Last week started with a call from a wrong number.
Have you ever picked up your phone and looked at the unknown number flashing on the screen? You say Hello anticipating it to be an important call from a job agency or a prospective client or a family member in distress? And then you realise the caller is asking for someone whom you never knew existed in your life before this call. You say wrong number politely and put your phone down. Does this situation sound familiar to you? Of course, it does. Each one of us have said wrong number at least once in our life. But I can bet you don’t say these words as often as me.
I changed my sim card with a different number an year back. Few days later, I got a call :
Me : Hello.
Caller : I am calling from the Police Station in the north east line.
Me: Yes? (with a heart throbbing like a jumping jack)
Caller : Can you please switch on the air con ?
Me : Switch on what? (relived for not charged of any crime but equally surprised by his request)
Caller : The air con.
Me : I think you have called the wrong number.
Caller : Is this XXXX XXXX number?
Me : Yes, it is.
Caller : You are the ABC air con service provider, right?
Me : I am afraid, I am not. You have dialled the wrong number.
Caller : Oh I am so sorry (his voice did sound more confused than apologetic)
Me : It’s okay.
Only if I knew, it was not okay at all. Throughout the year, I received many such polite requests to switch on the air conditioners. The dialogues were almost same as above, only the locations changed.
Situation is such that I don’t get goosebumps now if someone says, ‘I am calling from so and so police station.’ For I know the poor guy just wants to switch on the air conditioner. You must be thinking why I didn’t block the numbers. But, I get calls from different numbers every time. How many times can I block them? Or was I enjoying attention?
Talking of attention, it reminds me of the badminton session (yes, one more round) with husband.
Normally, we play around 8 o’ clock in the evening when you get the badminton courts free from toddlers and gossiping aunties. But last week (maybe because it was Saturday), we got some spectators for our game. Three old men sitting on the bench, two kids riding the bicycle (whom we had to strategically keep away from the court), two young women chatting, a granny who had nothing to do – I mean we had a varied flavour of audience.
But the P.V.Sindhu in me was not happy with such attention. I am a person who is comfortable behind the scenes. Attention makes me self-conscious. Same happened here.
My mind became busy in thinking that I shouldn’t disappoint my audience and stressed on not missing any shot. But I missed a couple of good shots. A man, who was watching the game eagerly, finally picked up his toddler and walked away from the scene. I set a wrong impression upon him. Damn! How do these International Players cope up with the pressure?
However, the real pressure reflected on TV (including Singapore channels).
In today’s date, the news channels provide more entertainment and thrill than sitcoms and crime shows. The assembly election results in 5 states – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram gave ample of reasons to let the TV on throughout the day. The battle between the two political parties – Congress vs. BJP or Rahul Gandhi vs. Shri Narendra Modi to be precise reached it’s peak.
People in Telangana and Mizoram voted on forming government with separate parties. But the limelight was on Congress which defeated BJP in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Rahul Gandhi, who is otherwise the subject matter of jokes and taunts in BJP, had the last laugh in this election. A wining smile was on his face throughout the press conferences. That’s why they say never underestimate your enemy. Your enemy can prove you wrong at any point. A pretty good Christmas gift for Rahul Gandhi !
Oh ! My Christmas tree is now out of the bomb shelter by the way.
Looks like I am ready for Christmas 🙂
However, weddings too attracted a lot of attention last week.
Open the news channels or Instagram and the image of a newly married celebrity couple would emerge. Saina Nehwal & Parupalli Kashyap, Kapil Sharma & Ginni Chatrath, Shweta Basu Prasad & Rohit Mittal, Raghu Ram and Natallie Di Lucio. Phew! As if the whole celebrity circle decided to walk down the aisle in December after Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra & Nick Jonas.
But…but guys…the award for the no. 1 big fat Indian wedding definitely went with the Ambanis. Mukesh Ambani, the Indian business magnate, was giving away his only daughter, Isha Ambani to another billionaire industrialist Ajay Piramal’s son, Anand Piramal.
Almost a week long festivities, with Sangeet ceremony in Udaipur, Rajasthan and a larger-than-life wedding in Antilla kept the tongues wagging and media busy on the streets. Presence of Pranab Mukherjee, Hillary Clinton and Beyonce’s performance are just few of the highlights from the wedding. Some even coined this whole affair as Real-life Crazy Rich Asians wed in Mumbai. But if you ask me, anything less than this from Mukesh Ambani, who is one of the richest man on this planet would have surprised me.
Here are some glimpses from the much talked wedding :
View this post on InstagramLata Mangeshkar recorded a rendition of the Gayatri Mantra, a Ganesh stuti, and a special message for Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal in her own voice, that was played during their wedding rituals. . . . #IshaAmbani #AnandPiramal #IshaAmbaniWedding #IshaAnandWedding #LataMangeshkar #MukeshAmbani #NitaAmbani #Antilia #AmbaniWedding
The normal middle-class Asians, however, spent their Sunday evening with a friend from United States. Also an ex-colleague of husband, the friend is on his month long tour of the Asian countries. After a short tour of Malaysia, he is now in Singapore and has plans to visit Vietnam and Thailand. We went out for a tour of Gardens by the Bay. The Supertrees looked more vibrant amidst all the Christmas decorations.
View this post on Instagramসান্তা বুড়ো আসছে…হাতে মাত্র অল্প কিছু দিন…. তাই সেই খুশিতে একটু সাজুগুজু করে নেওয়া 😊😇 #santaclaus #onhisway #singapore #already #isinthe #festivemood #gardensbythebay #nofilter
The week ended beautifully with a dinner in Little India, an order for Biriyani that was already over in the restaurant’s kitchen, discussions on the differences of lifestyles between Singapore and America, and a gift from the friend in the form of Danish cookies.
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Nicely told!
Thank you 🙂