Thursday, January 22, 2009

wth=meh=absolutely standard II

Ok, so I'm at work at the Shantarakshita Library at the Tibetan Institute a couple days ago. A few weeks before this I was chewing a paan out back (so as to be able to spit in the scrubland) and talking to a friend when one of the peons walks by. Don't take that wrong, these guys are budgeted for as peons and they do stuff like bring tea and show people the way out to the next building and so on. Anyway, this dude starts talking to me, and even asks me if I can get his kid a job (totally standard) in India (actually kinda weird) to which friend and I say 'you're the one who lives here; this guy's been here like two months, what does he know about electrical engineering in Varanasi.' It might be added that that explanation rarely fails to make an impression--apparently all Americans are experts in everything from medicine to politics to fiscal policy to, yes, all forms of lucrative employment. Anyway, I talked to this guy for a few minutes and he was very pleased to learn I speak Hindi. (totally standard)
Back to a few days ago. As is often the case, I'm thinking deep indological thoughts for hours on end and ignoring the rest of the world, when suddenly I realize I've needed to pee for like 3 hours, and so now I really need to go do something about it. (totally standard).
So, I go to the less disgusting of the two men's rooms in the library, the one on the first floor, where the squat toilet, as always, swarms with mosquitoes, but at least no one has splashed water (hopefully water!) all over the toilet seat, because...there is none. The door is closed, but not locked. The floor is wet (totally standard, don't ask me why, I just live here). It's around 1 or so. Standing in the middle of the room, like equidistant from sink, stall, and urinals, is the fellow from a few weeks ago. He's in his skivvies and soaking wet, taking a bucket bath, it seems, in the middle of the public bathroom floor.
Hi, he says.
Uh....
wth=
meh=
totally standard.

Watch out for the fez of all fezzes soon...

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