She’s in her early twenties and holds an American passport. With roots in Lebanon and Taiwan, she is an international citizen bubbling with energy and enterprise. And now she is a wonderful colleague for all of us in our office.“You smile 24/7? How do you control anger. Do you start 1,2,3…?” I asked her. As usual, the mischievous journalistic queries.
“No, I don’t count 10,” she giggled. “You should see me fighting with my family folks. Outside, I always retain my cool.”
“No argument with anyone so far?” I did not want to let her go that easily!
“Well, that guy,” she started.
“Which guy, what, what?!”
“Some students in the US campus were judgmental. We used to have a point system in canteen. An American classmate kept asking me to pay on quite a few occasions. When I refused once, he retorted, “You are an international student. You must have rich parents. You should pay.” I told him, “My parents spend more for my education than yours just because we are so-called international students.” He moved off.
Any incident that annoyed you?
“There’s a girl who rang me up at 4am one day. She said there was a rat in her room and wanted to share mine. I had to go at 6 and there was no way I would allow her to trouble me at odd hours. The next day I heard she had complained to five friends about me.”
Latest experience that cheered you?
“I landed in Taiwan and at a particular place I dropped my brand new camera and the zoom got jammed. In a matter of minutes, the Taiwanese guys not only replaced it in toto but refused to take payment saying it’s a petty matter.”
Are you stingy? I continued.
“Not really!” her eyes twirled.
“Then order tea for all of us.”
“Bull sh..,” she escaped.
No tea, do you want more smiles instead? hehehe..
ReplyDeleteRoots in Lebanon and Taiwan reminds me of this colleague, British national, who has blood relatives scattered around the world...including India!
Your student sounds pleasant! And still you playfully provoke her...how naughty! You seem in good spirits, R. Happy to see it! <3
ReplyDeletehehehe..bad of u to trap her :P
ReplyDeleteHmm nice chat!
ReplyDeleteMaaan..I pity the girl...he he
ReplyDeleteHappy people live longer and better lives... In my next life (if there is one) I want to be her. =)
ReplyDeleteaah! guess you hit a sensitive chord!
ReplyDeleteGood she didn't succumb to your trick.
ReplyDeleteYou meet really interesting people in your work. Must be very interesting.
hehe, nice. :)
ReplyDeletednt put her in such situations more often..she will become stingy with her smile even!!! :D :D
ReplyDeleteMake do with the smiles Ramesh!! Tea to wife will also make or even you can make for yourself..A Lebanese smile should go a long way no??
ReplyDeleteLOL! Good catch at the end!
ReplyDeleteMabrooq for the new colleague, RR. Hi girlie, I am his exxxxxxxxx subordinate;) he he
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. I read a few posts here and must say I like your writing style a lot. It is an art to convey so much in a few words and your post is just perfect for an impatient reader like me.
ReplyDeleteNice blog:)
Ramesh..Hi, i will be absent from blogger scene for some time.....will catch all your posts soon....this colleague of yours sounds interesting......her being generous in smiles is very good because smiles are rare these days ......you are the best,trust me.
ReplyDeleteA nice read! (:
ReplyDeleteRamesh, it's bitter truth from A glimpse of life. I had to delete my previous blog for some reason and so I'm here again :)
You're most welcome to read my new blog.
Very nice and well written.You are very lucky as you come across with very interesting people.
ReplyDeleteReally, you are meeting interesting people. You will never get bored at all. Keep writing for us to smile, Ramesh.
ReplyDeletecool :)
ReplyDeleteJournalists beware!
ReplyDelete