Friday, November 2, 2012

The cockroach;the book lover


   
(Thanks go to the art teacher in my school for the drawing of the cockroach)



It was a long awaited journey; my going to the annual book fair.I have been going there for around ten years. I used to go there with my son and we made it a point not to miss it at any cost. It was more than buying books.  I was able to enjoy freely with my son for a full day without listening to husband's complaints of leaving home unattended for a whole day.He  shied away from these kind of trips as he has no interest on books. (he reads but never buys!) Both my son and I enjoyed the food at the book fair, we bought books; he-computer books and I ; hunting Arthur.C.Clarke's and Issac Asimov's  books which are not  easily found on the other days.

                              We chatted while enjoying an ice-cream and observed others who had come to the exhibition from all over Sri-Lanka.It was like a  huge party thrown by an invisible person making us bound together  by the humanity and the recreational activities.

                         But as time went by my son got busy with his exams and  he could not accommodate my requests to accompany me with my roamings to the big capital.

                    Yet, I continued my roamings to the book fair as usual and  enjoyed them to the fullest.I walked among the crowd with my gunny bag and other bags slung over my shoulders and touched books, read pages,memorized designs, recipes and sometimes even drawings when the book was too expensive for me.

                         I felt naughty when I noticed that a salesman came to stand near me pretending to select books and keeping a close look on what I was doing.Then I would purposely linger there more to make the poor man uncomfortable and letting him puzzle over  my unusual behaviour, with that particular book in my hand.

             So, I went to the exhibition this year too. Yes.Alone.I went to EXPOGRAPHIC first.It is my favourite book shop.Many science fictions were there and I read the reviews on the back page and selected a few books. Books went into the gunny bag which hung on my shoulder.
            Then I remembered an Ad on T.V. and went to an IT stall, looking for a software which is used  to read books on I pad.  The place was not crowded and there were two cute girls in the reception.
          "Yes, Madam, What can we do for you" ?

                                I explained them what I needed.Then while I was talking, my back tingled with a slight sensation.I ignored it and paid attention to the girl who was very keen on explaining their new product.

                  The second time I sensed that the thing I felt on my back was something alive! It moved very,very,very  slowly on my neck and my hair stood at end.I wanted to scream and wriggle my body to drop the thing but my conscience warned me to behave cautiously in the presence of an audience.I gritted my teeth and tested my patience to the last drop scarcely paying attention to the girl who gibbered near me.Unfortunately the thing moved a  little bit up along my neck and all my sanity was lost to reason. 

                                    I frantically dropped my gunny bag to the floor, shook my body with full force to drop the evil thing while  letting out a long drawn scream making people freeze.As soon as my scream was over I heard another similar scream and then I saw it was  coming from  one of the two  girls.  

                                             The girl was wiping something, plunging her hand in the deep  cleavage in her blouse and I could see her face distorted with fright.She continued to scream with a shrilly voice  calling every one's attention to the scene.It was like a behaviour of a madwoman.She was trying to take something out in her blouse but it seemed that her efforts were futile for all the screaming and running .Unaware of the audience her wail collected, she held the two  edges of the front of her blouse in  two hands and shook it frantically to drop something while giving a wild dance to the rhythm of her fluctuated cry, remembering me  an African Tribal dance I have seen in Discovery Channel many years ago.I thought that all the limbs in her body would come loose to that vigorous shake but luckily it didn't happen. 

                                Unexpectedly the girl stopped her wild dance in the middle of the climax and ran  to an inner room in the stall crying,  but  a  small brown lump lay helplessly on the floor. It slowly stretched  its tiny limbs and tried to walk shakily as it too was overwhelmed by the incidents it had to face few minutes ago.

                    It was a tiny cockroach!

The others in the room were more concerned of the girl as the gathering mainly consisted of her co-workers and people who ran other stalls in the book-fair.The crowd dispersed with different emotions on their faces; some exciting as she had given them a free entertainment which is rare in any book fair and some others genuinely sorry for their friend for the discomfort and embarrassment she underwent in public.


                               But I was more concerned with the object on the floor because my mind argued it was my doing at last. My heart was scolding me for  being the cause of this commotion and letting an innocent girl, how silly her behaviour was, to be ridiculed by others.

                              I just stood there while observing others' behaviour and once made sure that they have resumed work, slowly took  a few steps close to that object and gave a little push from the tip of my shoe. It lost its orientation and took few circles on the floor but crept under the carpet as promising me not to disturb others in the future.

                                     Then and there I stopped my inquiry on the software and I even lost the desire to buy more books or to stay further in the exhibition and left the place with misgiving thoughts.

                         I think that the cockroach was in my gunny bag  as  it was sitting in my cupboard  for some time without being used. When I carried it, slung on my shoulders it must have crept up to my back and you know the rest. 
                                            It was unintended but I should have been more careful of  my paraphernalia.Whenever I remember that incident I regret for my  crime  in the book fair.

                   What will be your verdict, fellas?

22 comments:

  1. My 'verdict' is this is hilarious! D'you know there's a similar incident about a cockroach in my draft. A translation.

    I think I also have that sadistic nature of making the spying sales people suffer a bit.
    My son who read wants to know if you really carried a gunny bag, I mean a ගෝනිය. :D

    Or is it a bag made of sacking?

    henryblogwalker (මට භිතෙන හැටි) the Dude (HeyDude) and මගේ ඩෙනිම My Blue Jeans

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  2. Oh, Dude! What can I do without your help!As always you are the first to comment. I think our thoughts overlap as we used to think in the same trail. Waiting to read your translation and I think my phrase'gunny bag ' needs an explanation.I am Eco-friendly and try to follow my principles whenever possible. I sew bags from sack materials available in fancy shops and I decorate them with flowers and designs.I call them my 'goni bag'.Sorry if I misled you.I am sorry that I have to dissappoint your son. !ha ha!

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  3. As you started this post from "It was a long awaited journey...", I just felt so sad because I missed the book fair this time. :(


    "Whenever I remember that incident I regret for my crime in the book fair."

    Just forget it. :)

    Keep up writing..I love this blog!

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  4. Thank u WAKA. Like a young school girl, I am eagerly waiting for your comments as u all are my regular visitors.I am highly curious of your name WAKA. What does it mean? I like to know more about you.
    I think it is bad but you know how women are!

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  5. Thank u for the quick reply. Is it alright to have your e-mail in this comment or shall I delete it?

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  6. Nice Blog Akki! Good Work!

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  7. Thank you very much. I tried to listen to your radio programme but couldn't. Are you doing it again?

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  8. hi there....I haven't laughed out loud alone in a long time and as I read this post on my laptap I must have looked ridiculous had anyone been looking at me...whew, what can I say I just love reading your thoughts! I am hooked to your happy thoughts specially so that your husband reminds me so much of mine...He whines non stop when I take him to places he hates hahaha, but I love him dearly too. I love that cockroach book lover sketch courtesy of your art teacher. You totally took my breath away reading on this book fair adventure. Had you been with your son or husband things would have been different as they could have helped you with the creature crawling on your back hahaha, Poor girl she had to go through that embarrassing scene but that is just the way life is...and such things are best remembered with a smile on the face and the determination to move on...but I still can't stop smiling here remembering your words "I thought that all the limbs in her body would come loose to that vigorous shake," oh my how funny can life get sometimes....Learning from you I will make sure to check on my things before heading anywhere "winks" take care on your side of the world :-)

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    Replies
    1. Thank u Kulasa for visiting my blog and the lengthy comment. It means spending precious time which you could use for your blog.I am happy that you could enjoy my article.It was hilarious though that girl was made uncomfortable.Hoping to see you again.

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  9. Came here for the first time through Dude's blog.
    Nice work!
    BTW I can't understand why people(Specially females) hate cockroaches. I feel very sorry when people crush these innocent creatures. The next time you found a cockroach on you, please be calm as possible and just wipe it away. That is all! :D

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    1. Thank you for visiting my blog.I have to give special thanks to Dude as many are visiting my blog through his.It is easy for you to say to keep calm but highly impractical when you can't see what the creature is, however tiny it may be!(that is why we are called females!!)

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  10. hmmm it seems like the cockroach is lucky than me as it got a free trip to the book fair while I am still waiting to visit it:(

    A similar thing happened to when I wore a pair of deck shoes without knowing that a small cockroach was hiding inside it. I only felt that tingling sensation when I was already walking on the roads. It was a rainy day and I was holding an umbrella in one hand and a bag from the other. untying the shoelaces under such circumstances was indeed a daunting task..needless to say how embarrassed I was.luckily for me my mother was there and she held the umbrella for me but still I had problems with untying the shoelaces as my hands were trembling.
    From that day onwards I make sure to carefully check my shoes for any insects before I wear them :)

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    1. Why couldn't you visit it?You had an exam or something?
      Yes. Cockroaches are scary creatures.Even more, when they happen to be in unexpected places in unexpected moments.You are lucky to have your mother with u at that time!

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  11. See, your fan base is is increasing! Congrats!

    I came to tell you that my cockroach story I told you about is published on මගේ ඩෙනිම My Blue Jeans

    And, why do you reply comments opening a new thread without clicking on the reply button under each comment?


    henryblogwalker (මට භිතෙන හැටි) the Dude (HeyDude) and මගේ ඩෙනිම My Blue Jeans

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    1. You are the one who helps me to increase my fan base as many are coming through your blog.Thank you very much. I am coming to read your article after replying the comments here.
      Sometimes I happen to comment in the open comment box without noticing 'reply' button under the comment.I don't know the difference so I just comment selecting either 'reply' or open comment box. I am curious to know the difference.

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  12. i like the way you are writing it's not that difficult to understand also. those kind of thing I've seen when i was in Sri Lanka hmmmm it seems like you got more readers, hits and comments than before. all the very best. keep it up don't let them forgot the way to this blog. i was so busy that's why i came so late and didn't visited last days. apology for that :)

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  13. Thank u for not forgetting to visit me. I know that we have to make a choice on which blogs we are going to visit as we have to struggle with time. That is why I appreciate the generosity of u all.If u are not in Sri Lanka I would be happy if u can send the link of my blog to your friends.(if it is possible only)

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  14. oh my god.. cockroach is the worst enemy I have in my life.. I'm so afraid of them.. if I were there I would scream like I've got hit by a train.. :D
    ~Red Riding Hood~

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  15. Dear Teacher,

    Today i met u at the Lifecare.
    Wow this blog is so niceeee..
    My best wishes with u my dear teacher!!

    It was so nice to see u again after a long time...I was to greet u but u went in hurry....Anyway, May u live with ease and peace!!
    May smile be with u in each moment!!!!

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  16. Thank you very much for visiting my blog.As I told you I completely forgot your e-mail on the way home.

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