This year has ended with me going bananas.
Puzzled?
Well there I was loitering around in the Ernakulam temple for the one thing that I find interesting - which is the prasad that the priest distributes at the end of the aarti. Today the priest was distributing bananas, and fighting my way through the crowd I managed to get hold of one.
Without any further ado, I peeled off the banana skin and started eating the banana the only way I know to eat one - by putting it into my mouth.
And then suddenly I hear a voice saying "Hey" in my ear. It was the kind of "hey" that I used to dread hearing when I was trying to slink into the school 10 minutes late.
I turned around, and found it emanated from an officious looking chap who was looking at my banana in distaste.
Perfectly good banana if you ask me - and that too given to me by the temple priest. Of course there are some who don't like bananas, but I am not one of them - so I continued to munch into my banana.
"Hey" he said again - and I noticed that apart from looking irritated he was also vigorously scratching his b*m. (I don't want to spell it out - but the word rhymes with Rum)
"Yes?" I said in a guarded manner. I do like my banana even if there are some strong anti-banana lobbies around with itchy tendencies.
"You are not supposed to eat a banana that way in the temple" he said.
"Sorry, I can eat a banana only if the skin is peeled off" I told him. Some people had told me that my face resembles a horse's - but this is the first time somebody had actually mistaken me for a four legged creature.
My attempt at humour completely fell flat with him. He looked at me sternly and said "According to the etiquette in this temple you are not supposed to take bites of the banana. You have to use your hand to break it into pieces and then put the piece into the mouth".
I looked at his hand which was still scratching his b*m and told him "I like to eat a banana without my hands touching it. It is more hygienic".
"You can eat it in whatever manner you want outside the temple - but in the temple you only eat it the way I told you" he said and then with a satisfied look marched away still scratching his b*m.
"Hey, what does the temple etiquette say about scratching one's b*m?" I said. The chap went marching away as if he did not hear me.
So here is to all banana lovers .......May you have a glorious 2017 in which you eat as many bananas in whichever manner you prefer .......
Puzzled?
Well there I was loitering around in the Ernakulam temple for the one thing that I find interesting - which is the prasad that the priest distributes at the end of the aarti. Today the priest was distributing bananas, and fighting my way through the crowd I managed to get hold of one.
Without any further ado, I peeled off the banana skin and started eating the banana the only way I know to eat one - by putting it into my mouth.
And then suddenly I hear a voice saying "Hey" in my ear. It was the kind of "hey" that I used to dread hearing when I was trying to slink into the school 10 minutes late.
I turned around, and found it emanated from an officious looking chap who was looking at my banana in distaste.
Perfectly good banana if you ask me - and that too given to me by the temple priest. Of course there are some who don't like bananas, but I am not one of them - so I continued to munch into my banana.
"Hey" he said again - and I noticed that apart from looking irritated he was also vigorously scratching his b*m. (I don't want to spell it out - but the word rhymes with Rum)
"Yes?" I said in a guarded manner. I do like my banana even if there are some strong anti-banana lobbies around with itchy tendencies.
"You are not supposed to eat a banana that way in the temple" he said.
"Sorry, I can eat a banana only if the skin is peeled off" I told him. Some people had told me that my face resembles a horse's - but this is the first time somebody had actually mistaken me for a four legged creature.
My attempt at humour completely fell flat with him. He looked at me sternly and said "According to the etiquette in this temple you are not supposed to take bites of the banana. You have to use your hand to break it into pieces and then put the piece into the mouth".
I looked at his hand which was still scratching his b*m and told him "I like to eat a banana without my hands touching it. It is more hygienic".
"You can eat it in whatever manner you want outside the temple - but in the temple you only eat it the way I told you" he said and then with a satisfied look marched away still scratching his b*m.
"Hey, what does the temple etiquette say about scratching one's b*m?" I said. The chap went marching away as if he did not hear me.
So here is to all banana lovers .......May you have a glorious 2017 in which you eat as many bananas in whichever manner you prefer .......
