Nov/Dec 1997 - My friend, Sonal, and I were loitering in Dharampeth, Nagpur.
Me:: Nagpur is so different from Assam.
Sonal:: Like what?
Me:: Everything is different - people, language, food.... even smaller things - for example, in Assam, you can find potatoes in vegetable shops, and not in fruit shops.
Sonal:: Even in Nagpur, you find potatoes in veg shops, not in fruit stalls.
Me:: (pointing at 'potatoes' being sold at a fruit shop):: no.. you are wrong.. look at those potatoes that the fruit seller is selling.
It's so easy to be biased and to feel hurt at perceived racist slights when one's knowledge is imperfect. Maybe, often, we interpret someone's 'chikoo' to be a 'potato', and let this misinterpretation fester our relationships and belief system. If only we go more by facts than by our interpretations, the world will be a better place.
Me:: Nagpur is so different from Assam.
Sonal:: Like what?
Me:: Everything is different - people, language, food.... even smaller things - for example, in Assam, you can find potatoes in vegetable shops, and not in fruit shops.
Sonal:: Even in Nagpur, you find potatoes in veg shops, not in fruit stalls.
Me:: (pointing at 'potatoes' being sold at a fruit shop):: no.. you are wrong.. look at those potatoes that the fruit seller is selling.
Sonal:: (rolling in laughter):: Those are chikoos, you idiot!
Me:: What is that??
Sonal:: Chal tere ko chikoo khilate hain! Let's buy some chikoos.
Every time I eat chikoos, I remember this episode.
Me:: What is that??
Sonal:: Chal tere ko chikoo khilate hain! Let's buy some chikoos.
Every time I eat chikoos, I remember this episode.
It's so easy to be biased and to feel hurt at perceived racist slights when one's knowledge is imperfect. Maybe, often, we interpret someone's 'chikoo' to be a 'potato', and let this misinterpretation fester our relationships and belief system. If only we go more by facts than by our interpretations, the world will be a better place.
ahahahaha!!! tune sonal ko thanks bola?
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