...kuch baksheesh milega?... *SLAP*!!

Today's A.Word.A.Day word from Wordsmith is baksheesh. Quite a relevant word considering that during Diwali, we are subjected to an endless stream of people lining up outside the door asking for baksheesh or tip. These people include the postal workers (postal workers are comprised of those who deliver ordinary post, registered post, speed post, telegrams, etc.), the security guards, the liftmen, the gas-cylinder-delivery boys, MTNL linesmen, a plethora of Municipal employees. and a whole lot of others. Every year, a new species makes its way to the door to claim their 'rightful' baksheesh. Most of the people who come for this purpose are downright belligerent and rude and expect us to dole out money out of some sense of obligation. One Tight Slap is the only baksheesh that I feel obliged to hand out to such creeps!

Yesterday... while returning home from office, while sitting in the bus, I was suddenly and inexplicably struck by a bout of blues. Quite abruptly, a feeling of loneliness and melancholy swept over me. It was unexpected because I didn't remember anything during the day that could have been the cause of this feeling. The bus was full of people, with quite a few Diwali revellers returning home after spending time with their relatives. So, the mood in the bus was cheerful enough. Even the mood out on the streets was festive... with people... kids and adults... bursting crackers on the pavements and in the building compounds adjoining the road. The atmosphere was colourful with bright, colourful lights everywhere. But... all of a sudden, my mind switched off from this festive environs and dropped down in the dumps. I spent the remainder of the journey staring straight ahead... at nothing in particular... with a vortex of emotions churning in my head. I dunno what caused this strange mood... but everything seemed gloomy and meaningless all of a sudden. I almost missed my bus-stop because my mind was a million miles away! The walkman was playing Bryan Adams' ballads and the words from Back to You seemd to linger around in my mind...

i've been down - i've been beat
i've been so tired - that i could not speak
i've bin so lost that i could not see
i wanted things that were out of reach


I made my way home in some sort of a daze. After reaching home... almost as abruptly my mood had gone down, it came back up once again!! No longer was I feeling depressed or sad. Just being among people whom I loved and who loved me seemd to revitalize me!! ... I know it sounds too phony to be true! ... but thats what happened!!

Anyways, today being Bhaubeej or Bhaiduj, I'll be going to my aunt's house where all my cousins will be gathering for the traditional ceremony that involves the sisters performing aarti of the brothers. So, I'm leaving right now and hopefully would spend a nice evening!! :-)

cheers!