“You look happy. What are you smiling about?”
“I have every reason to be happy. Remember the builder my father filed a case against nearly 10 years ago? Well, he has been found guilty and has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment.”
“Ten years? Really? Given his political connections, I thought he’d merely get a slap on the wrist.”
“What does that mean?”
“When you do something wrong, and you get a slap on the wrist, it means that the punishment that you were given was rather mild or light.”
“I thought Anil would be suspended for breaking the furniture in the cafeteria. But the Registrar gave him a slap on the wrist.”
“When an actor in our country does something wrong, he’s merely given a slap on the wrist. Anyway, I’m glad the builder has been punished.”
“So am I. But we had to fight for 10 long years.”
“You know what they say. The mills of God grind slowly, but they ...”
“What are you talking about?
“The expression means that if you do something wrong, you will be punished. God may take His own time, but you will ultimately get the punishment you deserve.”
“In other words, you cannot escape fate. Your day of reckoning will come.”
“I guess you could say that. The full expression is ...”
“So, if someone cribs about the great time our corrupt politicians seem to be having, can I say, the mills of God grind slowly?”
“Yet they grind exceedingly small. Yes, you can! Now then, ...”
“Wait! When I say, Rahul is cribbing all the time, you understand what I mean, right?”
“Of course, I do. You mean he’s complaining all the time. But ...”
“I was talking to my cousin in the States yesterday, and he ...”
“He probably didn’t understand what you meant by cribbing.”
“Exactly!”
“It’s because India is one of the few places where the word ‘crib’ is used to mean to complain or grumble about something or someone. Native speakers do not use the word in this sense.”
“Then why did we give the word this particular meaning?”
“We didn’t do it. The British did. A long time ago, they used the word ‘crib’ to mean to complain. But they don’t anymore. It is considered dated or old fashioned. While they have forgotten about this particular meaning of the word, we haven’t! I guess it’s like the word stepney.”
“What do you mean?”
“The British no longer use the word stepney. Like the Americans, they refer to the fifth wheel as ‘spare’. But many of us in India continue to call it stepney.”
“But why was it called stepney in the first place?”
“Stepney is actually the name of a street in Wales. I understand the spare wheels were made there.”
“I see. Well, I’d better get going. My father has invited a couple of his friends for dinner.”
“Have a good time. I'm sure ...”
“Is it invite someone for dinner or to dinner?”
“Both are possible. Remember the old classic, ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’?”
“It’s one of my father’s favourite films!”
******
“We’re not old people. We’re recycled teenagers.” — Bumper sticker
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