Toying with a Mess

Once a little boy, age 4, was told to pick up some toys strewn on the floor. He merrily obliged, believing that he was helping his parents keep the house in order. A moment later, the younger brother, age 2, came along and emptied the container of toys onto the floor. This time, the elder kid saw it and despite coaxing by the parents, refused to pick up the(..)

A Wisher, a Thinker, & a Go-getter

An engineer was checking his new pay slip after appraisals with a big smile when his friend asked him, “Looks like you got a good raise”.  He replied “Yes, my company seems to have done well.”   The friend’s envious response was, “I wish I too had got a good raise like you.”  The engineer replied, “You should wish to work for a company(..)

The Berlin Glass

A long time ago, Vikings in Scandinavian countries used to live in mud huts where they struggled to get both light and heat. If they punched a hole in the wall to let the bright daylight come in, the hut would go freezing cold. But if they blocked the opening to stay warm, they had to sit in the dark. The advent of industrial revolution solved the problem.(..)

The Unracing Rat

A family of rats lived in the middle of a young wheat field.  As the days passed, the wheat stalks grew tall and the rodents had a feast gnawing away at all the wheat. Then, one day when the ripe golden grain waved in the breeze, the Farmer and his son came into the field.  "This wheat is now ready for reaping," said the Farmer. "We must call in our(..)

Sunshine on a Rainy Day

“I feel sick,” said the voice from the bedroom. “You are not sick. Get up and get ready,” called the wife, walking up the stairs and hovering outside the bedroom door.  “I hate work and I’m not going,” said the voice from the bedroom, “Lately, I have been getting things wrong, making mistakes, and getting smirked upon. I have a feeling that(..)

A Warm Ice-Cream

Once a 10-year-old boy walked up to the counter of an ice-cream parlor and climbed onto a stool. He caught the eye of the waitress and asked, “How much is an ice cream sundae?” “One Dollar,” the waitress replied. The boy reached into his pockets, pulled out a handful of change, and began counting. The waitress frowned impatiently. After all, she had(..)

The Sandalwood Stench

Once there lived a great king in a big palace.  One morning as he was standing in his palatial balcony admiring the morning rays falling on his beautifully landscaped gardens, his vision was marred by the sighting of an ugly dwelling protruding behind the walls of his eastern boundary walls.  Immediately, he dispatched his minister with the instructions(..)

The Unhidden Potential

Here is a page from the dairy of two guys who shared the same last name—Mr. Percentile.  One of them was very intelligent; his name was Mr. Ninety Percentile.  The second was just an ordinary man; his name was Mr. Ten Percentile.  Now, Ninety wanted to make some quick bucks and lured Ten into a bet.  The bet proposition was that each of them would ask(..)

The Inescapable Whirlpool

“Rahul.  Naam to suna hoga”!  Of course.  After all, there are 41 Rahuls in Cybage today.  In fact, the very first Cybagian’s name was Rahul too!  But there is a difference here.  This Rahul that I am referring to is not a Cybagian.  Not yet.   But this will change very soon.  And why shouldn’t it?  Look at his determination-- Stalking(..)

The Healthy Calling

Being health conscious has an optional flavor in our country.  In western countries, staying healthy is an integral part of daily living.  My first stint in becoming health conscious started during my MS days in USA. Motivation? Everyone around me looked fit, so I decided to get in shape, look and feel good about myself, and merge with the crowd.  But I(..)

The True Colors

Last week, I saw a colorful Dandiya.  I attended it as one of the guests, standing in a corner, and watching.  The participation was moderate; however, the view was intoxicating.  At least from where I was watching.  How often does one get to witness so many true colors shining through?  I was so mesmerized by the sight that I decided to talk about it(..)

Inconsequential Excitement

It is the month of August, on the shores of the Black Sea.  It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted.  These are tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.  Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town.  He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 Euro note on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in(..)

The Lingering Fragrance

15 years.  Sometimes, they feel like a lifetime. Sometimes, a blink of an eye. Many early memories of Cybage flash like a set of scattered scenes from a movie you saw as a kid. The shooting for this Cybage movie began in an old army colony apartment of ‘Salunke Vihar’. In those days, the first person to report to work used to be “Maushi”. All our(..)

A Candle’s Breeze

About one week back, as I was busy assembling milestone information to be included in Cybage quarterly performance report – a telephone ring interrupted me.  HR was on the other side.  We had lost one more in the family – young Tarkeshwar Gupta had fallen to the road fury earlier that morning. My immediate thought was no thought – just numbness.(..)

Adapted - Arun Nathani Blog - Page 6