Beta

State of affairs-Humor

Feb 27 2008 | Views 551 | Comments (24)

'Without realizing it, I suddenly burst out laughing because I thought of the scenes at workplace if... Expand

'Without realizing it, I suddenly burst out laughing because I thought of the scenes at workplace if they same me walk in. I was waiting at the signals for the lights to change caught in the traffic maze when the realization hit me. I was seething in anger till then. When I got a grip on my laughter realized someone was staring at me. I looked to the right and saw a middle aged white lady giving me the strange look. I smiled a genial smile to let her know the strange looking Indian laughing his head out was no mad man. She smiled back in acknowledgement. Then as the traffic moved I was not sure if she was astonished at me laughing my head out or my current state of affairs. I kept looking ahead and could not control the laughter again.

I thought how my staff members would react to me, if they saw me walk in. The reactions could start first from shock then rip roaring laughter all around. The reaction would be different for religious Sally to the gay Ted. First I would not realize then when it caught on to me I would wish the ground would burst open and consume me for the shame that would engulf me. Would I get back in car and drive home or what? It would be a scene me walking in to my video conference call with a straight face and explaining the numbers.

Ok let me start from the start so that readers would not be confused why I am raving without making any sense. I got up this morning late for work and the need to be at work on time. I had a conference call with Germany to review the quarterly financial results. It was a critical review with my CEO and other top exec and this could trigger decisions about what to do next. So imagine my plight when I woke and stared at the clock to realize I was about 30 minutes late.

I rushed to the bathroom door to find it occupied. I could hear my teenage daughter in the shower singing. I hurried to the closet outside my master bedroom picked a spare towel and tried the other bathroom in the house. Guess what it was occupied with my son in it. Thank god he was not singing. I rushed to look out for my wife and discovered she had gone to the gym. The whole house was up and running though nobody bothered to wake me up.

I rushed back to the master bath and knocked on the door. The girl could not hear me over the shower, the radio and singing. I knocked louder each knock making me angrier by the second. I could hear her turn the water off and respond.

“Sarita” I yelled.

“I am not done dad” she called out.

“Why are you here? Where is your mom?” I yelled some more.

Her cool collected response was not helping. Somehow I was not able to relate to the teenage daughter of mine who not many summers ago were apple of my eyes. I had to be patient as my wife would constantly rebuke me. But at this moment all I felt was anger and desire to pull out remaining strands of hair on my bald head. Eventually she came out upset at me for spoiling her royal bath and walked out in a huff.

I rushed in to the bath and was in a hurry to finish my morning ablutions when could hear the kids screaming and fighting. I could hear them knock on my door and asking me to give judgments through the other side of the door. It did not matter that I was late and was in a rush. I yelled out to shut up and get ready for school, as they would not want to face my wrath today.

I rushed out of the shower to the dressing closet when the wife just walked in after her work out. She looked relaxed and had an easy sway about her.

“Where are you in a rush?” she asked

“Why did not you wake me up?” I retorted angrily.

“You came in late and...”

I cut her off and said “you had to go to gym and the kids.”

“Why are the kids upset?” she asked ignoring my hurry to get dressed and anger at state of affairs. I had my shirt on, combed my hair and brushed past her to get my shoes on.

“Wait” she called out.

I was no mood to wait.

“You cannot just go like that” she said.

What did she expect me to do? I ignored her and opened the door to the garage. I put on my shoes and got into my car. I saw her at the door talking and indicating for me to wait. I could not hear her over the din of the car and backed out with out further ado. I could see her look of dismay as I drove off.

Now here I was sitting in the car driving to work with no pants and in my red boxer. The cell phone rang and I picked up it was my wife. Before she could say anything I said “I know”.

“Why don’t you pull in to that Racetrac?” she said.

“Where are you?” I asked her.

How did she know that I was near the Racetrac gas station? That woman never ceases to surprise me, even after fifteen years of marriage. I changed lanes ignoring the honks of fast moving traffic and pulled in to the gas station. I could see in the rear view mirror my wife’s car pulling in right behind me. I smiled.

Leave a Comment Flat Nested

Comments (24)

Thomas Cherian posted 4 mnths ago

LOL.....i still get nightmares about my CA exams even after all these years.

Thanks for the visit

Reply | | Report Abuse

srinee posted 4 mnths ago

this is one of the primal fears one always has - that of going naked to school/office, another is that of forgetting the exam date. i feel it is the failure of human society to address these fears. either going about naked should be made legal, or at least not laughed at or worse still, treated as mad. similarly, exams should be banned.

Reply | | Report Abuse

Thomas Cherian posted 5 mnths ago

thanks....

Reply | | Report Abuse