Who
has not heard of that cliché “The first impression is the best impression”? Not
that it has ever been the best impression of me for anyone but it is true that
most people who have formed an impression of me at some point in time view me
always from that perspective through the rest of their lives. I presume it is
true for most people.
I
have always striven to give the impression of being inept – well, not that it
required any great striving since it is, by and large, true of me. My aversion to
work is also a byword among family and friends. It is a great help comes the
time when something needs doing and people look for someone to do it. Their
eyes sort of slide over me as though I were invisible thereby saving me the
chore of ungraciously refusing to do whatever they would have asked me to do.
There
is an added advantage. Have you ever seen one of those unfortunate souls who
always leap to help people out? If, perchance, one time they fail to do it that
is the instance that gets most talked about. “You know, you people always say
Vinit is so helpful. It is all drama. That day I wanted him to get me some milk
and he refused giving some frivolous excuse about having to go to the hospital
to see a friend.” And things like that!
On
the other hand, if one time I do something to help someone you can guess how it
goes. “You guys have nothing better than to spread bad rumors about people. Suresh
is so helpful – he got me a glass of water the moment I entered his house – and
you keep saying he is too lazy to do anything.”
It
is this habit of reporting only the exceptions that establishes reputations. If
you were only to hear party gossip you would get an entirely erroneous
impression of a modest and helpful Suresh being calumniated by vicious people
while a sly Vinit has managed to hoodwink people into thinking that he was a
helpful chap.
Not
that it has always been a bed of roses for me. The one day when my office
managed to corner me into working for nearly sixteen hours and I came home
staggering with exhaustion did I receive any sympathy from my mother and
sister? Not that I could notice!
“So,
who were you drinking with till this time of the night? Are you not ashamed of
coming home staggering like a homeless drunk?”
That
was the day I realized that Life is unfair!
Haha the ending is perfect.This must have reinforced your policy of not working.
ReplyDeleteSo much that I quit my job and sat at home :)
Deleteyeah life is unfair ! but then look at it this way life is giving you so many chances to write such great posts !
ReplyDeleteAh! That's the only consolation - it does allow me to write posts, great or otherwise :)
Deleteha ha! I agree Suresh. Life is indeed so damn unfair! One thing that comes naturally to our people is forming opinions and then spreading the word!
ReplyDeleteAnd on very little evidence normally :)
DeleteYep, life is unfair, but the pity is we pretend it's not being so. Nice write.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Impression does have a lasting effect. Enjoyed reading it, heading to read from the index now. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Saru! You trying my index only now?
Deletetotally agree with you. people form their opinion about an individual based on that one instance when he or she acted differently.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely love reading your posts!! this is exactly the kind of humor i love reading (don't know what it's called, i heard there are different types of humor). i keep visiting your blog and read your posts a few times after you publish them :)
Once you find out tell me Debs :) I think your brand of humor is the same as mine - the written ones :) the cartoons are mainly satirical.
DeleteHaha.. on few occasions, my manager SMSed me "meeting about to start, come quickly" unlike other days, that particular day usually would stuck in heavy traffic"
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteFirst impressions can be wrong or right, depends on the person as well as situation. Funny account :).
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachna!
DeleteVery few people take that extra effort to take a peek into the reality before spreading news .They should be reminded that ' What goes around comes all the way back around ' . A very thoughtful post !
ReplyDeleteMost of my humor posts have some thought behind them - very rarely I manage to get the thought across, instead of only the humor. Glad that I managed it this time for a few at least :)
DeleteI'm sitting here chuckling away to myself, while my husband and housemaid are both exchanging concerned looks as though to say , "Is everything alright with her top floor?"
ReplyDeleteStriving to convey an impression of ineptitude is not easy as some may assume. It requires careful carelessness, planned procrastination and ingenious insouciance. And I must say, from the results you have achieved, you have played it like a master :D
Another hilarious and unbelievably true-to-life observation.
Ah! At last someone who recognizes the difficulty of my achievement :) As Vadivelu says in some movie, "Ellaralayum summa irukka mudiyuma?" :)
DeleteThis is fact of life sau saal peel bhi tha, aak be hai aur kal bhi rahega....keep writing suresh
ReplyDeleteThanks Chitra! Great to see you here now and then :)
DeleteLOL:):D
ReplyDeleteImpressions!
Mazaa aa gayaa:)
Thank you Suresh:):D
Thanks Amit!
DeleteHaha :) Yes life is unfair, as you say rightly 'Life is like this'
ReplyDeleteAh! DS! Yuo tied it in to my blog name as well? :)
DeleteAh well Imagine being accused of drinking after working for 16 hrs continuously ! My first Impressions usually end in something funny or disastrous ! !
ReplyDeleteThat hurt that day! I mean on the driest day of my life I was being accused of a drunken orgy :)
DeleteHahahh...looks like Vinit has really fallen out of favour with you, hasn't he! Loved the online smear campaign! :D
ReplyDeleteFunny piece - because it is so true! Personally myself, on a Suresh-Vinit scale of helpfulness, I would say I am a Rickie.
Uh! you read too much into an unconscious use of a name, Rickie! And what do you mean you are somewhere between Suresh and Vinit on a scale of helpfulness? You are the Zero from where i started my scale :)
DeleteHah! Shhh....let's keep numbers like 0 out of it! Vague is good :)
DeleteQuite right - vague is best! I forgot about the realm of the negative numbers :)
DeleteHeheh...the last line tops it all...in fact, life is mean...not fair at all...;-)
ReplyDeleteLife is SO mean, FiF :)
DeleteThese reflections on life are fun.
ReplyDeleteI find them funny as they happen, TF! I merely have to put them down :)
DeleteAnother version of coming home late is equally dreadful. The wife stares at you, gets up and sniffs your collar. It can turn into a life changing experience.
ReplyDeleteHmm! That's a fate that doesn't await me :)
DeleteNow I'm worried to tell you my first impressions of you, Suresh! ;) Enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDeleteNow you have aroused my curiosity, Corinne :) Apprehensive curiosity :)
DeleteOne sly person aren't you! Using expectations and exceptions to your benefit! LOL. Funny tale :) Life is unfair, but hey that makes it fun otherwise that would become monotonous too like Vinit helping out all the time!
ReplyDeleteNot at all! i am the poor misunderstood guy :)
DeleteLovely post, Suresh. At my first meeting with people, I would mostly remain silent; and this changes overtime!
ReplyDeleteThanks Diwa! Been a long while
DeleteI must admit that I used to be one of those "unfortunate souls, who jumped up to help people". :-) When the "Life is Unfair" understanding happened, I grew wiser.
ReplyDeleteAnd Suresh, you don't seem to be the sort of person who would be bothered with impressions. ;-)
Very seldom bothered enough to change my attitudes or behavior :)
DeleteLaziness is a virtue--PERIOD!! All these darned workaholics cause more damage than good--the world would have been a much more pleasant place if people just lazed.
ReplyDeleteOf course :)
Delete