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Now that our son is all set to go to college — preferably away from Delhi, he says — his mother is worried that he might get hijacked by the high-lifewallahs. But that’s because she hasn’t spent too much time checking out his friends. There is a sprinkling of high-fliers, true, some even with political clout, and he’s partial to his brands, but the company he keeps is far from the jet set.
The other day, for instance, he went to meet “Bobby Bhaiya” at the local mall. “Is he a local ruffian?” my wife questioned him as soon as he was back. ‘Chill, mom,” said our son. Bobby Bhaiya, at any rate, turned out to be the sales manager at a Nike outlet who had since left, and was now a floor manager at the mall. He’d called because he could arm-twist some concessions from the stores on his beat, and did our son want anything on discount? From the salesmen at Adidas to the managers at Punk — the apparel store that appears to specialise in jeans that have been put through a shredder and then stitched back by a moron with a visibility problem — he is on first-name terms with them all. Ravi will call to say there’s a special deal on sleeveless shirts at Benetton, Anand at Voi (who was at Wrangler’s flagship store earlier) says come over for coffee, they’re discontinuing some lines and he can offer him a really good price on the pair of jeans he wanted, and throw in a belt for free.
All this means that my son, who did not really want another pair of shoes, now has two new ones because the offer was on “buy one, get one free”. He’ll go out to buy himself formal trousers (there are interviews to give) but return with still another pair of jeans because “you can’t believe the price on this, besides they gave me a pair of ear-studs free”. “Do you want floaters?” he’ll ask me, and when I say no, he’ll sulk, “Do you know I can get you the Rs 3,500 pair for Rs 1,900 because I know Sharmaji at the shop.”
That’s not the only extras he’s accumulated over the years. He’ll watch any film at the multiplex because his friend has a friend who knows the doorman, and everyone knows that there are empty seats in a hall after the third day. Other friends include the bouncers at the neighbourhood nightclub, so that on a good day he can manage to get in without paying the exorbitant cover charge or, at any rate, get in some friends in a group free, and then split the spoils equally. He’s friends with the mechanics at the service station, so as long as there is no requirement for spare parts, the car gets attended to at absolutely no cost (I think this is a good thing, and his most useful friendship to date). He’s also friends with the ice-cream cartwallah that stands outside our gate, so he and his friends run up a monthly bill with him that, sadly, I have to clear, but he also manages to wangle his way to free soups at the local takeaway, and I’m told on good authority that he has an arrangement with the waiter at the tea shop where his friends meet, so that the bill is never served to him.
The thing I cannot fathom is why he also knows the cops who often stand at the red light crossing close to our home, waving down all the unfortunates caught speeding by their cameras. But I suppose it’s good to be on the right side of authority — even if you’re not a high flyer.
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(5 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
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June 15th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Sir, your articles are almost always fun to read. When I say “almost always”, it is more a reflection on my state of mind, than the style and content of your piece. I love to write (vague, pointless words that roll around in circles - as a result I never end up saying anything that someone, anyone, would like to read). And that is sad. Much as I would like to wallow in self-pity and go on and on… the way I do when I sit at the keyboard (may be a sign of masochism, but I enjoy it immensely. The only dream that has stood the test of my cyclical thoughts, without dissolving, or becomming blurred, has to do with this obsession- and you’d be right in calling it a self-obsession). But that’s how things are. And try as I did (that’s probably not true, but it helps me sound desperate enough, not that that’s going to help either!!) I couldn’t keep myself from plunging into my dream (and it is something that every second individual in the world harbours, perhaps!). We think we have something to say, all of us. Brimming with words and thoughts. And those that write (like you), do let them out and do that well.
Anyway, a compulsive chatterbox like me doesn’t need an excuse to begin winding and re-winding. Your article made me think of India’s young adults. The behaviour pattern appears to be a happy (and useful) blend of what they call PR skills (a hopelessly boring phrase for something that is dynamic and spontaneous - I may be wrong in saying spontaneous, but I’m sure a pseudo PR person would struggle and trail behind his\her more vibrant, deft, quick companions. And then, bonding with people is a trait that can perhaps be traced to India’s village traditions. “Time- warping back to the present”, it may be easy to see, that what you say of your son, has a tinge (or more) of indigenous (to use a controversial word) Indian social practice. What’s new is… well, I don’t think much is. Bonding now happens with potentially “useful” people (no, I’m not about to embark on a “down with consumerism” declamation). Earlier, may be neighbours would lend or give free, grain and household stuff. The reason this is now Nike shoes and frayed-edge jeans is because this IS what makes up the household of a certain strata of society. So its an Indian skill. And its also a lot of what successful folks are made of. A friend would be sent to buy milk at half past seven every morning. The milk booth was a five-minutes’ walk away. The happy boy would return at half past eight, much to his mum’s chagrin. He’d stop and chat (age, sex no bar) to his heart’s content, and leave with a smile (can’t be sure how people at the receiving end took it, but most likely they enjoyed themselves. They remember him to this day.) I’ve suddenly realised that this isn’t an insight. Amartya Sen talks about this in The Argumentative Indian. As always I find I’ve spent a zillion words on something that HAS BEEN DONE. As always I haven’t been able to break through my cyclical thoughts (and I wouldn’t know where I’d expect to land if I did - “the great wide open??”. Don’t know what I’d do there anyway, may be try as hard as I can, to tell myself that things will not change. My father says writing’s a skill, so I should write more. I do, because I love to, but I disappoint myself each time. Perhaps, some day …(an obviously desperate attempt to stretch the dream!!). And this had begun to sound like a thesis on myself about twenty thousand words back! Apologies.
PS - If its not too much trouble, may I show you some of the stuff I write? Why? Because if there’s even a flicker of hope, I’ll keep writing (well, actually, even if there isn’t, I don’t think I’d be able to stay away!)
August 9th, 2006 at 10:01 am
9:37 AM 8/9/2006
Sir,
I was born in free India. If I mull over the nature of relationships at that time and now, am sure I would have born in a country that is still struggling to gain freedom.
All our relationships have become utilitarian. I ought to be resourceful or face the stark prospect of being all alone by myself in an occean of relationships.
We Indians have lost the unique touch of being humane that used to set us apart as a model for the other progressive civilizations to imbibe.
Probably the tourism industry thrives because people from the other civilizations visit our country to discover that particular charm of being humane which they unfortunately do not find and return to their countries disappointed.
October 13th, 2006 at 8:55 am
i really like how u really notice how ur son is doing and what he is doing.. i really enjoy reading ur blogs and all of them really make me think in terms of business. just like ur saying that ur son’s well connected.
just from reading ur blog i could see that he is well connected. he can easily run a business from his lack of shyness. cuz as a businessman one must be bold in order to approach a customer or an oppurtunity that will make his business a succes. getting around alot can also give me alot of news that maybe u urself have not known yet… can i get a paair of shoes from him? it’s for my gym class..lol..hehehhehee…