Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Continuum?

The bright spot in the morning ... a letter from a Bihar bureaucrat that ends with "The inconvenience caused is being regretted".

Fascinating. I can almost see the huddle of Bihari babus intensely conjoined in the process of regret. Afterwards, they will send us Completion Certificates in triplicate.

And perhaps a bill as well. For "contingent expenses".


21 comments:

Anurag said...

Haha! I love your blog.

I have a niggling doubt, though. When is one supposed to use who and when whoM?

You remind me of Victor Banerjee in Jogger's Park.

Trina said...

Lol.Brilliant image ... I saw the mournful huddle for a moment there, too!Have humbly added you to my blogroll.

Anonymous said...

it is the age of huddles, but this is the funniest one yet

Anonymous said...

:) I work with the government (err.. or more like consult?) on frequent-run ins too, and completely relate to your uhm.. fantasy..

Aren't you glad they finally stopped asking for RTIs? (Right Thumb Impression!)

J. Alfred Prufrock said...

Scab, the damn link won't work for me either. Shall trawl the Net for the blog I originally got it from - linked from G9's page, iIra.
And if I may say so, I like your blog. Even though you and Bridal Beer have more in common than I'm comfortable with.

Anurag, would that I had Victor B's lean good looks. (Perizaad would also be welcome ...) But I do think I write better than his pretentious bilge.

Letterhead, honoured.

*bowing to Mr.?*

Neha, not fair that you don't activate the Comments option on your blog. Why not post about your Gorrrment experiences?

J.A.P.

Anonymous said...

JAP

Told you once where you could leave the comments.. didn't i? :)
Will do soon. The Gorrment and others.

But have come to the conclusion that the private sector is no better. :)

Urmea said...

Sorry to seem like a stalker but I can't help reading about your troubles getting to open the test - well all you have to do is delete the extra 'period' or 'fullstop' at the end of the address in the link. Voila...

NoHairBrain said...

hehehehe .. Gorment Basher!! Daddy likes! :D This is an inside job too .. HAHAHA!!

Vishnupriya said...

does this mean i get to call you uncle :))

and anyway, im significantly older that 16 (never mind how much) so if you were 16, i would probably have done the big sis thing.

Anonymous said...

I almost see it too! LOL! You are funny old man.

Nimbus said...

Just stumbled by. I likey blog, the Bihari babuas, especially so. Nervous about invoking the wrath of the anglophile, but I guess I'll have to take my chances.

And hello Neha!

J. Alfred Prufrock said...

Hmmm ...

Neha, it's disorienting to read your posts on one site and then go comment on another. So very Gorment ... you've been indoctrinated!

Sarathy, strange to finally have something YOU like!

Urmi, thank you. (And no thanks for mimicking me!)

Vishnupriya, 'Uncle' suits me fine. And let's not get into the time travel scenario, entirely too recondite.

Ph, I hope that's funny amusing rather than funny strange.

Megha, you're right, rather 'babuas' than 'babus'.

Jinx, thanks for visiting, I liked the LIC one.

And ladies, that 'Anglophile'post was a mere fustian tirade. I do not presume to sit in judgement here!

J.A.P.

Anonymous said...

Fustian? Haven't heard anyone use that word outside the pages of a Heyer :). I like.

Urmea said...

Mimicking you!!!??? How effortlessly on my part, even without intent it would seem! Unfair!

Anonymous said...

:(
Thanks JAP. My secret is out!

Megha:

Yellow dear!

Anonymous said...

I love this. I positively love this kind of writing. Adding you to my list of must-reads!

Anonymous said...

Discovered your blog via IndiaUncut. Could you add an RSS feed please? Blogger should really have it on by default but I guess they don't. It should be in your blog settings or thereabouts! Thanks!

J. Alfred Prufrock said...

I rise to the bait ... an RSS feed? Do tell. *settling down to imbibe knowledge while surreptitiously checking shorts for khaki tinge*

CA - thanks. And btw ... wait till you've been married 20 years.

J.A.P.

Quizman said...

Shri J. A. P,

Your most esteemed huddled servants in Bihar would like to bring to your kind attention the usage of the word "and" immediately preceding the abbreviation "btw". It is been brought to our humble consideration that page 44, paragraph 3 of Wren & Martin (S. Chand & Co , New Delhi, 1983 edition) discourages in the strongest possible terms, sentences that begin with a co-ordinating conjunction. Additionally, we collectively petition you to refrain from adding aforementioned conjunction before "by the way."

It has also been brought to the DM's attention that your article obliquely equates long-term marriage with taziiraat-i-hind dafa 302.

We would be grateful if the oversight can be rectified. Please confirm by sending self-addressed postage-paid game-postcard letters to DM's office.

Thanking you in anticipation. Eternally obliged, we remain,

Yours sincerely/-
HBS (Huddled Bihari Sangathan)
cc: Bidiyo, Deeyum

P.S. This is not to be considered as an official reprimand.

J. Alfred Prufrock said...

Bhrigu, your effort can only be answered with a post of its own.

Megha, when you surmise about wrath, surely you mean 'incur' rather than 'invoke'? "Aumm JAP-ayah krodham namaha" seems rather far-fetched.

J.A.P.

Miracle Drug said...

hey

you should really elect to publicly share your profile.

blogger wont show your profile to other ppl unless you ask it to...

(i was curious about you. j alfred prufrock. my fav poem ever)