The tiffin boxes for son, spouse and self are ready and packed. The morning ablutions are done and a half hour Yoga session has happened. The kitchen has been marginally cleaned. I leave home on a relatively high note. Much much later, I note the white socks.
Considering that the outfit of choice today was a steel grey shirt, a black pant and brown (men’s) shoes, the white socks are an abomination; even I can’t ignore the flashes of white my feet provide as I half-run to catch the train.
That took me back by 15 years, to my last year in school in Gujarat, which, unfortunately, believed that skirts made for ideal uniforms for girls. Some of them, even then, looked pretty or charming or plain hot. Some, like me, looked like a scarecrow. The skirt, however, was the least of my worries. The socks were a different issue altogether.
My parents invested in quality socks – there was always a lot of importance attached to neatness at home. Shoes were polished almost every day, and the loose socks were immediately discarded. Despite that, we all liked to make statements with our socks:
So, I never knew what statement to make, and ended up making one every day (A Psychiatrist would have had a field day with me).
Now that I have grown wiser (Stranger things have happened), I realize that we need to don all the four roles at least once a day;
Considering that the outfit of choice today was a steel grey shirt, a black pant and brown (men’s) shoes, the white socks are an abomination; even I can’t ignore the flashes of white my feet provide as I half-run to catch the train.
That took me back by 15 years, to my last year in school in Gujarat, which, unfortunately, believed that skirts made for ideal uniforms for girls. Some of them, even then, looked pretty or charming or plain hot. Some, like me, looked like a scarecrow. The skirt, however, was the least of my worries. The socks were a different issue altogether.
My parents invested in quality socks – there was always a lot of importance attached to neatness at home. Shoes were polished almost every day, and the loose socks were immediately discarded. Despite that, we all liked to make statements with our socks:
 |
| Socks Types Source: Google Images and musingsanddoodlings.blogspot.in |
- Prim and Proper: Ideally ironed, the socks were pulled to their maximum capacity to let no crease show.
- Baggy and Sloppy: An attempt to appear cool and sloppy at the same time, the socks were purposefully made baggy by lowering the elastic band.
- Rolled and Strong: This was usually ideal in making strong statements, especially during the Sports class.
- Folded and Neat: I cringe when I realize that this was my favorite version, my dangly legs ending in this bow-like thing I created lovingly every morning.
So, I never knew what statement to make, and ended up making one every day (A Psychiatrist would have had a field day with me).
Now that I have grown wiser (Stranger things have happened), I realize that we need to don all the four roles at least once a day;
- Prim and proper to run the family on clockwork,
- Rolled and Strong to get through the daily challenges,
- Folded and Neat to manage a schedule, and
- Baggy and sloppy to remember to have fun while doing it all.
4 comments:
Adade! Socks & its patterns serving as an unusual source of daily routine philosophy, super!
What about the ankle level kutti socks by the way?
So I was the prim and proper kind then. Hated to roll the socks and hated the sloppy ones. Also never liked to wear white ones so whenever I could I would slip in the black ones. It was easier when we were allowed full pants.
@Ashwin: Ankle level kutti socks - comfortable and hassle-free maybe?
@Kunal: You guys had all the luck with full pants.
Firstly, how are you doing? Long time!
Also, this post (and the blog in general) reminds me of the romanticism movement for some reason.
Brilliant stuff :D
Post a Comment