a confession

yes, i do not know how to operate a bloody electric kettle. whatever the reasons. my personal belief: i never needed to use the robotic thing. have always had lpg or/and a microwave at home and somehow in previous offices and colleges, have simply ordered tea or at least had access to free flowing hot water in which to dip dip in. now this is the first time i have been left to battle with one. that too in a pantry where there were others present.

scene yesterday: pantry in the afternoon with sleepy peons making tea for themselves and a couple of white collar workers arousing from slumber as they sip and talk about work. i enter head toward where i see cups and saucers (give me some doodh-bhaat in the whole story. its my first day here and i dont have 'friends' though i know some random ppl). i ask the peon closest if i can pick up any cup/mug (in 'the bank' ppl were possessive of their 'own' mugs) and where the sugar is. after being allowed i search for the largest then compromise n take the cleanest and wholest mug. i see THE KETTLE. think the angels (or the peons) must have done the job and kept hot water ready for me. pour it into my mug. mix my heaps of sugar and dip dip earl grey after peeping into the tetley carton and rejecting it. i have to help the tea bag to sink. it refuses to on its own and refuses to paint my water coz as i soon realise its not hot. the angel says 'aap yahan ki cheezon se naye ho?' i smile confessingly. 'aaj pehli baar aayi hoon. tabhi to pooch rahi hoon kya kahan hai.' he says 'aapki yeh chai to kharab ho gayi'. i reply as sweetly 'mujhe dikh raha hai'. he switches the kettle on and i wait. then comes again and switches the main red switch on. i was waiting for godot. then he wants to explain something about the switch. i nod dismissively to say i will manage. kettle boiling now. i switch off. upper switch not complying. i switch red off. breathe. lift the kettle wondering what if i drench myself with this. it comes off its electric stand. now i am scared. i thought it was to stay put on it. i call one of the angels (bhaiya) wondering what did i break.
5 mins later, with not a blush on my cheeks (indian brown) i leave the pantry with my tea. it was v good by the way

update:
scene today: my friend angel is making his tea when i enter the pantry at about the same time fighting off afternoon dreams that my unemployment has helped seep into my being. i ask him what the status is with the kettle while fiddling with the upper switch. i answer my own question saying 'abhi to isme garam paani hai na'. he nods then smiles at me. lifts the kettle. puts it onto the electric stand and says 'yeh button ab garam karega' (intending that in case i needed to heat which luckily i don't, and implying that i am a rural fool). i actually say 'woh to hai'. i get my good tea again anyway