Chatty Divas on Life, India & America
Indian Strategies: The language of a Missed Call
The fog keeps me romantic these days. I wake up with a smile, I curl into the warmth of my comforter and think happy thoughts; I don’t waste a precious second thinking of all the people whose flights will be canceled today. When I finally wake up from my reverie – I fix a scalding hot bath and savor my Darjeeling.
And then it happens – I get a missed call.
I know who it is, it would have been a dream come true in the US but here it has become ritual – that call… I have pondered over it several times. It’s surreal – the annoying convenience that we get used to in India. I remind myself to be grateful and not get irritated by that call. I tell myself it’s the call of duty on a silver platter. I am almost guilty to be receiving it.
Delhi Home Delivery
My vegetable vendor carries his wares in a wooden cart and reaches my apartment gate precisely at 9.30 a.m. He announces his arrival to the residents with a missed call – a strategy to overcome his restricted entry into the compound. What’s more we can call him back and order the needs of the day, bargain for rates and ask him to deliver it on the 13th floor. Once he gets approval to enter from a resident he proudly brings in the freshest of vegetables and fruits right to your door step.
Vegetable seller and the missed call strategy - Photo: Kriti Mukherjee
India and America, Two stories…
Flashback – I lived in the 3rd floor of an Avalon property in Danbury, CT, where we would do our weekly grocery and vegetable shopping. The trip would be spread across 2 days of the weekend. The first day we would combine a breakfast trip with shopping at Costco and the local Indian store. The next day it would be Stew Leonard’s and Shop Rite. I don’t think I will ever forget the dread that would settle over me when we approached home. I would get stubborn bag marks on my hand after I hauled 8-9 of them in each hand to stock up for the week! I wonder how I dare get annoyed with that missed call from my man now!
I asked him what he was doing for New Year’s this year. He smiled and said that you will get a call from me whether 2011 becomes 2012 or reverts to 2010, or whether Anna Hazare gets control over the CBI or not, the food bill gets killed, the dam issue in the South gets resolved or CPM starts loving Mamta Banerji.
I smile back and say “In that case, Sir, I will wake up early and call you back promptly!”
Long Live India!
Kriti Mukherjee
Check out Kriti’s new site!
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28 Comments
That’s the luxury of being in “mera bharat Mahaan” that you can’t get anywhere else, I bet. Nice comparison.
Interesting article on missed calls. India is proud to be the CAPITAL of missed calls. I somehow believe that this missed calls was started by the young girls to get their guys to call them, thereby saving their cash and making us all broke. Wow! Sometimes I wish I could get more missed calls! Haha.
Missed calls from the veggie vendor…always welcome, I guess. Was expecting more humour from you.
Kriti, I’m in India right now and this whole ‘missed call’ strategy seems quite common here – just about everyone seems to use it! I’m slowly getting used to it and my frugal nature likes it. As for home deliveries – this is a super luxury I could get absolutely used to.
Ha ha ha….When in Rome, do as the Romans do, huh? Or while in India get used to receiving missed calls from your vegetable vendor! Loved it! 🙂
@Pratee – seems like this piece really brought some smiles in the world of Lassi with Lavina… Love that : ) (smiling!)
Seriously envy this luxury,Kriti! Hate hauling bags full of grocery!! As always a lovely post – the picture brought a smile to my face.
@Lona- Jai Hind!
@Seema – I wouldn’t trade my place for a long long time now : ) Thanks for the visit…
Loved this Kriti. Nothing like the luxuries that India provides us.
Great piece sathi.. loved it. Luxury of living in India. JAIHIND!
Hey Kriti… thoroughly enjoyed reading it and like others have mentioned had a smile……would love to trade places with you.
@Sulekha – hmmm hadn’t thought about that! You know that just might be true.
@Andy – glad I could bring a smile on! My veggie man definitely does that for me … Thank you for coming by!
@Tapas – thank you very much!
@Corinne – oh how i love the dhobi wala – he is fantastic!!!
@Jan – come on down : )
@Janaki – looks like it… Not a completely bad norm at that! Thanks for visiting!
@Manisha – glad you liked it … Thanks!
@Alpana – glad to get that smile on. Thank you for visiting : )
Mitr, The vegetable vendor must be envy of many because he has the cell phone numbers of the ladies 🙂 Enjoyed reading your wonderful article, smiling while writing my comment.
Hello Kriti. Happy New Year!
What a lovely post. Had me smiling right to the end.
Special delivery with a smile…can’t ask for more than that!
Great shot.
Thanks for sharing.
This is a good one, Kriti; very observant of you.
Thoroughly enjoyed this, Kriti. I’ve never lived abroad for an extended period but I can’t imagine life without some of the conveniences I’m used to – the ‘dhobi’ is another example – I wash, but ironing sheets?? 🙂
I want a veggie man…..no more grocery store? My idea of heaven.
Nice post…this is becoming a norm now. Incredible India!
That’s a nice story you shared, Kriti
Mani
That is the luxury of living in India….as usual you made me smile Kriti…you are a very witty writer,always something new.