Posted on Trivia – The Spice of Life on 16/09/2023
[For a long time, I have not written a slice of life post because of a dearth of inspiration. This time round, some pictures on social media and the benevolent rain gods provided the much needed motivation.]
Image Courtesy : https://indianexpress.com
The whole of last weekend, social media was abuzz with images from the G-20 summit and what the world leaders who descended on New Delhi were doing apart from keeping up with their official engagements. One picture which was very impressive was that of the British premier walking with his wife under a red umbrella as it rained. The picture was very candid and looked very enchanting. While I was also amazed at the picture, a thought that crossed my mind was about how much of planning would have gone into arranging for the umbrella and safekeeping it. I am sure an escort staff member would have been given the responsibility of keeping the umbrella handy and of presenting it at the opportune moment. I am not sure any other commoner (pun intended) would be this fortunate.
The Mumbaikar during the monsoons
Image Courtesy : https://www.skymetweather.com
This also made be ponder about how difficult it is for ordinary mortals to keep the umbrella safe. Living in Mumbai, I know that the umbrella is the most prized possession of the Mumbaikar during the monsoons. If in Delhi, the winters need preparation, in Mumbai, it is the monsoons that steal the show.
Mumbai’s oldest umbrella shop – Ebrahim Currim & Sons, Kalba Devi
Image Courtesy : https://lbb.in/mumbai/
Every year no matter how many umbrellas one purchases in June, come September, they all seem to have vanished into the clouds. I am sure all of us would have forgotten an umbrella or two in the taxi/bus/theatre and upon returning empty handed, would have been hauled over the coals by the powers-that-be at home.
Lost Umbrellas waiting to be claimed in a city of Japan
Image Courtesy : https://www.japantimes.co.
Have you ever wondered about what happens to all the forgotten umbrellas? Logically, finders would be keepers. There are tales of Good Samaritans returning the umbrella to the rightful owner. This usually happens with fellow travellers who take the same bus or train everyday and thus become acquaintances, if not friends. But with so many of us losing/forgetting umbrellas on a daily basis, I am sure, there must be a market for second hand umbrellas as well. Also, some enterprising ones would have passed them off as brand new ones and sold them to an unsuspecting customer.
While most of us are absent minded when it comes to carrying or safekeeping umbrellas, there are some (couples!!) on Marine Drive who will dutifully carry it irrespective of the season and never leave it unattended as it serves multiple ends. But little do they know that bada hi CID hai wo neeli chhatri wala!!
Disclaimer
anitamultitasker.wordpress.com claims no credit for any image, screenshots or songs posted on this site. The images and screenshots are the copyright of their original owners.
Trivia 
Anita,
This is a nice one. In US/UK campuses where carrying umbrella is a habit, most of the umbrellas are lowly black small umbrellas. These are identical commodities and no guilt is associated with picking up another one.
The same does not apply to footwear at the temples. They are not identical, and some shoe/chappal may invite attention of the lifters. The owner is left desolate at the loss. The only defence for this situation is to wear the most basic footwear for the temple, and you don’t care if it is not there.
Knowing my proclivity, I don’t have a pen which costs more than ₹5. A friend suggests if I carry a Mont Blanc, my habit of losing pens would disappear. But I know myself more than I trust him. I dare not try this therapy.
Some lifting may be very poignant. In Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves, a bicycle is a must for getting a job in the war devastated Italy. The theft of the cycle brings the world crashing down for the hero. His frantic searches takes him to the chor bazaar of Rome. He is asked to pick his ‘bicycle’, if it is there, from the thousands stolen ones which have landed there. The honourable man leaves disappointed, but his falling to temptation later is the high point of the classic film.
You mentioned ‘powers-that-be at home’. I am sure you are not referring to yourself, but poor mortals like me who have such an Authority at home.
AK
LikeLike
Thanks a lot for this wonderful take on losing one’s possessions! I am sorry for the delay in responding. I was out of station and had taken a break. The place I went to was frightfully hot and the umbrella was used more to protect oneself from getting a sun stroke! The umbrella is indeed a very useful contraption. I learnt while researching for this post that Japan is a country where umbrellas are used prolifically.
All of us are absent minded when it comes to certain things. And we never learn even the hard way!!
You mentioned ‘powers-that-be at home’. I am sure you are not referring to yourself, but poor mortals like me who have such an Authority at home.
You have got this one absolutely right!!😄
LikeLike