chapter 8

A Fine idea to avoid Fine(When absent mindedness at its peak)Just for a laugh……On that Sunday, Mr. Sharma, after finishing his morning breakfast, was reading a newspaper in the hall. His wife was in the kitchen, preparing for lunch. When she checked the kitchen, she came to know that there were no vegetables there.She called her husband, who was reading the newspaper in the hall, and told him, "There are no vegetables in the kitchen. Just now I put the dal in the cooker for boiling. Can you please go to the market and get some vegetables before it's done?"Sharma agreed and got ready, wearing his pants and shirt. He started to move out with an empty bag in his hand. He told his wife to close the main door and stepped outside. His wife came and asked, "Did you take money for vegetables?" Only then did Sharma realize that he forgot to take his wallet and asked her to give him the wallet from the table. His wife muttered, "You always have these problems and forget something every day whenever you want to go outside. Only God knows when you will become all right. Did you forget something else? Don't come back again for that."As he was moving out, she asked, "Aren't you going to ask which vegetables to bring?" Now Sharma said, "You have to tell me now, which ones to bring." Then she told him to bring half a kilogram of potatoes and tomatoes each.Carrying the empty bag in his hand, Mr. Sharma was walking very fast on the main road to quickly bring the vegetables. He came near a circle and was shocked to see a Traffic Police Inspector standing with two or three policemen. They were collecting fines from those who were riding two-wheelers without wearing helmets.When he saw the inspector, Sharma touched his head and realized he was also not wearing any helmet. The same traffic inspector who had fined him a thousand rupees last week was standing there. Now, he was in a dilemma. If he went back home, he would definitely be scolded by his wife for forgetting the helmet. If he moved towards the circle, he would be caught and fined by the Traffic Police Inspector.For a moment, he could not decide what to do. Suddenly he noticed a very narrow lane next to him and, being very happy about the idea, it immediately struck his mind. He anxiously moved along that narrow lane in a hurry to avoid the circle.An old friend of Sharma's was also coming from the opposite side and anxiously stopped the speeding Sharma. He asked, "Sharmaji, why are you rushing in this narrow lane? What is the problem?"Then Sharma said, "Nothing else... I forgot to wear my helmet when I left home in a hurry. When I went near that circle, I saw the traffic inspector who is collecting fines from all the riders without helmets. That's why I'm rushing in this narrow lane to avoid the circle."His friend laughed at Sharma and said, "Oh, Sharmaji, you didn't bring your two-wheeler, so why you have to wear the helmet?"Then only Mr. Sharma realised that, he is going to the market by walk only.V. K. S. Shetty, Bangalore