"Thank God it's Friday"(TGIF) expresses the joy one feels in knowing that
the work week has officially ended and that one has two days off with which to enjoy.
Through most of my career I was fortunate to have worked in companies that had
a five-day week.While a two-day weekend sounds enjoyable it does have some
pitfalls.
As a bachelor in Bangalore I did not have any friends, being
new to the city.It was only so much that one could impose on kind-hearted
uncles and aunts during the weekends.Some of the single men in our firm thought
out-of-the-box.As a rule we were entitled to lunch if we attended office on
holidays.So every Saturday I would land up at office on some pretended urgent
work.Coincidentally this would end exactly at lunchtime. A few colleagues and I
would make our way to a haven for creative people called Embassy Bar (sadly now
defunct) near Shivajinagar.By the end of the third hour we would be giving our
take on what ails the world.When I got engaged to be married I was horrified to
note that the owner of the bar lived next door to my in-laws.
Many years later in Hyderabad,after my sons grew up and flew
the coop I was at a loose end,particularly on Saturday mornings.My wife had her
own agenda with domestic chores.I would start off from home and visit
electronic and appliance stores.Successive salesmen would religiously brief me
on the merits of various brands of televisions,fridges,washing machines and
airconditioners.Each time I would give the excuse that I needed to consult my
wife and that I would return later in the day.After a few months I had run
through all the major stores without spending a rupee.
It was then the turn of the car dealers.Hyderabad had a
stretch of open road around the Tank Bund that was ideal for test drives.During
the next few months I knew every bump and pothole on that road while I tested
out the specifications of all the brands available at that time. I also discovered
that car salesmen usually make four phone calls to a potential buyer after a
test drive before giving up as a lost cause!
Even after retirement
, when every day is a weekend, I still yearn for a Saturday morning
outing.Thanks to Bangalore’s burgeoning real estate,developers are bending
backwards to sell their apartments and villas.The Friday newspapers feature
advertisements for housing projects and
entice people to come and see their model apartments.One phone call is all that
I need to arrange my Saturday schedule.The developer sends his vehicle to pick
me up and show me various projects.This also has helped me understand common
real estate jargons. Example: when a developer says five minutes from the centre
of town, it is based on a speed of 100 km/hour.
During my working days I used to enjoy my afternoon siesta
on Saturday as I knew I had one more coming on Sunday.I presumed that once I
retired I would enjoy this luxury every day.Unfortunately,this did not turn out
true.I wonder what is the medical term for “afternoon siesta insomnia”?
