Early in the morning, what happens, my telephone that was, until the moment before, lying low, springs to action and starts making a certain amount of noise sufficient to make me wake up from my fitful sleep. I see the name 'Nisha', staring at me in a brumous manner, as is the case with anyone's vision the instant when one wakes up. I pick up the phone and in a muffled manner answer the call with "Good Morning, Nisha" putting in all the exuberance possible of one who has just woken up, in my voice, stifling a yawn in the bud at the same moment.
So much for setting up the atmosphere, that these writer chappies always keep talking about. If you have come till here, I am sure the thoughts you might presently be going through reading this would be similar to those that went through in the mind of Queen Gertrude while listening to Lord Polonius. I am sure you approve of her chiding the Peer saying "More matter, with less art". So coming to the matter, the gas in the house, Nisha's house, was over and she needed help in setting up the new cylinder. The conversation that went was what follows, verbatim...
Nisha(from now on referred as N): Arvind, my gas is over
Arvind(from now on referred as A): Oh!!
N: Do you know how to change the Gas?
A: Haa!! There you have me. I don't know.
N: Oh!! Do you know anyone who knows that?
A:
My mother was telling me right from day 1 to find out about the gas
agency so that I can change the cylinder when my gas gets over, but I
never listened to her, lazy fellow that I am. But don't worry Nisha, we
can find out the number of the Gas chappie and as him to bring the
cylinder. I have a friend who stays nearby in Kagadasapura who might
definitely be knowing how to get the new cylinder. Give me 5 minutes
and we shall find out how to fix up the problem.
N:
Arvind, stop!! Listen. My cylinder got over and I have a spare
cylinder. I don't know how to replace the empty one with the new one
that I have. Do you by any chance know how to replace a cylinder?
A:
Oh!! Just replace a gas cylinder, is it. Huh!! It's a child's play for
me. I have been doing it right from my childhood upwards. I shall come
down in a minute and handle the matter in a jiffy.
So, what we had in the situation was a lady in a slight trouble and what was needed was a certain amount of sleight of the hand from my side, which I had in abundance. I go down, as promised, in a minute's time, and in a matter of another 30 seconds, pop went the top of the cylinder and there it was, the new one in place and a smile on Nisha's face. Nisha in all gratitude was thanking me profusely while I was trying to convince her that there is no need to thank and all this fell under the head of spreading sweetness and light. With a customary thump on my chest, I told Laxmi, the maid, who till then was looking from the corner of her eye at the proceeding with awe, that it was I who set up the whole thing neatly and it was as simple as that and went back home to proceed with my daily rituals.
Arvind, spreading sweetness and light, Since 1976.
