What Ho!

19th April 2004
Time : 2030 hrs

Just happens to the name of the Pelham Grenville W. novel that i just started reading. Its an omnibus with the sub-title of "Best of Wodehouse". Though i can already say(without having read much) that this isnt true,cause the book contains a mere 40 stories & unless u can bring all his works between two covers u cant really make such a claim.His without-a-shadow-of-a-doubt beyond-genuis talent lies in turning the normally nightmarish situation into a laugh out loud one. He's one of those incredibly few writers who can brighten any blighted situation & here's my proof:It was one of those typical bangalore april morning, the weather was cloudy and the air still carried the moisture from last night's rain. I, having taken a sorta soporific for my illness caused by the rhino virus , the previous night , was still extremely drowsy and had almost decided to take the day off when my boss,DU, calls up to inform me that some very sought after trouble -shooters were coming solve a certain problem & i was to report to the sub-station-asap. "Wonderful", i thought.So,despite feeling like i was stuck in a slow-motion picture,i made it in time to work. DU turns up half an later only to inform me,that the ts had cancelled and wouldn't be coming after all."Fantastic", i muttered.Now, the day in my station happened to one devoid of any trippings or other such problems and the weather seemed decent enough for my soporific to show it wasn't quite done yet.So, barely had i dozed off, when i heard voices(damn,i wondered had i forgotten to take my medication?) & i reluctantly opened my sleepy eyes to verify my suspicions, only to find my six footer boss towering over me!"Hullo" i said genially, not knowing what else to say , to which my boss enquired after my well-being,which i assumed to be of the mind, and replied "Oh super!" "Hmm" said he and walked off.& thats really how u go about tossing your job down the drain.Later on, when the evening presented itself , i sat on the terrace, with the omnibus in my lap and decided to browse through its contents. Ofcourse, once i started i was hooked. Let me now refresh your collective minds, that my state was such that i never thought my lips would curve upwards again.& guess what? i had barely read a few pages , when i found myself laughing uncontrollably.That, really, is the magic of P.G. Wodehouse.