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A Fatal Blow!

Discussion in 'Cheeniya's Senile Ramblings' started by Cheeniya, Mar 28, 2019.

  1. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    A Fatal Blow!

    Did I get out on the wrong side of my bed this morning? No, that was quite unlikely as my bed was close to the wall and trying to get out that side would be a futile exercise. That sneezing of my wife had no bearing either as she did that usually sixty times an hour. She had been blessed with the most sensitive nose in this part of the country. The day started as calmly as ever and there was no sign at all that a severe blow was waiting to be delivered to me. I brushed my teeth correctly and placed my brush correctly in the holder causing a big surprise to my wife. It would usually fall on the floor and it would be her task to wash it again and place it correctly on the holder. I had my hot cup of coffee without spilling a drop of it on my banian as was my wont.

    Life unfolded as colorfully as it did in Pippa Passes. You know what I mean.

    ‘The lark's on the wing;
    The snail's on the thorn;
    God's in his heaven—
    All's right with the world!’ kind of thing.

    I smiled a satisfied smile. This was how every day ought to begin, I whispered to myself. I opened the newspaper and there was no news of any young girl being molested by a gang of six. I pinched myself to make sure it was real and no dream. There was enough water to take a decent bath which made the day even more special. I chanted all my morning prayers almost correctly and that too without falling asleep. The food was just perfect and despite that I did not overeat. The rumbling of my stomach was a happy one expressing approval of my discretion in eating. It was a perfect day as if my favorite team had scored 150 runs in the first 10 overs of a T20 match.

    I rang up an old friend whom I had known for over sixty years and he too was surprisingly in an excellent mood. He did not lament about the political situation in the country or about any ill-treatment by his daughter-in-law. He even cracked a couple of jokes and I smiled but after realizing that he would not be able to see me smiling, I laughed out aloud. Who knew that a catastrophe was waiting to unveil behind all that perfect start of the day? I watched my favorite serial on the TV and I had nothing much to complain about the episode on that day. I sang an old song about a peacock dancing on the sky ignoring the grimace on my wife’s face. Hearing the song, my granddaughters trooped in wishing to know if I called them. ‘Is this von Trapp family to call you through a song?’ I asked them in a hurt tone ignoring my wife’s triumphant laughter.

    I switched on the AC in the room which brought down the temperature from 40 to 20 °C. Even at this point of time, I did not expect even in my wildest dream that a horror story was about to unfold. I sat in front of my PC and dusted it with great flourish. Like a pilot of an aircraft I made sure that all was in order with my system and I switched on my PC. It opened without the usual fuss. It was precisely at this point that the fatal blow was delivered to me. On the right side bottom of my PC, a message flashed that there was ‘No internet connection’. I felt shattered. Who would ever expect that a day started so perfectly would end up this way? I threw a hostile and hurt look (a rare combination indeed) at my PC and it threw it back at me as if it was telling me ‘Why blame me?’

    This was the problem with men of my age. Whenever something happened hurting their routine, they would blame everyone around. A usually pleasant and easy-going old man would totally turn hostile. But I just sulked. That would be proof enough for you that I had a strong control over my feelings. I merely kicked the computer table and hurt my toe!
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2020
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  2. Lalithambigai

    Lalithambigai IL Hall of Fame

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    Lovely read! I am glad that your internet connection is back and really hope your toes are doing Okay! Wishing them speedy recovery :)
     
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  3. PushpavalliSrinivasan

    PushpavalliSrinivasan IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Mr Cheeniya,
    OMG! Unpredictable internet causing a big blow. Anyway all that that ends well is always good.
    PS
     
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  4. GeetaKashyap

    GeetaKashyap IL Hall of Fame

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    Hahaha! Cheeniya Sir, while I smiled and giggled a bit as I read this article, honestly I waited for the bad news!:nomouth: I thought you would write about a bad fall you had or that the side cubboard targeted you or the plaster in the ceiling... After all, internet failure wasn't so fatal, sir.

    This is a common malady with all or most men!:sunglasses:

    Please take care of those precious toes, sir.:grinning::laughing:
     
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  5. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    My dear Anna

    Enjoyed reading your awesome post. Brought a smile on my face. Now we know how your day starts. Without hiding you have written everything.

    I was wondering what was that blow and had no patience till I read till the last . Did not expect about internet
    Anyway all is well that ends well. Hope internet is back and you wrote this from your computer. Why I am asking is if no internet I used to go to the cafe

    Take care of your toes and all the best
     
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  6. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    If internet failure can be called a
    fatal blow', this happens everyday.In 2016 I was about to send an article to Mind space column of the New Indian Express. When I was about to load the attachment,'internet 'failed.I took my meals.There was internet.I loaded the attachment. When I was about to press the 'send button. again it was non supply of current.After waiting for 8 long hrs, I sent the article.
    The article was 'about April fools Day .The main contention was while everyday we are being fooled by someone-either internet failure or non supply of current or fooled by construction workers, fake mailers, and groceries mixed with fake items,fake promises during elections, where is the need to celebrate April 1 alone as April Fools Day .But Indian Express didn't fool me.The article was published.I had to pinch myself whether the paper was real or fake.
    Sometimes it is not fatal blow but a lively pat.
    jayasala 42
     
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  7. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Cheeniya Sir,

    Internet connection is like life support. Pulling the plug would terminate the life filled with ideas. One of the ILites already said quoting an author Todd Henry's book "Die empty" that the richest land in the world is burial ground as it has many men and women who died with ideas not executed. Now internet failure is adding to the problem. What good is a day if you can't get online?

    How come you don't have a family song that doesn't unite family members as we see in Bollywood movies? Brand new houses have showers that have locking facility. If they were like old Triplicane residences, everyone would have been a trained family song singers.

    Perhaps your bed being closer to the wall is to fulfill your wish to have love affair with Lizards. The statement that I didn't see any girl being molested by a gang of six in the newspaper pained me the most. It is not your fault but in general, how surprised we are to pinch ourselves to learn no girl was molested today in India? What a society we have become?. Other than that, a very thrilling snippet to read.

    Viswa
     
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  8. joylokhi

    joylokhi Platinum IL'ite

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    cheeniya sir,
    that was a really hilarious take on a serious matter these days: having no internet! All along i read through impatiently praying that nothing truly bad should have happened and am relieved!
     
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  9. Amulet

    Amulet IL Hall of Fame

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    When there is no internet in the morning... .the (possibilities of the) whole day is killed.
    Indeed a fatal blow.

    In one wedding ceremony, I heard an old nalungu-song from a grand-aunty. Her accent, and my dodgy Tamil comprehension were complicating things; but, the song was about the various advisories for the bride. One line in the lyrics went "Don't depend on the electric light and lay down the plantain leaf for dinner".
    Singer: elekkutikku veLakka nambi elaiya-pOdAdhey..
    Chorus: Ponney..elaiya-pOdAdhey


    The OP's lament carries an implicit good news: Nobody would make a big deal out of an internet outage if it happens everyday, and twice on sundays. Only because the internet connection has become so dependable in his home-city, we now complain about an outage. Ain't that so?
     
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  10. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Cheeniya sir,
    Definition of positivity in life seems to have changed..... Getting out of bed, brushing, having coffee etc etc... are not all these routine things? Agreed you are a senior... but still!!!! You are the most optimistic person in my view. Took your sickness and doctors' visits in a witty way! Reading newspaper with no negative news is the height of positivity. I fully agree.
    Internet is a big blow. I completely agree with you. All the seniors say olden days are golden days. But now a few hours of not having internet you cannot tolerate, especially when your brain is full of ideas and want to pour them through keyboard! Loss is ours....though you created a beautiful blog even out of no internet.
    Today we got a message on mobile... No power from 9 to 4....some maintenence work. That means no internet!!!!! How to spend the day!!!! With generator fans are on... But no internet!!!! That is why typing this before 9.
    Hope your toes are ok.
    Syamala
     
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