No junk food?

With most parents at their wits’ end on how to curb junk food, the younger generation resolutely refuses to yield. Meanwhile, reports of childhood obesity and several lifestyle-related diseases continue to gain ground. In this scenario, a colleague was pleasantly surprised to overhear a middle-aged lady claim that she had “cured” her son of this habit.

“I put him in a hostel,” she said and went on to explain that the young boy was as much of a “junk foodie” as any other child. But when he got admission in a college in another city, he had to be lodged in a hostel. Initially, he had a “great time” eating out but soon got tired of it. Thus, when he got home for vacations, he craved for home food and “revolted” against any fast food!

Stormy days

It was the time when the film song, “Andhian gham ki yun chalin / Bagh ujar ke reh gaya” was a raving number while the political storm clouds were looming over the horizon just before the Partition. The song suddenly stopped being played following a rumour that the government had banned it to prevent mischief-mongers from vitiating the communal atmosphere further in the devastated garden that was once United India.

The storms that hit Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh during the past few days with such ferocity brought the old song back to mind and also Magdalene Aunty, who celebrates her 93rd birthday on 30 May, which also happens to be the feast of St Joan of Arc, the French heroine burnt at the stake as a witch by the British.

Aunty, more than a year older than Queen Elizabeth II, now stays in Avedna Ashram of the Durlabjis, the Jaipur gem merchants, after the death of her brother, the tea garden manager Julian Francis. She is suffering from old age problems and a cataract has made her half-blind. But her 1946 birthday is still fresh in the mind.

It was a grand affair but in the evening there was a violent storm, followed by heavy rain that dampened the spirts of the participants. However, eating pilao-zarda amidst lightning streaks and thunder-claps remains an unforgettable memory. Here’s wishing her many happy returns sans summer storms with the grace of Joan of Arc. Stange that one now never hears that Zeenat film song in which Noor Jahan was the heroine.

Ladies please!

One generally respects senior citizens in the Metro and it’s heartening to see youngsters vacate their seats for them. However, at times, some elderly commuters have to ask for the seats that are reserved for them. But this can at times lead to funny situations, as a senior colleague narrated. Dozing on a “Senior citizens” seat, he was shaken awake by an elderly lady, who asked him to move aside so that she could occupy the corner seat.

When our colleague pointed out that he was also a senior citizen and that she was welcome to occupy the empty seat next to him, the lady pointed to the man on the next seat and said, “What, do you expect me to sit between two men?” Bewildered, our colleague, nevertheless, yielded his seat to her. However, a while later, she joined her son on the opposite row but found herself with a male passenger next to her. Our colleague could not help a smirk on his face and the lady had the grace to look shamefaced!

Tailpiece

If nothing else, last week’s one paisa fuel price cut just goes to show that the humble paisa still holds the power to raise a storm.

Contributed by: Rakesh Kumar, Nivedita R, R V Smith, D  S Velu and Asha Ramachandran