Babu Moves

1. Files: 2 flat, 1 cover

2. Pages falling out of above files

3. 2 pen stands, borrowed from colleague, now retired

4. 7 pens: 2 working, 4 not working, 1 broken

5. Invitation card: Chiranjeevi Branch Manager's son...

6. Old newspapers, 500g

7. Table fan

8. Wooden seat, to be placed on top of chair

The office boy panted twice between the two levels separating the floor where Babu used to sit and the floor where Babu would sit from today. Babu first enjoyed a loo break, and then a tea break, before he strolled into the elevator that would take him to the floor where he would sit from today. He reached the floor, waved at his new Babu neighbours, sighed, and almost graced the wooden seat placed on top of chair. Then, with a long perfected combination of hurt and anger in his voice, he reproached the office boy. "Why did you not switch on the table fan?" The office boy, hurt and angry in turn, muttered unprintables beneath his breath, and took the rest of the day off.

1. Duffel bag, full of clothes, 7kg

2. Trolley suitcase

3. Shopping bag, bursting at the seams, 8.5 kg

With the office boy taking the rest of the day off, Babu's new Babu neighbour frantically looked around for someone to carry his luggage to his car which would take him to the airport. "Babu, why don't you help me? I will miss my flight otherwise," Babu's new Babu neighbour requested Babu. Babu, till now enjoying the scene where his new Babu neighbour was lamenting the lack of office boys in the world, had to help his neighbour. "Of course," he said. "Thanks friend," said Babu's new Babu neighbour, adding, "Oh, I'll take the trolley. You can take those bags." Babu pulled, dragged, pushed and lugged his friend's luggage to his car. He then muttered unprintables beneath his breath, and took the rest of the day off.

AbNQ

Melting Pot

Reader caution advised: No poem this, but poetic licence it has!

Come to think of it, it couldn’t get more cosmopolitan than this:

Maaru company, with office inside building at crossing of Chowringhee Road and Park Street

Park Street having been recently officially rechristened Mother Teresa Sarani

named after the Albanian almost-saint

Sarani the quintessential Bong for avenue

also found in Lenin Sarani and Karl Marx Sarani

in respect of Roosi pioneers of communism

Chowringhee Road for its part renamed J L Nehru Road

after India’s first Pradhan Mantri

a man of Kahmirian roots born in heartland U Pradesh

corner view from office partly blocked by ad cum route marker for American burgers

with a Scottish name

reminding me of company’s early Amreeki links

and customers now in 50 countries

Or could it not?

“Cha khaiyega ka?”

Liveried attendant – throwback to Raj days – not that old this company??

Cha being Bong for tea in English, chai in Hindi and chaai in airhostesspeak

khaiyega commonly attributed to corrupted version of pristine Hindi khayenge

but more a natural part of khati, or pure, Bihari Hindi

but Cha khaiyega an apoplectic adaptation of Cha khabe in Bong

the language in which solids, liquids and gases are all eaten, or khawa jaye

ka not as naturally part of khati Bihari Hindi as khaiyega

more the case of corrupted and easy pronunciation of pristine Hindi kya

favoured by migrants from eastern cowbelt and northern minebelt

the rustic Taan, or accent, making me smile

“Thora der baad,” I consented, doffing my hat to cosmopolity. AbNQ