Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Oh! So Cute!!!
Was generally reading the NYTimes this morning...and somehow happened to bump into some link somewhere that lead me to one of most read articles in January 2006 that reads 'Cuteness is distinct from beauty, researchers say, emphasizing rounded over sculptured, soft over refined, clumsy over quick. Beauty attracts admiration and demands a pedestal; cuteness attracts affection and demands a lap. Beauty is rare and brutal, despoiled by a single pimple. Cuteness is commonplace and generous, content on occasion to cosegregate with homeliness.'

Havent we all heard, if not used the term 'cute' being used to describe just about anything, from a cute lil earthworm to the new neighbour's oh, so cute! dog to the Prince of Bollywood, the cutest of them all, Abhishek Bacchan!!

I remember clearly, during my XIIth Std exams, my friends Ketul, Pritesh and I used to study together . Some form of joint studies it was, more fun than studies. On one such occasion, we were in Ketul's house and his domestic help was being exceptionally nice and bringing in constant supply of goodies for the 'hardworking' children. So much so, that I said "he is soooooooo cute!!Isnt he?" And that was it, I was brutually 'killllleed' by the two evil 'friends' who heard me say that.....and guess what, the next day, my entire class knew about me latest 'cute' crush!! Worse still, those two evil 'friends' still pull my leg over this!!:(

Being the first batch in Law school, we had a reasonably good rapport with the non-teaching staff, the mess workers and the other support staff as well. In our third year in Law school, we shifted to our new campus, and as it happens in most hurriedly finished buildings, many a things were left unfinished in the hostels. It so happened that many rooms, including my room did not have curtain rods. Since my room was one of the few rooms that were visible from the boys hostel, curtains were an absolute necessity. The Hostel Welfare Committee (yeah! even we had one of those!) member was tired of pursuing the electrician cum odd job man, Uttam 'da' to get the rods fixed. Once, my friend Saloni and I were walking back from class, and we met Uttam 'da' on the way. I told him, 'Please, aake mere kamre ka curtain rod fix kar dijiye!' and smiled my usual way. (For those who dont know me...I m one of those who keeps smiling, all the time! so, keep those stupid grins at bay!!! grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!). He smiled and said, 'Pakka! abhi aake karta hoon!' I liked the way he smiled (esp coz he had two cute dimples!). Saloni, being the B***** that she is, maaroed a smart one and said, "Dont tell me, Hetal! You find him cute??" I said, "yes, kind of!". She was totally disgusted, and chose not to respond! And guess what, Uttam 'da' came to my room and fixed the curtain rods within barely fifteen minutes! You dont even want to know what Saloni did to me after that!! The entire floor knew about this....and by tea time, the boys, too knew!!

Its not over yet....in the fourth year, we used to have joint classes for 'clinical education' where they would teach, or atleast try to teach 93 of us drafting of documents etc. What we mastered, in the end was probably, how to read newspaper in the front row, or how to sleep with your eyes open, or how to ask the most useless questions and take the class to a different plane altogether(I promise, ill dedicate an entry soley to clinic classes!!). Coming back, on one such day, we didnt have enough chairs in the class room, and as usual, I had walked in 5 minutes after the class started! Understandibly, there were no vacant chairs for me. Our man, Uttam 'da' was called and asked to fetch chairs for the ten odd latecomers. I was standing in one corner of the class, far far away from the prof, where I usually sat, and slept during the clinic class. Uttam da came with a chair, and like a 'knight in shining armour' walked strainght upto me, and gave me the chair! and needless to say, the entire class, led by Ms. Saloni had a hearty laugh!! So much for the 'cute' dimples!!

They say that one must learn from one's mistakes, I surely dont seem to follow that....coz a somewhat similar instance happened a few days ago. Law firms, in general have a very strong hierarchy in place. One does only what one isto do, nothing, absolutely NOTHING else.

In our office, though we have a vending machine for coffee and tea, the 'decorum' requires us to call the 'boy' and ask him to deliver it to our seat. One such day, the 'boy' gave me my usual coffee and water. In a little less than fifteen minutes, he came and asked me again, 'Madam ji, kam cheeni wali coffee/chai pilaao kya?" (Should I get you some more tea/coffee with less sugar?) I could'nt help but smile, and say 'how cute!'. Much to my dismay, my colleagues, who are otherwise engrossed in their own world, heard me say that....and since then, I have had it!

Mebbe it is time I learnt to use the word a little more judiciously!!

1 comment:

"un"voracious reader said...

well ... I guess u would be the best person to describe the virtues of being cute....being reaaaaalllllyyyy cute yourself.