The experiments I do in the lab are rather complicated. I have to use "sophisticated" instruments and as we all know, the more sophisticated the gadget, the more hassles in its maintenance. Not too big a deal, one would think, since I am being able to investigate things which would have been otherwise impossible. So when, at 8.00 PM, right in the middle of my experiment, the instrument refuses to give me a single reading, and no amount of kicking or smacking would make it budge, you have to think of innovative ways to appease it. I decided to have an intelligent conversation with it. "Well, tell me what you want because I really want to make you happy so that I can get on with my work" I reasoned. "temperature too high" blinked back a red button at me. "Well" I sighed to myself as I took the bucket to get dry ice, "at least it is more reasonable than my mother."
Now here comes the other problem. Dry ice is available only in the docking area of The Biodesign and that is not a place I look forward to visiting, especially at eight in the evening. I have some very good reasons too. As the name suggests, it is a place where the loading and loading takes place, which means there is always a lot of loud noises associated with that area. Secondly, there is this musty smell about the place and a gloom hanging in the air which a dim light bulb fails to dispel. Thirdly, there are always these big, burly, black men who can make you run like a frightened deer just because of their sheer size. Now I am not a racist, I have no right to be, I come from a third world country myself, but these people intimidate me! And I cant help that!
But then, one can presume that they will all be safely at home with their wife and kids at such an ungodly hour. Moreover, my spoilt little machine was throwing a tantrum and refused to be pacified with anything else. So I decided to brave all the dangers in my path and take a trip to the docking area of the building. Whistling a cheerful tune, I marched to the basement and proceeded through the long and tortuous corridors until I found myself in the remotest part of the entire building. As I entered, the silence that engulfed me was rather relieving as it indicated that I was alone.
As I walked further into the docking area, my eyes grew accustomed to the dim light and low and behold! Right in the corner were the silhouettes of six hulking figures, resting their massive limbs after a day's hard work. I could feel their black beady eyes on me as I stared filling my bucket and the shiver that ran down my spine was not solely because of the frozen carbon dioxide. In my mind flashed the image of a frightened hare cornered by six bloodhounds and a huge chunk of ice slithered from my trembling hands and came crashing on the floor.
Almost simultaneously, an inarticulate and animal-like roar came from the corner and I froze on spot as a seven feet tall giant came crashing towards me. It stopped short of me, just near my feet and started rummaging about in the broken splinters of ice. A second later, it looked up at me the pearly white teeth flashing and pointed a finger clumsily towards my feet. Still petrified, I moved my eyes obediently and I found a little snail crawling lazily on the damp floor.
"Watch out Missy, it would have died you know, poor little thing can't speak." He turned his back on me and they all filed out of the door. As for me, well in Wordworth's words I shall say
Now here comes the other problem. Dry ice is available only in the docking area of The Biodesign and that is not a place I look forward to visiting, especially at eight in the evening. I have some very good reasons too. As the name suggests, it is a place where the loading and loading takes place, which means there is always a lot of loud noises associated with that area. Secondly, there is this musty smell about the place and a gloom hanging in the air which a dim light bulb fails to dispel. Thirdly, there are always these big, burly, black men who can make you run like a frightened deer just because of their sheer size. Now I am not a racist, I have no right to be, I come from a third world country myself, but these people intimidate me! And I cant help that!
But then, one can presume that they will all be safely at home with their wife and kids at such an ungodly hour. Moreover, my spoilt little machine was throwing a tantrum and refused to be pacified with anything else. So I decided to brave all the dangers in my path and take a trip to the docking area of the building. Whistling a cheerful tune, I marched to the basement and proceeded through the long and tortuous corridors until I found myself in the remotest part of the entire building. As I entered, the silence that engulfed me was rather relieving as it indicated that I was alone.
As I walked further into the docking area, my eyes grew accustomed to the dim light and low and behold! Right in the corner were the silhouettes of six hulking figures, resting their massive limbs after a day's hard work. I could feel their black beady eyes on me as I stared filling my bucket and the shiver that ran down my spine was not solely because of the frozen carbon dioxide. In my mind flashed the image of a frightened hare cornered by six bloodhounds and a huge chunk of ice slithered from my trembling hands and came crashing on the floor.
Almost simultaneously, an inarticulate and animal-like roar came from the corner and I froze on spot as a seven feet tall giant came crashing towards me. It stopped short of me, just near my feet and started rummaging about in the broken splinters of ice. A second later, it looked up at me the pearly white teeth flashing and pointed a finger clumsily towards my feet. Still petrified, I moved my eyes obediently and I found a little snail crawling lazily on the damp floor.
"Watch out Missy, it would have died you know, poor little thing can't speak." He turned his back on me and they all filed out of the door. As for me, well in Wordworth's words I shall say
"the music in my heart I bore,
long after it was heard no more."
posted by shreya at 5:16 PM
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