<p>“Thank God it’s Friday”(TGIF) expresses the joy one feels in knowing that the work week has officially ended and that one has two days off to enjoy. <br /></p>.<p> Most of my career, I was fortunate to have worked in companies that had a five-day week. <br /><br />While a two-day weekend sounds enjoyable, it does have some pitfalls. As a bachelor in Bangalore I did not have any friends, being new to the city. <br /><br />It was only so much that one could impose on kind-hearted uncles and aunts during the weekends. <br /> Some of the single men in our firm thought out-of-the-box. <br /> As a rule we were entitled to lunch if we attended office on holidays. <br /><br />So every Saturday I would land up at office on some pretended urgent work. <br /><br />Coincidentally, this would end exactly at lunchtime. A few colleagues and I would make our way to a haven for creative people called Embassy Bar (sadly now defunct) near Shivajinagar. <br /><br />By the end of the third hour, we would be giving our take on what ails the world. When I got engaged to be married, I was horrified to note that the owner of the bar lived next door to my in-laws. Many years later in Hyderabad, after my sons grew up and flew the coop, I was at a loose end, particularly on Saturday mornings. <br /><br />My wife had her own agenda with domestic chores. <br /><br />I would start off from home and visit electronic and appliance stores.<br /><br />Successive salesmen would religiously brief me on the merits of various brands of televisions, fridges, washing machines and air-conditioners. <br /><br />Each time I would give the excuse that I needed to consult my wife and that I would return later in the day. <br /><br />After a few months I had run through all the major stores without spending a rupee.It was then the turn of the car dealers. <br /> Hyderabad had a stretch of open road around the Tank Bund that was ideal for test drives. <br /><br />During the next few months, I knew every bump and pothole on that road while I tested out the specifications of all the brands available at that time. <br /><br />I also discovered that car salesmen usually make four phone calls to a potential buyer after a test drive before giving up as a lost cause! Even after retirement, when every day is a weekend, I still yearn for a Saturday morning outing. <br /><br />Thanks to Bangalore’s burgeoning real estate, developers are bending backwards to sell their apartments and villas. <br /><br />The Friday newspapers feature advertisements for housing projects and entice people to come and see their model apartments. <br /><br />One phone call is all that I need to arrange my Saturday schedule. <br /><br />The developer sends his vehicle to pick me up and show me various projects. <br /><br />This also has helped me understand common real estate jargons. <br /> Example: when a developer says five minutes from the centre of town, it is based on a speed of 100 km/hour! During my working days, I used to enjoy my afternoon siesta on Saturday as I knew I had one more coming on Sunday. <br /><br />I presumed that once I retired, I would enjoy this luxury every day. Unfortunately, this did not turn out true. <br /><br />I wonder what is the medical term for “afternoon siesta insomnia?”<br /></p>
<p>“Thank God it’s Friday”(TGIF) expresses the joy one feels in knowing that the work week has officially ended and that one has two days off to enjoy. <br /></p>.<p> Most of my career, I was fortunate to have worked in companies that had a five-day week. <br /><br />While a two-day weekend sounds enjoyable, it does have some pitfalls. As a bachelor in Bangalore I did not have any friends, being new to the city. <br /><br />It was only so much that one could impose on kind-hearted uncles and aunts during the weekends. <br /> Some of the single men in our firm thought out-of-the-box. <br /> As a rule we were entitled to lunch if we attended office on holidays. <br /><br />So every Saturday I would land up at office on some pretended urgent work. <br /><br />Coincidentally, this would end exactly at lunchtime. A few colleagues and I would make our way to a haven for creative people called Embassy Bar (sadly now defunct) near Shivajinagar. <br /><br />By the end of the third hour, we would be giving our take on what ails the world. When I got engaged to be married, I was horrified to note that the owner of the bar lived next door to my in-laws. Many years later in Hyderabad, after my sons grew up and flew the coop, I was at a loose end, particularly on Saturday mornings. <br /><br />My wife had her own agenda with domestic chores. <br /><br />I would start off from home and visit electronic and appliance stores.<br /><br />Successive salesmen would religiously brief me on the merits of various brands of televisions, fridges, washing machines and air-conditioners. <br /><br />Each time I would give the excuse that I needed to consult my wife and that I would return later in the day. <br /><br />After a few months I had run through all the major stores without spending a rupee.It was then the turn of the car dealers. <br /> Hyderabad had a stretch of open road around the Tank Bund that was ideal for test drives. <br /><br />During the next few months, I knew every bump and pothole on that road while I tested out the specifications of all the brands available at that time. <br /><br />I also discovered that car salesmen usually make four phone calls to a potential buyer after a test drive before giving up as a lost cause! Even after retirement, when every day is a weekend, I still yearn for a Saturday morning outing. <br /><br />Thanks to Bangalore’s burgeoning real estate, developers are bending backwards to sell their apartments and villas. <br /><br />The Friday newspapers feature advertisements for housing projects and entice people to come and see their model apartments. <br /><br />One phone call is all that I need to arrange my Saturday schedule. <br /><br />The developer sends his vehicle to pick me up and show me various projects. <br /><br />This also has helped me understand common real estate jargons. <br /> Example: when a developer says five minutes from the centre of town, it is based on a speed of 100 km/hour! During my working days, I used to enjoy my afternoon siesta on Saturday as I knew I had one more coming on Sunday. <br /><br />I presumed that once I retired, I would enjoy this luxury every day. Unfortunately, this did not turn out true. <br /><br />I wonder what is the medical term for “afternoon siesta insomnia?”<br /></p>
