[Short Story] - Murder by Thoughts

Of all the trips a person takes in his lifetime, very few can have such an impact on one's life than being transported to a mental asylum. Especially when one is completely sane. There you sit at the traffic, watching people all around going to office, mall, school or whereever it is people keep travelling to & fro while another whole realm of reality awaits you, a few miles away.

"That's exactly what I want him to go through!" thought aloud Supriya, as she beat the eggs in a one-quart casserole.

"What?" asked Narain, looking up from his morning newspaper. "You seem to be murmuring quite often these days Supree. Whatever is the matter with you?"

"Oh nothing, here comes your breakfast" said Supriya hastily tossing the omlette alongside the waiting toast. She quickly added the bowl of fruit sitting ready on the tray and placed them in front of her husband.Giving a quick apologetic smile she walked towards the refrigerator to get out his customary fruit juice. Narain stared after her wondering about the sudden change he was witnessing in his wife.

Supriya bought him his juice and quietly moved on to watering the flowers her thoughts still lingering on Sujay. She felt no pity on him, on his abrupt journey to adulthood filled with drugs & affairs, broken marriage & alcoholism. "It would be easier to kill him but to send him to a funny farm will effectuate the punishment he rightly deserves" she thought smugly.

She did'nt notice Narain finish his breakfast, leave the table and walk towards the door. He stopped and looked back to see if his wife would give him a parting glance. But he seemed to have lost Supriya to the withering croton bed.

"Whatever could have got into Supriya?" wondered Narain, walking towards his car in the basement. He tried to recollect as to when he started noticing the apparent change in his otherwise cheerful wife. The dark gathering clouds dulled his mood further.

Meanwhile Supriya blissfully unware of the turmoils Narain was going through, switched on the music system. With "Sweet child of mine" blaring in the background she turned her thoughts to plotting new ways of sending Sujay to his doom. But what if he prefered being fenced inside the sanatorium, constrained by regimes and enjoyed the cult of work therapy?

........to be continued

What's your International Dining Etiquette Quotient?

Dining etiquette quotient? huh, Now what's dat?
The world has sure shrunk and cross cultural awareness has reached the dining table. So lets go beyond the cut-chew-swallow basics and look at some dining ettiquettes around the world, shall we?

Dining Etiquette in Germany
- It is good etiquette to remain standing until shown where to sit.
- Table manners are continental - fork in left hand and knife in right.
- Do not begin eating until the host signals to do so. It is bad etiquette to rest elbows on the table.
- Try and cut food with the fork as it compliments the cook by showing it is tender.
- Everything should be eaten on the plate.
- Indicate you have finished by lying the fork and knife parallel across the right hand side of the plate.

Dining Etiquette in Japan: - The guest of honour sits at the centre of the table furthest from the door and begins first.
- Learn to eat with chopsticks [no pointing with them, dont pierce food with them] place them on the chopstick rest when taking a break.
- It is good etiquette to try a bit of everything and keep the conversation is subdued.

Dining Etiquette in Turkey:
- Meals are a social affair. Conversations are animate and loud.
- The head of the family or honoured guest is served first.
- It is good etiquette to insist the most senior is served first instead of you.
- Asking for more helpings is considered as compliment.
- If taken to a restaurant, Turkish dining etiquette has strict rules that the one who extended the invitation must pay.

Dining Etiquette in the USA:
- The fork is held in the right hand and is used for eating.
- To use the knife, the fork is switched to the left hand. To continue eating, the fork is switched back to the right hand.
- If you are more comfortable eating in the Continental manner it will not offend anyone.
- Foods or drinks can be refused without causing offense.
- Many foods are eaten by hand.

Dining Etiquette in the Middle East:
- Guests are honoured with prime choice of meats.
- Eaten with right hand only.
- Meat is torn by holding down the piece against the dish and ripping off a desired amount with forefinger and thumb pressed together. Rice is scooped up.
- Do not be afraid of making a mess.
- If you are finished leave food on your plate otherwise it will be filled immediately.
- It is proper etiquette to compliment the host on the food and his hospitality


Dining Etiquette in India:
- Guest of honour is given the prime seat else the host takes the seat.
- Food is eaten mostly with the right hand.
- Roti (Indian bread); Meat is eaten with hands. And the spoon is saved for rice & desserts.
- If you are finished leave food on your plate otherwise it will be filled immediately.
- Burping is not considered rude and is taken as a sign that you have enjoyed your meal.
- Compliment the host on the food and his hospitality.

Now take this quiz on ettiquette and see if you are ready to jetset -
http://www.fekids.com/img/kln/flash/DontGrossOutTheWorld.swf

Its November!!

My first post in november comes late by a week. So wats magical about November to award it a complete post by itself? Well if you ask me, nothing special at all.

Just thought I'll start my first post-for-the-month by listing a few unusual "days" for the month. But a little research tells you that we are going to practically be celebrating most of the days in November. Yippee!

So we have :
- Hug a Bear day! on Nov 7th
- Pickle Appreciation day
- Leftovers Day (followed but-obviously by..)
- Throw leftovers Day
- Forget-me-not Day comes on the Nov 10th
- Childrens day in India is celebrated on the 14th of Nov
- America Recyles Day falls on November 15th
- World Hello Day
- Pencil Day
- Toothpast day
- Saturday November 25th 2006 is "Buy Nothing Day"

..whew!, and so the list goes on. Oh! ofcourse, there are also the - Thanksgiving & Guy Fawkes days & Guru Nanak's Birthday. So its going to be a busy month ahead.

Wishing you all in advance a "Happy Sandwich Day" :D