Are you aware of the phrase- "tumhara post office khulla hai."(your post office is open)? Do you know what it means? I am guessing that more of the male readers (that requires me to make the assumption that i have readers in the first place. Audacious me!) will answer with an affirmative.
Anyway, let me take you to my childhood. The summer vacation is on. I am in my native at my grandfather's shop. My uncle comes up to me and says, "aww, your post office is open!" And since then, every time i was caught with my pants unzipped, i would be asked to close my 'post office'.
Fast forward some 15 years. I am seated in a classroom full of 2nd standard kids. They are giving an exam and are pretty clueless about anything that is asked in the paper. I am trying to think of ways to have fun with the kids. Occasionally, i am making faces at the kids and they take a few seconds to giggle and tell their neighbours to take a look at the clown that is seated amongst them.
And then suddenly i think, would saying, "Tumhara post office khulla hai."(your post office is open) work in this place? Will the kids understand that i am taking about the unzipped pant? Or is it a joke that is shared only between my uncle and i? So, to just see the validity of the phrase in this part of the country, 2000 odd kilometers away from its origin (citation needed), i randonly go to a kid and say,
"Tumhara post office khulla hai."(your post office is open)
Instantly, he looks towards his pants. He checks the zip. I am amazed! It worked! he is smiling shyly. Giggles break open in the class. The kid's head remains lowered.
What is he doing? He cannot be checking for so long. Why has he stopped giggling, too? The giggles are spreading to the entire class. The girls join in. The kid is about to cry. And then it hits me.
What had i done!? I had embarrassed the kid in front of the entire class. There was no taking back what i had just said. Nevertheless, i go apologize to him.
"Sorry, sorry," i say. Like it means anything to him. He is crying anyway.
Anyway, let me take you to my childhood. The summer vacation is on. I am in my native at my grandfather's shop. My uncle comes up to me and says, "aww, your post office is open!" And since then, every time i was caught with my pants unzipped, i would be asked to close my 'post office'.
Fast forward some 15 years. I am seated in a classroom full of 2nd standard kids. They are giving an exam and are pretty clueless about anything that is asked in the paper. I am trying to think of ways to have fun with the kids. Occasionally, i am making faces at the kids and they take a few seconds to giggle and tell their neighbours to take a look at the clown that is seated amongst them.
And then suddenly i think, would saying, "Tumhara post office khulla hai."(your post office is open) work in this place? Will the kids understand that i am taking about the unzipped pant? Or is it a joke that is shared only between my uncle and i? So, to just see the validity of the phrase in this part of the country, 2000 odd kilometers away from its origin (citation needed), i randonly go to a kid and say,
"Tumhara post office khulla hai."(your post office is open)
Instantly, he looks towards his pants. He checks the zip. I am amazed! It worked! he is smiling shyly. Giggles break open in the class. The kid's head remains lowered.
What is he doing? He cannot be checking for so long. Why has he stopped giggling, too? The giggles are spreading to the entire class. The girls join in. The kid is about to cry. And then it hits me.
What had i done!? I had embarrassed the kid in front of the entire class. There was no taking back what i had just said. Nevertheless, i go apologize to him.
"Sorry, sorry," i say. Like it means anything to him. He is crying anyway.
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