Thursday, September 11, 2014

Gerontology - Repeat Telecast

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One day in 1972 at my Father's place in Gudur I was so peeved with him that it still rankles.

A couple of years earlier my medico elder sister (didi) got married to a young and bright IAS Officer and they were visiting Father's place and I too happened to be there on a Puja Vacation from KGP.

Those days IAS Officers were scarce and those who got that label as an appendix to their holy names were really proud...and Father, being a retired HM, always had a thing for these Bosses...and our IAS Raja being the eldest S-i-L, added to his veneration. Father practically used to stand up in his presence and keep standing till asked to sit down...like all School Teachers expected their students to do.

And there were a few more IAS-admirers in the gathering.

Talk somehow veered to old age and its problems and I said there is an entire new science about it called: Gerontology.

Raja looked at me quizzically as if saying:

"That must be your invention!"

Upon which Father went in and fetched his 1950's Abridged Dictionary which was Bible to him, flipped its pages, and announced (gladly):

"No, there is no word like that in English"

Everyone else smirked and to them I looked like a bluffoon...



...Posted by Ishani

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