Oh No! Not Again!!!!

Yes……It had to be….finally….for it was lingering on for quite a while. No more luck dude!No more excuses!

Bakra apni maa sey kub tuk khair manaiey gaa????

I know this is not how the proverb goes but considering my case can it be any different?

The signs were all sinister. “Khala” had called early in the morning to settle all the intricacies conveniently with mom to devise an immaculate plan for yet another shopping spree targeted for this wonderful Saturday morning. Breakfast was served early and any argument or point raised with half open eyes to question the merit of the decision was bullied with abject contempt and enviable conviction.

Resigning to my fate later and of course to the two imposing elderly ladies first, we drove into the dirty congested streets, markets and kiosks to make the most of my relaxing weekend that followed a hectic and tiring week at work.

What a plight to be in! Shopkeepers half bent, leaned forward, unrolled fabric sheets, shouted at the top of their voices and used all sorts of ingenious tactics to break out of that clutter to earn our attention. The competition was intense and the incentives were high with diverse promotional campaigns going on.

We roamed about with such regal pride and dignity while the shopkeepers pleaded. This went on for quite a while until the deft eye of the “khala” caught glimpse of a rich printed fabric that forced the status quo to break. She pounced at the fabric with athletic agility while mom followed close on her heels making me wonder. By the time I recovered, they were in the middle of the heated negotiations over the price of the product with neither party willing to give in. There were many serious rounds that ensued but the arguments and debates only grew intense. After the deliberations of half an hour or so, there was a progressive deadlock with egos surging on both sides. As it turned out that the offer price fell short of demanded price by a margin of Rs. 5, I took a coin out of my pocket and flipped it in the air to seal the tie breaker.

While we moved on, one interesting event unfolded after the other leaving me in more shock and disbelief each time. If at one point I would gaze the shopkeeper with utter amazement the next I could not help eyeing the ladies with surprise. For one thing, I certainly found myself quickly moving along a steep learning curve that morning that left me utterly tired and weary. All I could do was to wait innocently for this audacious ordeal to end before I could force the following one to leave pending for as long as I could………but for how long ?


Oh No! Not Again!!!!