Mom was there to receive me; she had just come in 5 minutes ago. I guess she didn’t expect me to be out that fast. As soon as I got out of the airport on to the streets, the overwhelming noise engulfed me. I guess the guys against noise pollution know what they are talking about. Incessant honking in traffic, auto rickshaw drivers shouting at each other, cell phones ringing at top volume, loudspeakers blasting movie songs and hawkers selling their wares above the din. It will take me a while to adjust to the higher decibel level prevalent here. I never valued silence so much before. I attributed my lack of sleep over the next few days to jet-lag, but I guess it was more because of the noise. These days, I just shut my car windows and listen to the cassette player instead.
The first item of shopping was a 250 gram bar of detergent cake. I have to wash my own undies from now on! No Laundromats! Ah, the tragedy! Never thought of that before I moved back! Guess I’ll have to invest in a washing machine sooner than I thought…
One thing that you have to realize here, there is a person for everything that you need to do. And it’s all door-to-door service too!
At home: Need your clothes washed? Ask the dhobi, he’ll pick it up and drop it off 2 days later. Need your house cleaned? Your dishes washed? Ask the maid-servant – a vacuum-cum-mop-cum-dishwasher Super Lady, she’ll drop by thrice a week and do it, all for a nominal fee of course.
At work: Need stationery? Don’t look in the cabinet; ask Madam Surekha instead, she’s got it all. Need a photocopy? Ask Mr. Gopal, he’ll do it, not the copier.
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