kabhi kabhi odditi...

Odd things happen.


When I have decided to call someone, and their phones start to ring. I invariably want a biscuit from a tin that I need to open with both my hands. And I can put the phone down on the table while it is ringing.

I have never considered how I would explain not talking if somebody picked up while I was choosing my biscuit. I cannot remember somebody ever picking up a phone in this phase of time. I am sure somebody must have. But that is a suggestion between a face and a voice, and completely unidentifiable.
None of this is odd though.

What is odd is how when I put the phone next to my ear again, it is invariably the span between two consecutive rings. And I can swear that this span stretches out to infinity until you are sure that there is somebody at the other end. And you say “hello?”


Only then will you hear the next ring. The ring has a smirk to it then.


I could make a list of odd things. I would want to connect these and make them part of a short story. But that would be unfair for the story. Not having anything to tell for itself. Like being born of failed contraception.
Maybe that is what makes “this generation” so shallow.


And odd things like how the neighbours ringing tone that you somehow always hear when you are taking a shower is never considerable as a tone. And when you hear it again somewhere you would not be able to say, ‘‘hey, that’s my neighbours’ ringing tone!”
Even though you have rehearsed recognising this tone in your head a million times, in a million different situations.



Or how when you are having buttered-sugared-toasts.
There is s rubbing schmuggy noise just inside of your temples. Less like a noise and more like the texture you would feel if you could magnify two particles of sand and rub them together.
I have wanted to ask this question to whoever other person is around, having buttered-sugared-toast with me. I have not had the scope to do it in twenty odd years.


Maybe that is just as well. Talking with your mouth full is considered bad manners after all.