What Next?

I had just boarded the almost empty 10-pm train from my office area, when I saw her – a very old and unkempt lady sprawled over the pathway – exposing most of her body, and too tired to cover herself up. The train stopped, and she made half an attempt to pull her saree down and go back to sleep. I had forgotten about her by the time I took my seat, staring blankly at the passing stations and the dwindling crowds.

About a couple of stops before the last one, she got up and hobbled to the seat next to mine. Everyone immediately got up and left. I remained, a tad uncomfortable but doggedly ignoring her. She was leaning towards me, eyes closed, which was when I saw that most of the other passengers were giggling and motioning me to sit next to them. I did, and that’s when I noticed that she had urinated all over the pathway.

To my utter embarrassment, I started crying. This was one of the few moments where I had no idea what to do – go to her and give her some money, ask her what she needed and where she had to go, call up some authorities or just let her be.

What would you have done?

Fancy Bottles

Mornings are exhilarating as well as challenging - Getting up at 5, making breakfast and lunch, cleaning the house, getting ready, rushing to catch the bus and then, hopping on a Mumbai local to reach office by 8.30-9.00. Exhilarating! (ya, I am sort of short of words today.)

If it isn’t obvious, I love my morning routine, to the point of obsession. But if you notice carefully, there is a crucial element missing here - looking presentable. Everyone who has known me for a while (or has seen me before 1100 AM) knows that that is not one of my priorities. Woes betide the day the comb touches my hair before 8 AM in the morning. It’s a miracle that I brush my teeth or take bath at all.

Yesterday, I decided to change that. I got up slightly early (04.57), completed the rest of the work and got to work. I combed my hair with a vengeance, wore earrings, put on some eye liner and stepped into my pointy heels. As expected, just before leaving, I realised a crucial mistake – the moisturiser! So, I rushed back in, got one of these fancy bottles my sister had given me and generously applied it.

Needless to say, I missed the bus. To top that, some of the said fancy cream had got into my eyes, making the bystanders wonder why I was crying for missing a 10-minute frequency bus (On an unrelated note, I have bawled my eyes out on missing a train which had a 5 minute frequency.) I got in the next bus with tears streaming down my cheeks, got in the train with half-closed eyes ( with a lady gently patting my back in sympathy), and walked to office with heads down trying hard to not let the pain show. (and before you ask, no, I don’t carry water, tissue paper, wipes, or other useful things).

Finally, I reached office, rushed to the washroom and cleaned my eyes. The pain abated almost immediately, but I was furious – at all these cucumber-green tea containing, sexily-named creams which don’t take sensitive eyes into consideration. What sadistic, maniacal person would have created such a monstro………..

As it turned out, the ‘cream’ was actually a shower gel. I had travelled for 1.5 hours with soap applied on my face, hands and legs.

Suffice to say, the Project: looking presentable has been indefinitely postponed.