go a little crazy …………. to stay sane

 

go a little crazy

                …………. to stay sane

 Like most people I love to check on  latest consumer accessories and I have even put down views  about the newest ones in the market occasionally. But I never claim that mine is an innovation Blog. Neither is it a spiritual  blog though I have expressed  a few thoughts at times.  Anything unpredictable or characterized by unexpected traits provokes me to write. This time around, it was my friend and his strong desire to buy a weird looking  wrist watch

Now, “Friend” ( to conceal identity) is nothing like persons (normal ie.)  around us. While others  verify the make and technical specs, before buying a Gadget , Friend typically decided to buy a laptop purely for its colour.  He  almost bought an obsolete  phased out model of a vanishing  brand because they happened to be the only ones with his favorite “Fandango”Violet”  colour key Pad. It was only after some timely coaxing , serious threats  & fierce emotional blackmail by friends that he reluctantly settled for a    Lenovo Pro

 The other day when he suddenly  decided  to buy a wrist watch,(a failed model  of a dead brand) , all of us; his friends,  aware of his cantankerousness   knew that the purchase was inevitable. and so it might just be a good opportunity have some  entertainment at his expense.  A couple of us agreed to accompany him on the rendezvous

We soon found out that none of the popular stores was selling that particular model. We followed stubborn “Friend” as he set out on a wild goose hunt,.  . He somehow managed to find  the number of a retailer who claimed to have these  wrist watches .We called up the number to confirm the availability and was greeted by an extremely excited man. He confirmed that he had the “psychedelic purple  ” Wrist Watch  that  dear friend was yearning for  and offered to send his shop assistant (SA) to guide us to his store. “Customer is  king” . I guess our Mr. Vendor  truly believed in this.

As we zig-zagged through the narrow lanes in search of the store , without warning  a man jumped from behind us . “Silent Thief”?.he muttered excitedly.   Our first reaction was to bolt .” Silent Thief ”?  Are you here for the .” Silent Thief”? he repeated .Closer examination revealed that he was trying to help . Fancy that !  “Yes.we are” ! The weird purple wrist watch was called….. “Silent Thief ”. We followed our visibly Excited “Friend” & the strange random SA into a dingy building.

 

we walked through  a dark narrow  corridor  which led into a  room. A gigantic man sat across the table nervously twiddling his fingers ,waiting for us. The size of the room and the way Mr. Giant placed  in the centre across the  table  introduced himself as the owner of the “company” was   like a scene straight out of a  third grade Bollywood Dacoit Movie.. &  he  reminded us of the notorious  filmy villain Mogambo. we  never imagined that man-mountain  would be so eager to receive us  . So much for silent thief !

 

Mogambo explained at length  to us how his company along with his  “corporate” partner would soon revolutionize the wrist watch market in India. “S A ” barged into  the room and  held out “silent thief” . Ecstatic  Friend   grabbed it & waving jubilantly  to everyone even attempted to give  a high five to Mogambo who was exulting with   (malicious ?) satisfaction . The excitement in the store was palpable until S A  realized that his job was done. He asked us to “carry on” and left. Mogambo  kept rambling on,

Finally, “Friend” holding his prized   watch  close to him  made the payment and got up to leave, all the while   trying to convince us how  “Silent Thief”  was way “cooler” than anything else in the market. As we walked out of the store we  were surprised to see        S A on the pavement wearing  big headphones and  humming a tune .He was  happily applying Mehndi designs on the palms of half a dozen giggling young women. “a jack of all trades”!  As  elated “Friend” flashed a thumbs up at the him ,SA reciprocated with a “Tilted head" trade mark    Devanand   nod .As an after thought he shouted  “ Sir ‘mythic kaarma’ expected next week. Do  call  if you decide to buy”

Walking towards our parked car, I doubted if this absurd “Silent thief”  buying escapade could be documented effectively !  Some nuances (read absurdity) of  undiluted eccentricities are truly better experienced than read, But,I have dared to attempt..