by Gumi Malhotra
Just a few lines on ( the lack of ) a telephone!
Living in the Chhota bungalow was blissful, there was a comfortable feeling of being ‘one of the younger ones’ which I enjoyed and played to the hilt.
If there was an object of envy in the Burra bungalow it was The Telephone and that too with STD facility. Out station calls were half the rate after 8 o’clock and a quarter rate post 11 pm.
One would wait for the breadwinner to come home, persuade/nag/ plead for the phone call, quick cup of tea and an hour to forty minute drive to the nearest town for the weekly call home.
Then came the big bonus.
The Manager of the estate probably remembered his phone struggle days and once the office closed the telephone came home to us. Literally. No kidding. It was disconnected in the office and arrived home with due respect on a tray with the bearer saying, “Memsahib phone aya hai”!!
We didn’t realize then that we’d never look back. Henceforth, we would always be at the end of a line.
Does this song ring a bell?
Is this your first visit here? Welcome to Indian Chai Stories!
Do you have a chai story of your own to share? Send it to me here, please : indianchaistories@gmail.com. My name is Gowri Mohanakrishnan and I'm a tea planter's wife. I started this blog because one of the things that I wouldn't want us to lose in a fast changing world is the tea story - a story always told with great seriousness, no matter how funny - always true (always), maybe a tall tale, long, or short, impossible, scary, funny or exciting but never dull. You will find yourself transported to another world!
Happy reading! Cheers to the spirit of Indian Tea!
ADD THIS LINK TO YOUR FAVOURITES : https://teastorytellers.blogspot.com/Indian Chai Stories
Meet the writer: Gumi Malhotra
Hello
chai people, here’s my first attempt to pen down one of the million
memories I carry with me. We came away twelve years ago with our hearts
full ( not so much the pocket) of such nuggets. We live in Bangalore now
and what started as a hobby in the gardens has become my calling. I
paint pet portraits. The happiest days spent in tea were in the Jali
kamra with my paints, the boys occupied with make believe cars and a
steady stream of tea flowing from the kitchen. Cheers!
Just a few lines on ( the lack of ) a telephone!
Living in the Chhota bungalow was blissful, there was a comfortable feeling of being ‘one of the younger ones’ which I enjoyed and played to the hilt.
If there was an object of envy in the Burra bungalow it was The Telephone and that too with STD facility. Out station calls were half the rate after 8 o’clock and a quarter rate post 11 pm.
One would wait for the breadwinner to come home, persuade/nag/ plead for the phone call, quick cup of tea and an hour to forty minute drive to the nearest town for the weekly call home.
Then came the big bonus.
The Manager of the estate probably remembered his phone struggle days and once the office closed the telephone came home to us. Literally. No kidding. It was disconnected in the office and arrived home with due respect on a tray with the bearer saying, “Memsahib phone aya hai”!!
We didn’t realize then that we’d never look back. Henceforth, we would always be at the end of a line.
Does this song ring a bell?
Do you have a chai story of your own to share? Send it to me here, please : indianchaistories@gmail.com. My name is Gowri Mohanakrishnan and I'm a tea planter's wife. I started this blog because one of the things that I wouldn't want us to lose in a fast changing world is the tea story - a story always told with great seriousness, no matter how funny - always true (always), maybe a tall tale, long, or short, impossible, scary, funny or exciting but never dull. You will find yourself transported to another world!
Happy reading! Cheers to the spirit of Indian Tea!
ADD THIS LINK TO YOUR FAVOURITES : https://teastorytellers.blogspot.com/Indian Chai Stories
Meet the writer: Gumi Malhotra
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| Gumi Malhotra |
Did you garland the kind soul?? A phone on a platter for a beleaguered chhota sahib.... nothing short of manna from heaven! If you are speaking of the exchange at Malbazaar, we've spent many a night there too!
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