Aisle By Aisle

Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something.
- Pancho Villa (1877-1923), last words

There was probably a short circuit in the service wire causing a power failure in my house yesterday evening. It took almost an hour before the electricity department sent some men for repair. Things like these have happened before and all the repair used to be the department's responsibility and when these electricians told us that we will have to pay for the charred wire, it got me and my mother annoyed. I abruptly asked them to leave and also said that I would be complaining that to the Assistant Engineer who would take care of it. I could see the change of expressions on their face when they heard their head's name. There were also telling that they would repair it only the next day.

We called up the engineer and requested him. He responded well saying that the repair will be done immediately and that it is we who will have to pay for the cables. An official word always sounds assuring. The electricians returned at 10 pm and they were angry because they were probably rebuked by their officer. I purchased the required wire from a nearby shop and gave it to them. The were constantly showing disregards for the officers in their department as they were asked to work at such odd times. I kept listening to them. Then one of them said that this was their night shift going on which started just sometime back. That made my heart laugh out. It was not at all an odd hour of the day for them. They were in their correct shift and it was their job. There are other people for other times and this time of the day was their responsibility.

The power returned at 10:30 pm when we finally left to attend a wedding function. It was my father's friend's daughter's marriage. They also happen to be our family friends and even my other relatives were there. I had a satisfying time after having to deal with those people and spend some hours in darkness. We were also worried about the empty overhead water-tank that had to be filled when power came and also the meat filling up the freezer. No power for long duration could spoil it.

I have two parties to attend today, one tomorrow and another one the day after. Every time I go to a marriage function or a reception, the thing that irritates me the most is the way the bridegroom is forced to behave. Wearing garlands, standing at the stage, posing for the photographs, meeting people he has never known before and is never going to meet again, trying to be perfect because it is his wedding, and doing everything to make everybody call him smart and good looking. It doesn't end with him. The visitors visit only for the reason of having dinner and commenting on how the bridegroom looks. I wonder if these things are ever going to change. And I can never understand a man's affinity towards flowers - especially in wearing garlands. Flowers are for women - to describe them!

I have always seen good men getting married - they behave well with the people they meet when they are getting married, they look well mannered, shy, pleasing and sensible. They look like the best of all the men who could ever get married - apparently proving to the bride's family that they couldn't have made a better choice. And when they look and behave so good, I wonder where the not-so-good men go. Those men who were not good at studies, who were not good children to their parents, who used to tease girls and keep girlfriends, who had bad company and bad morals - don't these men get married? Or are they the same people who look and behave good when getting married?