365 DAYS 365 TALES

A day out

'Can you get me ten numbers of three pin slide switch, on the way back home?' Even now I am not very sure whether that is what he said, because it was after some time before I discovered that other than the individual words, absolutely nothing made sense to me.

Ok I should probably rewind. The first time I heard this sentence, that morning, I was sure he was talking to someone else. That was when I realized that there was no one else in the house. My husband did not have the habit of snapping at walls, (atleast not that I knew) so I reluctantly decided that he was talking to me.

'What?' I asked praying that he really was not talking to me.

'I am making a circuit in the breadboard! I need few slide switches for it!' He said looking straight at me.

OK... If you also do not know what is a breadboard (and that it does not involve any eatables) join the club.

The first thought which did strike me was what was I supposed to do about it? I mean what do you do if you want a three pin slide...never mind, whatever it was.

'OK!' I said smiling feeling extremely foolish.

But then my husband was no ordinary mortal. He figured out that something was wrong.

His eyes suddenly brightened. 'Don't you remember that shop which I took you to! Last week! I brought lots of Logic chips and micro-controller there!' he asked eagerly like he was trying to remember his favourite picnic.

And exactly why was I there? An ordinary mortal who had no idea what to even do with a screwdriver.....That was because of a stupid decision I made last week. I had decided that the best way to really know a little of what my husband was saying was to hang around with him and see exactly what his favourite hangout was. I did go with my husband to an extraordinary crowded place last week. And that did not bother me. What did astonish me was the realization that my husband was not alone in the world. It looked like all the nerds of my city were there...Atleast I decided that they were nerds because honestly I swear, though it looked like they spoke my language, not a single word made sense.

But then I knew how to get to the place. And (un)fortunately it was very near my office, so unanimously I was chosen to go to the place and buy the...whatever it was.

'Write it down for me!' I said putting on my most winning smile. 'I will go there and buy it for you!' I said with a bravery I most certainly did not feel.

My husband gave a million dollar smile like as if I had solved all his problems.

So fastforward seven hours later, I was absolutely scared to find myself in the one place which looked like I would get lost there. And everyone was staring at me. And I knew atleast two reasons for it. Point number one, I was the only female in the vicinity of half a kilometer. Point Number two, I was the only one who really looked like I had no clue as to what I was supposed to do there. 

I promised myself I was never ever stepping inside this place here.....Solemn unbreakable promise....

Bravely I walked and I got lost twice when I ultimately found myself in front of a shop. The reason I stopped there was the shop looked reasonably familiar. And the probability of that was extremely less, not unless I had actually been there. So I walked forward.

'Come Madam!' The shopkeeper said greeting me with a warm smile. I turned back superciliously just to convince myself that the man was talking to me. 'Sir called me up and told me that you were coming for the three pin slide switches!' he continued. I looked at the paper chit in my hand and saw that the man spoke all the words that were written on it and it obviously made sense to him. Happily grinning to myself, I mentally thanked my husband for calling up the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper handed over the stuff and I paid for it...that was when I realized it. 'How did you know me?' I asked the shopkeep

'You came last week madam! Sir purchased few micro-controllers! You were with him!' The shopkeeper said completely shocking me.

I was tempted to ask him whether he actually noticed people, but then I decided that it would be rude so I was about to walk away when I asked him. 'These switches are the ones that he asked for, right?' I asked a little desperately.

'Of course, madam! I am sure! In case it is not...I am sure you can come tomorrow...I will exchange it!' the shopkeeper said with a warm smile.

I ran from there.

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(14/04)

By

SA Krishnan