JOIN USThis morning I had a fall. It was a miracle that I got away without a scratch. What is so great about it you may ask. It is because I am a senior citizen and a fall at this age can be a disaster. I have decided not to tell this to anyone. The reason? Wait. Let me tell you how it happened.
We have a guava tree in our backyard. This is the season when it has fruits in abundance. Close to it is a canopy under which we hang washed clothes to dry. There is also a stone bench close to the canopy. We make sure that the fruits which are not within reach are reserved for the birds and squirrels. Those which we can pluck by hand or fall on the ground are for human consumption. We have kept a plastic chair under the canopy for keeping dried clothes after folding them. Every morning at the crack of dawn, I go to the back yard and pick up the fruits which have fallen on the ground. I then take the chair and stand on it to pick up the ones which have fallen on the canopy.
This drill was going on perfectly till this morning. As I was standing on the chair I heard a loud crackling sound and before I could realise what had happened I found myself flat on the ground on my back. I got up and noticed that the left rear leg of the chair had broken. If the right leg had broken I would have hit the back of my head on the stone bench, a kind of guillotine. The long arm of god had certainly saved me from a calamity.
Now, why do I want to keep quiet about it ? The truth is, I can almost predict the comments. They would be something like this. Wife: “You will never listen to what I tell you. If the same is told by your friends you will agree.” My siblings: “You may be the youngest in the family and called the baby. But don’t forget you are a grandfather now and your bones are pretty weak.”
My outspoken niece: “You have always been the idiot in the family. It is now confirmed .” My old classmate: “Didn’t you know that plastic becomes brittle after some time especially when it is kept outside? And you call yourself an engineer? ”. My friends: “This calls for celebration ! Let us have a party this weekend and laugh it off”.
Coming to think of it, I have changed my mind. I am telling it to my friends. They have the right attitude.