OMG: Crowds

(Quip: Unbelievable guy, huh?


I hate crowds. You know what I hate? Crowds. With a capital C. Anywhere. If I can avoid them, I will. For example: Smelly armpits if standing in a bus. Could anything be worse?

I went to the Supermarket the other day, and saw serpentine queues of 10-11 people, at each counter, each with a trolley full of purchases. And, I just put my shopping basket down somewhere and walked out. If I go to a restaurant solo, and there’s a crowd, I’ll prefer to get something packed, or make a nice sandwich at home. The last time I went to a crowded one, with some family friends, we were given a token number and asked to wait near the counter. Every two-three minutes, someone would come and jostle one of us, to ask the waiter- has our number come??Ewww!! By the time our number came, I'd lost my appetite.

Why, just today, I’d gone to Bombay Chowpatty and was second in line, with another 4-5 people behind me. And, this family of three in front of me- good Lord, why can’t people what they want to eat, before reaching the counter? The lady goes: Give us three frankies, two sev-batata-puris, one dahi-batata-puri…*In between, their lil daughter starts jumping- I want that star, I want that star*(The star was just an ad on a flyer, put up at the glass window), and Mommy dear says, Ok beta. Then, Mommy dear changes her mind- oh, no, make it two dahi-batata-puris, and, add one masala tea, one mineral water. Again, she’s about to change her mind, but, something clicks and she says’ Ok, if we want anything more, we’ll come back’. Hubby dear, probably used to all this chaos, was standing calmly, and, even let wifey pay, rather than paying himself. (I wonder-was he hubby or BF? LOL)…and, he grinned away at me, seeing my annoyed look. Just as I was about to move out and go to Bikanerwala, which is right behind BC, the lady paid and took off. *Sorry*, she tells me and smiles. ARGHHH! That face is etched on my mind- the next time she’s there ahead of me in a queue, I don’t wait. I wonder what such people do when there are decisions more ‘earth-shaking’ than these to be made?

Of course, where crowds are concerned, Mumbai locals take the cake, the pastry and the whole bakery. For those not aware, tell me, can you imagine travelling like in the above pic? These people, travel by them daily, are the strongest of all, I’d say. I haven’t travelled in one since more than seven years now, but, just standing at the railway crossing at Andheri when I'm there, and seeing people hanging out, makes me go shaky at the knees. I remember jumping out at Malad, when I’d boarded a local from Borivali to go to Andheri- banged quite a few people on the head in my panic to get out of the crowded compartment.Enochlophobia at it's best.

Just read this cute tidbit of info: About a five year old in Serbia. The tiny tot found a fortune in his Dad’s safe, and went on a USD 133,000 buying spree, taking his friends to a shopping mall, and buying them clothes, toys, bicycles, lollies, computers and games. The father realized what had happened only when his son and his friends returned home.

Wonder if Daddy Dear managed to get his money back?

Jokes for the day :

One evening a husband, thinking he was being funny, said to his wife, "Perhaps we should start washing your clothes in Slim Fast. Maybe it would take a few inches off of your butt!" His wife was not amused, and decided that she simply couldn't let such a comment go unrewarded. The next morning the husband took a pair of underwear out of his drawer. "What the Hell is this" he said to himself as a little dust cloud appeared when he shook them out. "April," he hollered into the bathroom, "why did you put talcum powder in my underwear?" She replied, "It's not talcum powder. It's Miracle Grow."

Height of Noise: Two skeletons screwing on a tin roof.

Thought for the day:Life is an echo. Whatever you give, you get back.

Another thought:" Age does not protect us from love but love, to some extent, protects us from age."

Till next time, keep those smiles coming!!:)