Monday 2nd September 2019
Has been a busy day. Left home at 9.30am for my weekly physiotherapy and returned at 11.00. My son Anand and Daughter-in-law Jessica left for work after I got home. They had a busy day so they left Lilo little baby girl dog at home in the garden in my watch. Bellsy the Cat was in her room behind closed gate and Bailey Boy was wandering around the house looking for food.
I made myself a hot cuppa and read the news paper. Nothing much, a few murders and a body of an unknown woman wrapped in plastic sheets and dumped in a river bed. Boring....
Was a nice warm day, second day of Spring, yesterday being fathers day was a day of indulgence and not much achieved besides pigging out at lunch time. Grilled Salmon, Lemony Potatoes, Watermelon salad with Halumi and heaps of cooked and peeled King Prawns. Almond Biscuits and Shona's yummy lemon tarts and Cookies and Cream Ice cream for dessert. None of us had dinner at night.
I decided it was time to get into the garden and do a spring clean but then Lilo was there playing ball. So I changed my mind and decided to attend to my zillion pot plants on the side of the house.
Pot by pot I lifted and put them on my gardening table, got rid of dead leaves and twigs pruned the plants pot by pot, repotted some. Once I am in the garden I am oblivious to everything around me plus I am deaf to a large extent and don't hear much.
Suddenly I was startled by a voice near me. It was Uncle Ben, 85 Year Old dinky die living in a house behind ours in the next street.
Ben said there are two people wanting to see you and there you are pottering. As I said Hi Ben I saw this Young Girl appear. She had been ringing the door bell and all she heard was a dog barking loud behind the door. That was my Golden Bailey Boy.
I said I was sorry as I did not hear and said how can I help you. "I am here to see Pawan" she said. "No Pawan at this residence just me Ram and son Anand" I replied.
"What is it about?"... She said I am here for an interview, but then this is a home and not an office. She was trying to phone Pawan but he was not picking up her call.
I knew what had happened.
Has been a busy day. Left home at 9.30am for my weekly physiotherapy and returned at 11.00. My son Anand and Daughter-in-law Jessica left for work after I got home. They had a busy day so they left Lilo little baby girl dog at home in the garden in my watch. Bellsy the Cat was in her room behind closed gate and Bailey Boy was wandering around the house looking for food.
I made myself a hot cuppa and read the news paper. Nothing much, a few murders and a body of an unknown woman wrapped in plastic sheets and dumped in a river bed. Boring....
Was a nice warm day, second day of Spring, yesterday being fathers day was a day of indulgence and not much achieved besides pigging out at lunch time. Grilled Salmon, Lemony Potatoes, Watermelon salad with Halumi and heaps of cooked and peeled King Prawns. Almond Biscuits and Shona's yummy lemon tarts and Cookies and Cream Ice cream for dessert. None of us had dinner at night.
I decided it was time to get into the garden and do a spring clean but then Lilo was there playing ball. So I changed my mind and decided to attend to my zillion pot plants on the side of the house.
Pot by pot I lifted and put them on my gardening table, got rid of dead leaves and twigs pruned the plants pot by pot, repotted some. Once I am in the garden I am oblivious to everything around me plus I am deaf to a large extent and don't hear much.
Suddenly I was startled by a voice near me. It was Uncle Ben, 85 Year Old dinky die living in a house behind ours in the next street.
Ben said there are two people wanting to see you and there you are pottering. As I said Hi Ben I saw this Young Girl appear. She had been ringing the door bell and all she heard was a dog barking loud behind the door. That was my Golden Bailey Boy.
I said I was sorry as I did not hear and said how can I help you. "I am here to see Pawan" she said. "No Pawan at this residence just me Ram and son Anand" I replied.
"What is it about?"... She said I am here for an interview, but then this is a home and not an office. She was trying to phone Pawan but he was not picking up her call.
I knew what had happened.
She came to the wrong Telopea Avenue.
in 1985 when we bought the house often we got Pizza delivery boys turn up with Pizzas we had not ordered.
Ours was Telopea Avenue South Strathfield but there was another Telopea avenue West Strathfield. Pizzas or Chinese take away we ordered often did not arrive as they had been delivered to the other street.
Around 2010, there was rezoning and there was no more south or west strathfield. Ours became 14 Telopea Avenue Strathfield a house and the other street became Telopea Avenue Homebush with No 14 being an office building.
I explained this to the young lass and she stood their perplexed. I asked her how did you get here, thought she might have driven and I was going to give her directions to get to her interview.
She said I came to Strathfield Station and took the bus here. Looked at my watch it was 2.00pm and her interview was at 2.30pm.
I told her "give me a minute, I will lock the gate, pick up my wallet and I will drive you to your interview"' .
I do not think she registered what I had said. She was too upset she had stuffed up and could not get to the interview
Ben said "Ok I am on my way. Have a good day you two" and left.
Ben said "Ok I am on my way. Have a good day you two" and left.
I opened the front door and Bailey was curious as always and keen on saying hello but the girl was very preoccupied as to how to get to the appointment on time.
She was looking at Google Maps and said "I know I am at the wrong place".
I told her the street she is looking for is off Paramatta Road and a good 15 minute drive minimum. I went inside picked up my wallet and house keys and said "lets go".
She was surprised. "Uncle You mean you are going to drive me to my appointment" and I nodded. Got in and she wanted to sit in the back seat as it was disrespectful to sit in front. I told her "are you kidding ? I am not a taxi driver you know". She smiled and sat in the passenger seat.
I told her the street she is looking for is off Paramatta Road and a good 15 minute drive minimum. I went inside picked up my wallet and house keys and said "lets go".
She was surprised. "Uncle You mean you are going to drive me to my appointment" and I nodded. Got in and she wanted to sit in the back seat as it was disrespectful to sit in front. I told her "are you kidding ? I am not a taxi driver you know". She smiled and sat in the passenger seat.
"So you know the way uncle so I will turn the map off" she said. I said I know where it is but have not gone there in ages so keep the map open so I do not overshoot and miss the left turn from Paramatta Rd into your Telopea avenue.
She seemed extremely pleased.
Just down the road I stopped and said can you please do me a favour. Poor girl looked Confused.
Just down the road I stopped and said can you please do me a favour. Poor girl looked Confused.
Can you please pick that soccer ball pointing to the soccer ball in the gutter and throw it back for the school kids. She said "no problem uncle" and did that.
Then the conversation started. "Are you from India Uncle?" and I said "yes" Mumbai or Delhi. "I said neither Madras"
Then the conversation started. "Are you from India Uncle?" and I said "yes" Mumbai or Delhi. "I said neither Madras"
"Where are you from?" I asked.
From Pakistan Uncle. I came here to study. Most of my good friends in Sydney are all Indians and I said that's good.
"So what job is your interview for ?" She said "Security ?"
"So what job is your interview for ?" She said "Security ?"
"I asked what kind of Security? are you not scared?" "No Uncle I have done security work for two years already."
"So do you sit and watch CCTV in commercial buildings ?" she said "No way that is so boring. I actually Patrol areas uncle".
My jaw dropped trying to imagine a modern Pakistani girl in Sydney working as a Security guard.
If people from Pakistan and India can be good friends here why can't people in Pakistan and India live peacefully without wars and killing each other.
If people from Pakistan and India can be good friends here why can't people in Pakistan and India live peacefully without wars and killing each other.
Money Power and Politics are to blame for wars not the people
I told her "even Gods don't have an answer for that and if we are still killing each other then we have to thank Churchill who said split the country on religious grounds and they will keep killing each other forever."
I got her to the interview on time, wished her good luck
My story for the day
Thinking back it was a Pakistani Haematologist who saved my life at Royal Paget Hospital in Suffolk in 2002.
When I decided to have ducted air conditioning installed at home It was done by Salim and his two off siders. All Pakistanis. Amazing chaps. On the first day I ordered Lebanese halal food for them and they were very pleased. On the last day the deal was Salim would cook Chicken Biriyani for all of us. So I got the chicken and all ingredients he wanted. One of the yummiest biriyanis I have eaten in my life. I played Hindi songs for them when they were working, all cds and dvds.
I told her "even Gods don't have an answer for that and if we are still killing each other then we have to thank Churchill who said split the country on religious grounds and they will keep killing each other forever."
I got her to the interview on time, wished her good luck
My story for the day
Thinking back it was a Pakistani Haematologist who saved my life at Royal Paget Hospital in Suffolk in 2002.
When I decided to have ducted air conditioning installed at home It was done by Salim and his two off siders. All Pakistanis. Amazing chaps. On the first day I ordered Lebanese halal food for them and they were very pleased. On the last day the deal was Salim would cook Chicken Biriyani for all of us. So I got the chicken and all ingredients he wanted. One of the yummiest biriyanis I have eaten in my life. I played Hindi songs for them when they were working, all cds and dvds.
One of the chaps Abdul was an amazing singer too and said Sir I am always playing hindi movie songs in my car radio. I asked cds he said no Sir I have an old car with audio tapes.
I had a boxful of audio tapes that I could not use as we only had CD/DVD Players at home and in our cars.
I said Abdul would you like some Hindi audio tapes. I have never seen a man so excited. He said Yes Sir you are so kind.
I had a boxful of audio tapes that I could not use as we only had CD/DVD Players at home and in our cars.
I said Abdul would you like some Hindi audio tapes. I have never seen a man so excited. He said Yes Sir you are so kind.
I brought a whole boxful and he thought he could pick one or two and I told him he could have the lot but asked him to leave the English and Tamil tapes behind.
People are people, the same all over the world, the Good the Bad and the ugly.
Ugly ones use religion and faith to justify their ugly deeds.
People are people, the same all over the world, the Good the Bad and the ugly.
Ugly ones use religion and faith to justify their ugly deeds.
