RESOLVE AND OUTCOME

As the New Year approached I was seated with my wife discussing the resolution to be made for 2021. She said “Before we go to that let us review how you did in 2020. You had resolved that you would cut down on swearing. You remember we kept the swear jar with coins near it in case you breached the resolution in the year 2019, but the swear jar was soon filled as you hadn’t kept up your word not to swear. You again decided to keep that resolution for 2020.”

“Don’t you think I had largely overcome swearing?”

She laughed and said “Let’s review the significant cases where you breached that resolve. I’ve put them down in my diary.”

She took out the diary and said “Breach one:  January. We’re on the flight from London to Stockholm. We’re waiting for lunch. You had ordered a vegetarian lunch. The stewardess serves steaks to both of us. You were hungry. The stewardess checks, comes back to us and says ‘Sorry! The ground staff had made a mistake and not packed any veggie lunch.’ She withdraws the lunch and finally brings us an apple each. I saw you exploding in anger with hunger. We were first class passengers and starved! You had used choice swear words against the airline in the vernacular lest somebody took objection.”

I nodded and said “Not only that. I had later complained to the airline but was merely told they were sorry for the mistake about diet and would do everything to satisfy passenger needs in future.”

I said “You haven’t included the way the baby in the seat behind us had wailed in full throat at that, throughout the flight. The entire plane resonated with the continuous wails.”

She nodded and said “That swearing has been included. I come to March. We are on pilgrimage near the seaside pilgrim centre. My mother and the two of us. Mother prepares to take a sea bath. Fishermen say sea is rough be careful. Mother says I’m a good swimmer and can overcome all odds in the water.”

I said “You know what happened. She swam too far out and one of the fishermen saved her just in the nick of time from being washed away. A big crowd had gathered to watch and so much talk ensued.”

“And you were embarrassed and swore at her.”

 She said “I’ll go to May. We were travelling by bus as seats on the trains and planes were unavailable. We were on our way to see your father who had suddenly taken ill. It was an unforgettable journey.”

It was supposed to be an air conditioned bus but the AC had been switched off as window panes near 2 seats had been taken out due to damage by stone throwing during a strike the previous day. One of the seats was next to mine. It had rained and the weatherman had said more rain was due. A canvas sheet had been used to temporarily cover the damaged windows. It acted like a sail and was flapping noisily as we proceeded. When the bus went through an area where it was raining, water slapped our faces.

My wife said “You cursed the rain and then came the non-stop audio music inside the bus.“

I said “I remember the music was very loud and in the howling of the wind in between I couldn’t sleep a wink. You said I had been fiercely swearing at the bus owner into her ear. However the other 40 odd passengers put up with the noise around!”

My wife said “Next comes your encounter with an obstetrician. That was in July.”

I remembered the incident at the hospital very well. I had to get a signature from a doctor and not finding any male doc at that hour decided to get the signature of a female doc. Her name displayed on her room was Dr.Katy Solomon. I asked a woman nurse if Katy was busy in her room and she said Katy was free but was on the phone. Not wanting to disrupt her call I waited outside a few moments. Then wanting to know if she had finished the call peeped in which was noticed by Katy. She had finished the call and when I went in she accused me of peeping into the room where she would examine female patients. I told her that I had come to her as other male docs were elsewhere and she alone was available. I told her I had no intention of peeping in and clarified matters. Still Katy wouldn’t accept my apology and wasn’t convinced that I had peeped in only to see if she had finished her call. She had threatened to complain to the hospital authorities for which she wrote down my details. Finally she did sign the paper I needed and let go of me without taking action. Going out I saw the nurse who had guided me. I nodded when she said “You’re lucky. Katy is always at cross purposes with the world.” Having gone home I swore at Katy and the signature system in the hospital.

My wife said “Now comes August and you had a problem with Mrs.Singh of the drug store.”

 Mrs.Singh owned the drug store near where we live. She was the one who was at the counter as she was qualified in pharmacy. She was a white haired woman, heavy set and liked to talk only to women customers. I went with a doctor’s prescription to her and she unwillingly read it and bundled the items in a brown paper before billing. It was at that time that a young woman whom I knew lived in the neighbourhood came hurriedly and said “Aunty, my husband told me he would drop me home and then go to attend the meeting. I’m in a hurry. Can you give me my bundles?”

She said “They are behind that water bottle.”

The woman said “Thanks aunty” and rushed out.

I had been standing aside studying the ad of a product for weight reduction. That done I went to the payment counter where Mrs.Singh was talking to someone on the phone. I said “Madam why don’t you give me my bill. I’ve also some other work to attend to.”

She scowled and putting the phone down told me how much I had to pay. I paid the amount and she gave me the bundle containing my medicines. I went home slighted as she hadn’t said a word.

My wife said “I opened the bundle and saw the superabsorbent feminine need which said it covered more area than others and was safer. You were furious and swore against that woman saying she should give up the drug store.”

In my anger I took the bundle to the store and gave it silently to Mrs.Singh. She checked and said calmly “Rose has taken your medicines. This was her bundle. I don’t know if the poor thing has a problem without the item she had bought. Mistakes happen. Please wait 5 minutes.” Mrs.Singh got on the phone.

I sat waiting when Rose came and handed over a bundle to ‘aunty’. She checked it and handed it right back to me. No apology! My wife said “You were so angry that time and you swore loudly against all involved.”

I said to my wife “What else would you do under the circumstances? I can only stop buying from Singh’s store but that’s nearest to us.”

She said “You’ve by and large stuck to the new year resolution made. These were the only significant exceptions. I’ll say you’ve done well regarding swearing. Let us look for another resolution for 2021.” I nodded.

END