Back in Delhi

My doodhwala--lone-ranger-waging-a-losing-battle-against-milk-stealing-red-cat--is driving me crazy. Till last week, he would pop in every alternate day to persuade me to pick up the milk in time. He suggested I lower a basket in which he would place the packet and I should then pull it up. I said brilliant idea, but the reiterated the problem that I am so gone in lala land in the mornings that I do not hear doorbells. Therefore, he should deduce that if I do not hear the bell I cannot possibly lower any basket.

His efforts since then have become even more fervid. This week, he upped the attack by giving my landlady a blow-by-blow account of how the red cat managed to swipe the milk despite his best efforts and messed up her letter box. Now he has taken to maniacally ringing the bell in the morning. He then dashes outside the gate, stands under my balcony and shouts, "Doodh rakh liya hai, uthalo! Mein yahan khada hoon taki billi andar na ja sake. Uthalo, uthalo, UTHALO, UTHAAAAAAAAALO" without pausing for breath. Of course, this method is working like a charm. Believe me, those cries cannot be ignored. I dash out of the bed, run straight to the balcony and yell "aa rahi hoon, aa rahi hoon, ek minute." (I am sure one of these days I am going to run straight over the balcony banisters and join him on the road.) Then, I execute an about turn and dash down the stairs and pick up the milk. The doodhwala gives me a satisfied smile and toddles away. I think I am going to switch to black tea.

posted by Jivitha @ 11:24 PM

1 Comments:

At November 30, 2006 10:50:00 PM PST, Garfieldjunky said…

The 'UTHALO' refrain of your doodhwala reminds me about this really irritating cell phone message tone....it goes....'Message aaya, message aaya, message aaya,.....' in a very shrilly voice, which u want to catch holdof and strangle :D