Usha

Finding these slippers at several locations in my house, in the past few months several perceptive observers have told me that two slippers are missing. Now what do you see? one right and one left? Does that make a pair - so why are all these people telling me that two slippers are missing and looking for another left and a right which never existed in the first place?
Ok this is the story. one of the blue straps broke and the shop didn't have another pair of blue straps so I got the beige. The seller said he would not fix the strap and I had to find a cobbler to do the same. Just a few months ago, in an effort to rid the footpaths of encroachment,the police had evacuated a number of unorganised business people in my neighbourhood which included the cobbler. So I decided to exercise my skills in removing the old one and fixing the new - only to realise that my scissors and screwdrivers were all wrong. (Ok, ok, we all know who blames his/her tools) Finally after about half an hour of hard work, I managed to fix the new strap on the one that had a broken strap. Since the other strap was as good as new, I just let it be deciding to use the spare one when the need arose. Did you know that there is no difference between left and right foot in the straps - you could use them for either! so it is all good, it is a win win. Except...
except that every now and then someone reports to me that 2 of the slippers are missing. Once , with a small child demanding "where is the other one?" and me showing the blue one and saying "this is the other one", the whole scene resembled a bizarre comedy scene in a Tamil film with a banana, and actors senthil and gaundarmani!
And I make people smile when they see this pair on my feet. They either think I am a little crazy ( which is true) or I am cheap ( which is not true) But until today, no one has looked at my feet when I am wearing them and said that either my left or my right foot is missing - at least not yet!

Such is our slavery to norms and conventions and traditions that even slight deviations are difficult to accept. For example, when I posted my 400th post 7 posts ago and told my son that it was a landmark post he vetoed it saying 400 is not a landmark, 500 is! Can you believe this ? How do you think 400 feels about it, being nice and round and divisible by 100 and yet not considered a landmark? Such discrimination and just because it can't protest being a number and all! So I decided to espouse the cause of these other suppressed numbers and I hereby declare this post, the 407th, a landmark post.

( I can hear the resounding applause. Thank you, thank you, thank you!). The next landmark will be 408!
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18 Responses
  1. Raj Says:

    What! Your cricketer son said that 400 wasn't a landmark? Remind him that 400 is the highest individual test score by Lara. You have surpassed that. Congrats.

    now, let me think of something smart to say about 407, 408, etc


  2. My, my...being defiant are we ??....good way to end the old year, I guess! Congrats on reaching 407 and hoping you will reach 513 soon!


  3. Tell your son - its a landmark - because his MOM says its a landmark. tee hee.. thats what I do to my son - of course he's only 18 months old...and matter of time before he starts telling me off...
    and hey - ur new haircut (courtesy pic on blog) looks awesome - what were you complaining about - u look cool...
    o yes - and happy new year


  4. passerby55 Says:

    USHA,

    The other day a gal was in a pair slippers, one with a blue strap and another with the pink. I thought it was a mistake, my friend corrected me,she said, "stop giving that odd stare at her feet,it's in FAshion".

    Half of 1000 is 500. I wonder if that makes 500 a landmark.
    I am eagerly waiting for your 500th post

    Happy 2007!
    Cheers!


  5. Unknown Says:

    i like your sympathy fro the poor 400. sure without 400 500 would never be counted!!

    keep going!!

    :-))


  6. S! Says:

    your pair of flipflop is a fashion statement!
    This is a classic case of design harmony, where balance is countered by diligence.
    Antara


  7. Anonymous Says:

    your pair of flipflop is a fashion statement!
    This is a classic case of design harmony, where imbalance is countered by diligence.
    Antara


  8. rads Says:

    haha, am sure you are enjoying the looks you are getting with the mis-matched pair! ;-)

    400 eh? I am a proud juior with a 100 :-))

    Happy New Year!


  9. Divs Says:

    Another new milestone: Year 2007
    So here's wishing you and your family a very happy and prosperous new year 2007 :-)


  10. Hip Grandma Says:

    It requires a lot of guts to go about with slippers with 2 differently colored straps.But then we know you well enough to expect something like this.I am with you.


  11. Mahadevan Says:

    What is there in the colour of the strap? So long as you are able to wear them in different feet, they are fine.

    I remember, around March /April last, you completed your three hundred blogs. 700 Wickets, 400 runs and 400 blogs are all certainly landmarks. I believe, around your birth day in May, you will reach 500.


  12. Usha Says:

    Raj: absolutely! and these are the guys who spent time storing absured statistics like: 75-highest score by a No.11 batsman and 374 - highest score by right-handed batsmen.
    waiting for your take on 407, 408 etc.

    Orchid: Oh yes, i realised that someone has to speak out and here I am. yes 513 sounds avery good number!

    STS: Hm...past that stage. My son will be 26 this may and I couldnt make him listen to me when he was 10!
    Haircut looks cool? yesssssssss.

    Passerby: 500 is definitely a landmark. one pink and one blue is a fashion statement?..hey I invented it!

    Rajesh: absolutely. Now there is another point in fav our of all the numbers between the famous ones!

    Antara: aha...do you think someoen will buy this idea from me and pay me for it???:)

    Rads: absolutely, I love that expression on their faces when they look at my feet!
    Felicitations.

    Divs: Thanks Divs. Wish you a great year ahead too.

    HipGrandmom:thats the privelege of age right. we people can get away with anything - Perhaps they think of me as "That crazy old woman" - who cares? Like I said before, vee arr like this vunlee

    Mahadevan: 100 in about125 days? Tall order i might perhaps reach another landmark the 437th!


  13. Lol @ the tale of two slippers or is it two straps?. You sure care two hoots for others' opinions!

    Have just come across your posts while reading Anita Bora. Todays's dull Tue at work and am enjoying your writings.


  14. Am awed at the 407. I've just started this blog this Mar, have miles to go...


  15. Usha Says:

    JLT: First of all, I am overwhelmed that someone had the patience to read through so manyu of my posts in one go and also comment. Thank you.
    Oh yes, I am a bit crazy as Anita would vouch. In fact a few days after this post, she caught me wearing them in the french class. Imagine at the Alliance francaise, where everyone dresses up so well and hep, I was there in this pair!!
    407 - well most of it is nonsense. probably some 15 are worth reading!


  16. You know what, i think most of the people you interact with regularly either know you well - to accept the different straps as either a mark of your uniqueness (aren't I being very diplomatic here? ;-))or a new fashion statement. impossible to believe otherwise, you see. LOL. But what I WOULD love to see is the faces of the aam janta who get to see your feet clad thus. Bet you've caught some at least giving your feet a second startled glance and then another look at you. That look is what I would love to see.


  17. And honestly, the pleasure was all mine- reading you.


  18. Usha Says:

    JLT: you are right! in fact I was surprised that none of the classmates seemed shocked by the pair - It kind of goes with the rest of me I think!
    first of all wearing a pair of hawaii to the class and on top mismatched!