Qatar's making me soft
It must have been around 5 am. I was sleeping. Dreaming (can't recollect what the dream was now). A noise began. Tung Tung Tung Tung...
I sleep very soundly. Even earthquakes haven't managed to break my slumber. I have never witnessed an earthquake. Apparently, they happen only at night. Strange. No not in Qatar. I mean in general. There have been a couple of instances, when my mother and my sister in Delhi, have tried their best to wake me up during an earthquake, more to witness it than to panic and run out of the building like most in our three-storey (!!!) apartments do. Stupid. Anyway, I've woken up (barely), slurred, with squinted eyes, "Earthquake, oh ok, damn, where, here...(?)" and then dropped my head back on the pillow.
I sleep very soundly. Even earthquakes haven't managed to break my slumber. I have never witnessed an earthquake. Apparently, they happen only at night. Strange. No not in Qatar. I mean in general. There have been a couple of instances, when my mother and my sister in Delhi, have tried their best to wake me up during an earthquake, more to witness it than to panic and run out of the building like most in our three-storey (!!!) apartments do. Stupid. Anyway, I've woken up (barely), slurred, with squinted eyes, "Earthquake, oh ok, damn, where, here...(?)" and then dropped my head back on the pillow.
Tung Tung Tung Tung...
It woke me up. For the first time in my entire life, I pulled the pillow out from beneath my face and covered my ears with it. What the screw!
5.30 am. Tung Tung Tung... it continued. For a few seconds the noise stopped. Thank God. I thought the pillow-over-my-ears idea worked. I thought about how stupid I was when I abused people who did the same to block noises.
Tung Tung Tung... The Tung-man had just taken a break for a few seconds, obviously.
The pillow idea never works, I maintain.
For the past three days, a building near my house, a second hand car showroom, is being razed down. I was particularly impressed that they shattered the entire showroom in a matter of hours. Doesn't happen this fast in India at least.
So it had to be some contruction work there that was making so much noise. AT 5.30 in the bloody morning. I mean, could they not be a little more considerate towards people who play Deep Abyss and talk to their girlfriends till three in the morning?!!
I might have gotten used to the sound, and slept off again. When I woke up it was 10. Tung Tung Tung... the same sound.
I changed, picked up my adidas handbag and walked out of my apartment to head for office. The sun was strong this morning. I could barely open my eyes. I could barely breathe because of the moisture in the air.
There I saw, a lone rugged crane, standing on mud surrounded with piles of debris, breaking huge stones of the razed structure into half. One after the other. Tung Tung Tung...
I walked closer, intending to just pass by on to the main road to get a cab as usual. Inside the rugged crane was a man, drenched in sweat.
6 hours, straight, he's been doing that. He turned his face towards me, almost sure that I'm going to say something rude, considering he's been abused like a zillion times since morning.
I lifted my arm up and waved, with a smile. He smiled too.
My smile stayed on till I reached my office.
It woke me up. For the first time in my entire life, I pulled the pillow out from beneath my face and covered my ears with it. What the screw!
5.30 am. Tung Tung Tung... it continued. For a few seconds the noise stopped. Thank God. I thought the pillow-over-my-ears idea worked. I thought about how stupid I was when I abused people who did the same to block noises.
Tung Tung Tung... The Tung-man had just taken a break for a few seconds, obviously.
The pillow idea never works, I maintain.
For the past three days, a building near my house, a second hand car showroom, is being razed down. I was particularly impressed that they shattered the entire showroom in a matter of hours. Doesn't happen this fast in India at least.
So it had to be some contruction work there that was making so much noise. AT 5.30 in the bloody morning. I mean, could they not be a little more considerate towards people who play Deep Abyss and talk to their girlfriends till three in the morning?!!
I might have gotten used to the sound, and slept off again. When I woke up it was 10. Tung Tung Tung... the same sound.
I changed, picked up my adidas handbag and walked out of my apartment to head for office. The sun was strong this morning. I could barely open my eyes. I could barely breathe because of the moisture in the air.
There I saw, a lone rugged crane, standing on mud surrounded with piles of debris, breaking huge stones of the razed structure into half. One after the other. Tung Tung Tung...
I walked closer, intending to just pass by on to the main road to get a cab as usual. Inside the rugged crane was a man, drenched in sweat.
6 hours, straight, he's been doing that. He turned his face towards me, almost sure that I'm going to say something rude, considering he's been abused like a zillion times since morning.
I lifted my arm up and waved, with a smile. He smiled too.
My smile stayed on till I reached my office.
I don't know if his faded away as soon as I went past.
posted by Once the Conman at 2:18 PM
5 Comments:
that was a very sweet thing to do...these poor construction workers always get abused for making stuff we use and need...
btw thanks for visiting my blog and come again
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I enjoyed reading your blog, too, and bookmarked it so I can come back to read more.
I agree; that was kind to smile at the construction worker. He was only doing his job...
all through college i joked that i was the only guy who made friends with auto drivers...
a smile or a few words are always welcome i think. works fine.
great blog you have here btb.
its strange but i came a little after u did to doha but experianced just about the same things..at times i feel theres a lot to do at other times ..do what?but one thing for sure its tranquil..and havent felt this relaxed anywhere.
and i know that noise ur talking about..lol and sumtimes i wonder how we are given such luxeries in life and those poor souls working at such hours...am glad u smiled at the guy!...but thats how we women feel ..good to see a guy being sensitive for a change.god bless...smiles.
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