Shifting day!
I had been warned that they would be late but me being me I called up the movers-and-packers at least 6 times before they deigned to show up. Two nondescript men in a huge truck. By huge I mean too huge for my measly needs that comprised of shifting a lightweight small bed and a medium sized refrigerator.
After having given profuse instructions to the 'office people' at the packers who sent these minions, I found the two men acting quite blank.
I made one honest attempt to explain that the bed was here, the second location where the fridge was to be picked up and the final destination to which everything needed to be moved. One chap rapidly translated my Hindi into Kannada for the other one but could not seem to translate back his queries to me. I tried to explain the addresses in the hope that they would confidently say they can get it done themselves but the look of utter blankness on their faces made me quite sure that I knew more of their city than they did. After nearly ten minutes of to-ing and fro-ing with languages I decided to give up. We would lead the way and they would follow in their truck, I decided.
Quite frazzled we set off with the truck lumbered behind us. As expected on a sleepy Sunday afternoon traffic was mercifully less, but the narrow by-lanes which the car happily sped into proved difficult for the bulky truck. It had to fight its way through the overhanging branches of many a leafy tree to make a stop outside the first address. Bringing the fridge down from a second floor flat was not terribly difficult, not in the least because the staircase was outside the house and the lady who had been keeping it was considerate enough to lock up her dog. As the men heaved the fridge down the stairs I busied myself cuddling the huge retriever Mojo who took it upon himself to bring me (held in his mouth) every soft toy and playing ball he possessed. Looking back I would say, that was the high point of my day..
Continuing onwards, leading the way for the truck with the fridge in it's belly, I got mighty confused with where my new house was located. Parked less than five minutes away I made frantic phonecalls to my would-be-flatmate asking for directions. It appeared that I had passed by my new house without noticing it....so about turn it was! Once there everything went rather smoothly, not counting the bumps the movers made while carrying the furniture up to the second floor. With every bump I winced a bit and prayed that they hadn't taken off a bit of the stairwell walls.
But eventually all seemed to be well....the bed and mattress were where I wanted them. The placement of the fridge was a bit dicey as the wire would not reach the plug-point, but at that moment I decided that that was a hiccup I did not feel equipped to deal with right then.
Funnily enough, once everything was done and the time came for me to pay them....one of the men who had given me the impression of not having any common language with me started asking for a bit extra in chaste Hindi.
I stopped myself commenting on this, complied with his request and shook my head at myself inwardly.
After having given profuse instructions to the 'office people' at the packers who sent these minions, I found the two men acting quite blank.
I made one honest attempt to explain that the bed was here, the second location where the fridge was to be picked up and the final destination to which everything needed to be moved. One chap rapidly translated my Hindi into Kannada for the other one but could not seem to translate back his queries to me. I tried to explain the addresses in the hope that they would confidently say they can get it done themselves but the look of utter blankness on their faces made me quite sure that I knew more of their city than they did. After nearly ten minutes of to-ing and fro-ing with languages I decided to give up. We would lead the way and they would follow in their truck, I decided.
Quite frazzled we set off with the truck lumbered behind us. As expected on a sleepy Sunday afternoon traffic was mercifully less, but the narrow by-lanes which the car happily sped into proved difficult for the bulky truck. It had to fight its way through the overhanging branches of many a leafy tree to make a stop outside the first address. Bringing the fridge down from a second floor flat was not terribly difficult, not in the least because the staircase was outside the house and the lady who had been keeping it was considerate enough to lock up her dog. As the men heaved the fridge down the stairs I busied myself cuddling the huge retriever Mojo who took it upon himself to bring me (held in his mouth) every soft toy and playing ball he possessed. Looking back I would say, that was the high point of my day..
Continuing onwards, leading the way for the truck with the fridge in it's belly, I got mighty confused with where my new house was located. Parked less than five minutes away I made frantic phonecalls to my would-be-flatmate asking for directions. It appeared that I had passed by my new house without noticing it....so about turn it was! Once there everything went rather smoothly, not counting the bumps the movers made while carrying the furniture up to the second floor. With every bump I winced a bit and prayed that they hadn't taken off a bit of the stairwell walls.
But eventually all seemed to be well....the bed and mattress were where I wanted them. The placement of the fridge was a bit dicey as the wire would not reach the plug-point, but at that moment I decided that that was a hiccup I did not feel equipped to deal with right then.
Funnily enough, once everything was done and the time came for me to pay them....one of the men who had given me the impression of not having any common language with me started asking for a bit extra in chaste Hindi.
I stopped myself commenting on this, complied with his request and shook my head at myself inwardly.
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