I was on my customary evening walk fully armed against the pouring rain with my cap and an umbrella. Despite the cover, the rains whipped by to get me wet to a considerable extent. But I was happy that the usual traffic was moving at an acceptable speed and people were almost completely off the pavements and the road and quite a few of them were huddled at the bus shelters/shopping arcades waiting for the rains to pass. And consequentially, I enjoyed a tremendous freedom of movement!
I'd to purchase a few medicines, the normal ones that I stock up in my medicine box to tide over common ailments like a cold, cough or a head ache that do not require expert 'medical' advice! There's a medical store, enroute, that I frequent and it was into that shop that I'd breezed in. Among the people who provide services at the counter is Damodaranji, an elderly gentleman into his 70s, who always greets me with a smile and wishes, without fail. But today, he seemed to be dour and not particularly enthused at seeing me. Moreover, he didn't return my salutations, either.
Actually, there was an incident that had taken place about ten days ago when I'd purchased a bottle of 'Gelucil' suspension which was picked up from the rack, billed and handed over to me by an enthusiastic Damodaranji. On reaching home and after unpacking the packet did I realise, to my utter horror, that the medicine had already overshot its shelf life by almost a year. I'd the sample returned the very next day through my Man Friday and its cost retrieved, since the store had no stock of the medicine at that time. The oversight must have then been attributed to Damodaranji's advancing age and failing vision, his 'soda bottle' glasses notwithstanding! The attribution of error to him must have hit him hard and punctured his ego.
I must actually take the blame because I should have cross checked, then and there, but what do I say when I'm blind as a bat without my glasses? And I don't wear them when I'm on my walks!
Now, the question is, as to how do I mollify a sullen Damodaranji?
Tailpiece.
I'd visited the store the very next day, after the medicine was returned, to accept the blame but the proprietor and his team were magnanimous in reiterating their oversight. But sadly, Damodaranji was absent that day!
I'd to purchase a few medicines, the normal ones that I stock up in my medicine box to tide over common ailments like a cold, cough or a head ache that do not require expert 'medical' advice! There's a medical store, enroute, that I frequent and it was into that shop that I'd breezed in. Among the people who provide services at the counter is Damodaranji, an elderly gentleman into his 70s, who always greets me with a smile and wishes, without fail. But today, he seemed to be dour and not particularly enthused at seeing me. Moreover, he didn't return my salutations, either.
Actually, there was an incident that had taken place about ten days ago when I'd purchased a bottle of 'Gelucil' suspension which was picked up from the rack, billed and handed over to me by an enthusiastic Damodaranji. On reaching home and after unpacking the packet did I realise, to my utter horror, that the medicine had already overshot its shelf life by almost a year. I'd the sample returned the very next day through my Man Friday and its cost retrieved, since the store had no stock of the medicine at that time. The oversight must have then been attributed to Damodaranji's advancing age and failing vision, his 'soda bottle' glasses notwithstanding! The attribution of error to him must have hit him hard and punctured his ego.
I must actually take the blame because I should have cross checked, then and there, but what do I say when I'm blind as a bat without my glasses? And I don't wear them when I'm on my walks!
Now, the question is, as to how do I mollify a sullen Damodaranji?
Tailpiece.
I'd visited the store the very next day, after the medicine was returned, to accept the blame but the proprietor and his team were magnanimous in reiterating their oversight. But sadly, Damodaranji was absent that day!
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