Monday, May 2, 2011

Flu

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Those students who thought that this post is about the Asian or Bird or Swine Flu, stand up on the bench!

No sir, this flu is the piquant abbreviation of our time in AP for Influence and its peddling.

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Kid Brother (5): Ask mom to make Kheer for us

Wise Sister (3): Why don't you ask?

Kid Brother: You are her favorite

Wise Sister: But you know her longer

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Bhakta Raamdas (nee Gopanna) was the most famous devotee of Raam of the 17th century AP. He rebuilt the dilapidated Bhadrachalam Raam Temple on the scenic bank of river Godavari. But in the process, due to a faulty estimate of the Revenues he was implicated and jailed at the Golconda Fort 10 KM from here for 12 years by Taan Shaw, the Ruler of Hyderabad.

During his imprisonment Raamdas wrote lyrics and composed path-breaking music for 300 soul-stirring devotional songs in addition to a century and more delightful verses (Dasarathi Shatakam) urging Lord Raam to take pity on him.

Apparently it didn't work. He then appealed lyrically to Sita-mai, Lord Raam's consort to plead his case with Raam in one of His weak moments and recommend (Reco) his case for favorable consideration.

It worked!

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My intimate friend X was hospitalized once critically. And during Visiting Hours there was such a rush to his chamber that I withdrew and sat under the neem tree gathering wool. In a few moments Mr Y of the Administration joined me for his cotton-gathering and broke the gps-ice:

He: Do you know why there is such a tremendous rush to visit X?

Me: He is very popular

He (clicking his loud tongue): Naa, he has Flu at the DD level!!!

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Once, my sister who was Teacher in a College, was recruited for the compulsory Election Duty.

Unfortunately she fell down viciously and sprained her ankle the day before their travel. She consulted her Doctor who advised 3-days bed-rest.

She made an application for permission to skip her Election Duty, and, attaching the Medical Certificate, asked me to present her case to the District Collector.

Upon arriving there I was told by his PA that the saab was busy and asked me to wait, which I did standing in front of the glorious power-chamber for 3 long hours. Just before closing shop, I was called in to the Presence, where I meekly submitted the papers and stood in attention.

He (smiling viciously): We call this Election Ankle... I am rejecting it (with a thud)

Me (humbly): But unfortunately this happens to be genuine...kindly reconsider

He: When the Collector decides once, even God can't make him reconsider

My sister flared up in a rage and rang up at the dead of the night her classmate in Hyderabad whose husband had a severe attack of Secretary Flu.

I got a phone call from the PA next morning to come and collect the Remission Letter.

KGPians don't kick fallen souls, so I didn't peek into the Holy Chamber and monkey the God's Angel with open thumbs on temples and fingers wagging.

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Hierarchy Turtles

Remember the old lady who hit Hawking saying: "Don't act clever Young Man! It is turtles all the way".

That summarizes each and every hierarchy.

Before the Second General Elections in 1957, the Lok Sabha Speaker, Anantasayanam Iyengar visited our sea-side Village Muthukur for a campaign speech. I was just 13 and it is more than half century ago, but I recall one quip of his attacking the CPI (combined) for taking orders from Stalin's Russia and bunking Quit India Movement:

"What will touch you when you bend beneath a chap who is already bending?"

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