Number games
Do name droppers annoy you? Journalists have to put up with them all the time, unfortunately. There are some fun moments though. A fellow journalist was charmed by an unexpectedly honest socialite recently. When she met the journalist, she squealed, “Oh, I am a big fan of yours.” Then, she showed the startled journalist her phone, scrolling rapidly through the address book. “Look. I saved your name years ago. I’ve just been waiting to meet you so I can put in your number.” Flatterer? Or stalker? You decide.
Ritchie’s magic
Recently, this reporter dropped her phone in water. After the usual routine of taking the SIM and battery out, she realised that she was 2 minutes away from Ritchie Street, where every second store boasted of a ‘cell repair expert’. So she ran to find a store. Twenty minutes later, her smart phone, which had run out of warranty and refused to switch on earlier was in mint condition. All for Rs. 300.
Behind closed doors
When this reporter was recently at an event, the hall was full and she had to stand in a corner until the programme was over. Halfway through, some of the audience began to slip away into another room. Wondering what was behind the door, the reporter peeped in, only to find them all standing in queue for samosa and kesari.
Hay there!
On a recent trip to the Sam dunes near Jaisalmer, this reporter was watching crowds of tourists admiring the sunset, riding camels and picnicking on the sands. Many foreign tourists were filming these typical Indian scenes — camels resting on their haunches chewing cud, Manganiyars singing and kalbeilya dancers performing. A foreigner with straw blond hair who was busy posing for the camera in front of a camel nearly got scalped. The camel probably thought his hair was hay!
