Guests and Pests

Kamalji · Sep 19, 2007

Guests and Pests

I have had a lot of guests in the last 27 years in Jaipur,and I have had all sorts.Some are a pleasure to be with,and some a pain.I am sure you all too have been blessed by guests,and some pests,and would like to know your expierences.

Initially when we had come to jaipur, the guests wanted us to take them to Raj Mandir, the best theatre in those days of Jaipur, india and Asia,as i had heard.And each movie used to run there for 6 months to a year, like Karz, Ram Teri Ganga Maili.So the first time we used to see of our choice,and then the second third and fourth time bcs of guests.There came a time when i started to dread Raj Mandir.And they wanted to see Amer Fort, Chokhi Dani,which is another pain for me,as it is 25 kms away, veg food,the rajasthani type,and i am a pure Non Veg, Guy, who wants his drinks also.

Some guests are so good, they take the bus,to sightsee,and take a cab the next day, to go out on their own shopping in the city bylanes for Lac Bangles,Marble Statues of God,and to johari Bazar to buy the Bandej Sarees and Suits.They never trouble us,and they are a treat to have.They will eat outside,and invite us for dinner at the best hotel.We wish they stay longer.

Some are like, you take us everywhere.We tell them you go here and there,we will get u the auto,but no, they want me.And i have to go,missing my work at times,tos ee the same old silly places over and over again.Come on, how many dozens of times can i see the forts and the city palace and the Raj Mandir.For them it is the first time,but for me, they never think.

Some guests will brag to me we stayed in this 5 star Hotel in Delhi, we paid 10000 a night(as if they did me a favour),and bring me their dirty Laundry from the past one week, to be washed and pressed at our place.They think i own a Laundry business.And the smell of those clothes when they take out, it stinks,especially theundergarments.Yech .They saved their clothes bcs the laundry is expensive in 5 stars.Think u spent 500 more per day and get it laundered there.

Another one, coming from abroad, will grandly bringme a Scotch bottle,and rub it in, that this cost X amount,and the week that he or she stays, will say the same thing.They dont realise,if they didnt stay with me,but in a hotel, they would land up paying for 10 scotch bottles rent for the rooms.Another cousin of mine, hes turned Veggie these days, and he has stopped bringing the scotch he used to bring previosly,saying his Guru does not allow him to touch a bootle of Scotch.But his Guru allows him to be a free loader at someone's house ! It's not that i die for scotch,but when u go to stay at someone's place for a week,bag and baggage and a few kids,well u have to take something for the host.And since i have all the vices like drinking and smoking its so damn easy to please a host like me.

Now I have my Trump Card called Tuffy my Labrador.The guys bark is enough to shake everything.So to those guests whom i dont want to come in, I tell them Tuffy has become very unmanagable these days.He bit the last guest,and the poor guy had to take 14 injections,very painful, but u dont worry,we will tie him up while u are here.They sure dont come,inspite of my sincere pleadings.Tuffy is a life saver, I tell you guys.He is worth every penny of his milk and Rotis.

My Uncle and Aunt from Germany, they are one of the best guests .So very thoughtful of them to get something for everyone.Scotch and ciggies for me,Kitkats(wife loves the imported ones), Ham and sausages for me,tops for my daughters,and they make no fuss at all where food is concerned.Give them anything homemade,and Tuffy too loves them,just sits at their feet,licking aunty's toes,like a docile puppy.

So now I can pick and choose my Guests,courtesy Tuffy.He is a life saver.Cheers to that.

Kamal Mahtani

rajmiarun · Sep 19, 2007

Yes Guests are too good at times and sometimes they are pests too. But your way of tackling your pesty guests using tuffy is too naughty.

Had a hearty laugh. Ha Ha Ha

aishu22 · Sep 19, 2007

Hi Kamalji,
Your way of tackling guests...haaa haaaahaaa..Hats off to tuffy for making ur job easy

On a serious note,Guests should definitely follow some kind of decorum.They need to be, if not helpful to the host atleast not a pests.

Good post! Enjoyed reading it!

Jananikrithsan · Sep 19, 2007

Hi Kamalji,
That was a very good post. As you have said guests are welcome, but they shoul be sensible enough not to disturb your routine and keep in mind that they should not overstay their welcome. Have had those experiences where the guests emptied the petrol tank and expected it to be filled , fine, but on time before they leave? Is being hospitable a crime, wherein you bear the brunt of their silly, bereft of courtesy attitude? Likewise, there are a bunch of realtives who will borrow the car and use it for days together and expect us to pay the parking charges. Another isnstance is when someone needed an extra car to be taken to the airport and asked the driver if he had paid for parking.
You are sometimes left feeling trampled.

Shanvy · Sep 19, 2007

hi kamalji,,

I just had a laugh... But what to do i dont have a tuffy.....

for us we are taught aditi is equal to god...so have to face even the pests as i would the guests....

i say you are really lucky..............

Nivedi · Sep 19, 2007

Hi Kamalji,

Good one on guests. Next time I have bad guests, I will borrow someone's dog to drive them away. Had I lived in Jaipur, I would have asked you to lend me Tuffy.

While in India, we used to have a lot of guests. One very close relative would come every month and would eat like she came from a famine-striken zone, although she did not look like one. She would invite us to her town and we had the dis-honour of visiting her home just a couple of times, she would even measure the quantity of water that she gave us. The lady lives in a huge bungalow with an underground room to hide her wealth.

There is another one who comes to our house and raids all our cupboards. She does'nt ask us permission to open our cupboards. She chooses what she wants and shows them to us telling us that she wants them. This happened several times till we had to dole out money to buy locks.

Yet another kanjoos who would stay in our house, but would eat at all expensive restaurants and would give us a description of what food he ate in which place.

I am reminded of a proverb - Visits always give pleasure - if not the arrival, the departure.

Abha · Sep 19, 2007

Hey Kamal Ji

Guests or Pests... a very good topic... specially in weddings i have seen guests try to become VIPs... i mean when you know you have come for a girl's wedding and are made to stay in a hotel... they order all kinds of stuff for themselves (which they would never do if they had paid for the hotel) and are totally ruthless... soo irritating.... and everybody needs a car to move around the town... okey now we have paid for the wedding and the hotel we havent got you here for sight seeing... if you want sight seeing call a cab and go ahead... ad sometimes they are so busy shopping around and doign sight seeing that they dont mind missing a ceremony too...:idontgetit:

~Abha

Meeta · Sep 19, 2007

Hi Kamalji..........
Once again such a truthful experience from your side. You thoughts are so close to our feelings and also sounds so realistic...........very true abt pesty guests........
I had experienced a lot of them and the credit goes to the places where I lived.
When I was a kid, we used to live in Puri and then Bhubaneswar, these places are very famous in Orissa and whoever (sometimes so distant ones whom my parents have never known personally) come to visit Jagannathji, will make our place Dharmashala (as my Papa used to stay when angry). Everything is free, food, lodging and boarding and sometimes my mom has to cook whole of the day to feed them (specially during RATH YATRA).
Then when I was 7-8 years of age, my Dad got posted to Itanagar. Those are the days when the telephone facility was not available to all and to our dismay, in our colony, we have got the telephone and think...........day and night, my mom/us have to rush to Quater no so and so to call the WANTED person............I don't remember if somebody has ever showed any gratitude towards this.
Then again My Dad got posted in BBSR where the medical facility is very good and this time my house has turned into a nursing home for many.............
And now, I am staying near Washington DC (30 minutes drive way), so all my hubby's frd, my frd and their frds, will make a point to stay with us when they visit DC.
But some of these USA guests are really good as they never feel shy to work/help in the kitchen/cook/wash the utensils (and even doing groceries with us as weekends are for grocery, so can't help).
But there are some who got chance to come from India rather I would say from the same place where my parents live but those persons will never inform us that they are coming and after they landed up here, they will call us, will come to our place....visit those places where we had been many-a-times (we should accompany them even in chilly winter/humid summer).
And my parents over there will ask me why didn't they informed us so that we could have sent something for you people from India............
I am really pissed up with these kind of guests.................
Poor me that I can't even keep another Tuffy (No pets allowed in our locality).
Oh....I forgot to mention one most important thing. The kids of my guest will make my house look as hurricane affected area and parents will never say a word to their kids and I have to tolerate all these throuhout their stay...............
Anyways, apart from all these, guests make us feel happy with their fun filled chat and outing..............
Its a fun and good entertainment also when the right person comes as a guest.........
Regards,
Meeta

krish22 · Sep 20, 2007

LOL.........

Tuffy ,a nice pesticide ..........
Nice way of dealing pests...

Kamalji · Sep 20, 2007

Rajmi,

Well tuffy is really great that way.We all have guests, some good and some bad.HAHA.Regards.kamal

Krish,

Pesticide ? Thats a great way of describing Tuffy. Regards.kamal

Meetaji,

You have described yr guests so well.Just make sure they dont read what u have written

Yes some kids r terrible,as u rightly said.So yr family has nursed guests too.A nice account,thanks so much for yr kind comments.Regards.kamal

Abhaji,

That same thing happened with me too.Guests can take u for a ride literally.They think they are doing u a favour by staying the hotel, and the need the car also, and expensive food, which they order.We have all sorts really.

Thanks and regards.kamal