparent water. Goody good water. Half of which I poured in a bucket.

I took a mug, put it in bucket, filled half of it, and started brushing. Staying in Delhi had prepared me for such averse situations, so I was doing these things with ease.

After my teeth received their daily share of morning water, I noted that some water was left in the mug. As it was mineral water, I gulped it down my mouth. Wow. Was cool.

I proceeded towards the bath and finished it. I called my friend in office.

"Hello"
"Hi! "
"Is water coming in office? "
"Yes. Why are you asking this? "
"Trust me, you will get to know soon"

I wore my clothes, took an auto to reach office, and completed the rest of my morning activities there.

Moral of the incident - Spend some part of your life in Delhi. You never know what life-enhancing pressure-reducing things you will learn from there, like the art of taking bath with half a bucket of water!



(Above photograph courtesy Arjun Suri)

P.S. - 1. Abhishek Kalia is the Application Security Expert in my company and widely feared by many for he finds numerous security holes and serious flaws in applications that a layman can't even imagine!

2. Manoranjan Kalia is an electorate from Jalandhar. As he is a Kalia, he and Abhishek have to be distant relatives from their father's side!