Sizzle of a roadside stall,
Shrill sounds of a crow's call,
Flutter of a blue plastic sheet,
Hurrying feet on the busy street...
Droning noise of a drilling machine,
Water drips against the yellow sheen,
Ring tone from a musical mobile,
A high-heel teetering by - in style...
Happy laughter of school kids,
Mingled with the shopkeepers bids,
The insistent temple bells jingle,
A caller tune for this man-made jungle!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Coffee experiences that stink
Coffee shops are proliferating all over the neighborhood, like moss on stones in rainy season. Their charges are without doubt exorbitant. When a Shiv Sagar or a Macs manages coffee for Rs.25 , these coffee 'experiences' charge us Rs.45- 70. One wonders then why they feel this urge to fleece those already paying such high prices.
Is it because they think that their customers who pay such high prices are fools and can be taken for a ride? I remember my experience in Bangalore in one of these aforementioned coffee shops. When we ordered Cappuccino, the waiter smiled and asked us what flavour we would like the drink in. Like lambs, we bleated out our favourite flavours. Only when he presented our bill did we find out that 'flavor' was an add-on.
A similar experience in Mumbai recently has left me seething. At a coffee shop, we stood at the orange-colored counter to place our order and were asked to go and seat ourselves. Someone would come to take the order. Weren't we surprised to discover an extra 70 odd bucks added to our bill - because we sat down and ordered? Cappuccino ordered at the counter and drunk sitting comes at Rs.46. But if you sit down and order it costs around Rs 75. What the hell?
So the next time you enter the hallowed portals of a coffee shop - be watchful, unless you don't mind paying for their innovative ways to fleece you.
Is it because they think that their customers who pay such high prices are fools and can be taken for a ride? I remember my experience in Bangalore in one of these aforementioned coffee shops. When we ordered Cappuccino, the waiter smiled and asked us what flavour we would like the drink in. Like lambs, we bleated out our favourite flavours. Only when he presented our bill did we find out that 'flavor' was an add-on.
A similar experience in Mumbai recently has left me seething. At a coffee shop, we stood at the orange-colored counter to place our order and were asked to go and seat ourselves. Someone would come to take the order. Weren't we surprised to discover an extra 70 odd bucks added to our bill - because we sat down and ordered? Cappuccino ordered at the counter and drunk sitting comes at Rs.46. But if you sit down and order it costs around Rs 75. What the hell?
So the next time you enter the hallowed portals of a coffee shop - be watchful, unless you don't mind paying for their innovative ways to fleece you.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Don't break your shoes - tread carefully
Just across my office window sits an old shoe repair guy. He sits in a cocoon of plastic, away from the rains and general hullabaloo. His cobble-ering tools are kept locked neatly in a wooden cupboard.
His interest is not in repairing shoes. He hates people who need their shoes repaired. They distract him from his primary activity of people watching. He frowns and declares that most things taken to him cannot be repaired and ought to be thrown away.
Then he gets back to people watching. There are enough exciting things going on in this street after all.
- A crow gets caught in a building and an ambulance is called.
- There are regular processions of Jains, Monks,Eunuchs, Teachers, Papad eaters, Weekend cricket association and Feminist movement associations and so on.
- There are violently fighting motorists who can't wait to get down and beat up the opposition for the merest scratch on their treasured vehicle.
- There are cinema actresses swishing past and gym-goers hobbling away...
What a treasure trove of humanity to study! The cobbler is definitely trying to complete a thesis on what he sees. Please don't break your shoes, watch where you put your foot in the rainy season. He will get disturbed.
His interest is not in repairing shoes. He hates people who need their shoes repaired. They distract him from his primary activity of people watching. He frowns and declares that most things taken to him cannot be repaired and ought to be thrown away.
Then he gets back to people watching. There are enough exciting things going on in this street after all.
- A crow gets caught in a building and an ambulance is called.
- There are regular processions of Jains, Monks,Eunuchs, Teachers, Papad eaters, Weekend cricket association and Feminist movement associations and so on.
- There are violently fighting motorists who can't wait to get down and beat up the opposition for the merest scratch on their treasured vehicle.
- There are cinema actresses swishing past and gym-goers hobbling away...
What a treasure trove of humanity to study! The cobbler is definitely trying to complete a thesis on what he sees. Please don't break your shoes, watch where you put your foot in the rainy season. He will get disturbed.
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