Thursday, May 19, 2005

Late Latiff

Yes. This is how my friends call me. I don’t know why, but I have always been late for everything in life and everywhere I go. I firmly believe that there must be a better way to start a day than getting up from the bed!

To start with,I was born late. It was on a Monday at 0830 hrs on 28 Nov 1977, I started squirming inside my mothers womb, desperate to see the world for which nature was preparing me for nine long months. But my mother took injections to delay her labour pain to ensure that I was born an hour later and not during the rahu kalam, which was an inauspicious hour falling between 0730 and 0900 on mondays. So I was born at 1033h, a late entry by two full hrs. I don’t remember a day when I reached my school on time. I was the assistant school pupil leader of my school, who was supposed to preside over the assembly. And most of the time, I could hear my principal screaming in the mike, calling me to the stage, when I used to be standing helplessly outside the school door, which used to be strictly closed at 0915hrs. When I graduated into 11th grade, things became even more difficult as the new timings were from 0745h instead of 0915h, which I felt was too early for me. I used to be always late and faced a lot of problems. So I walked up to my principal and cooked up a great story as to why I am always late and why I cannot be on time because of situations that are beyond my control. Hence I requested for a late pass, a pass to legalise my crime of coming late to school. I was a very bright student and hence the principal considered my request but with a condition. He told me that if only I show my sincerity for just one week and be on time for school.

I happily agreed to his contention. But, in hindsight I realized the trap that he had cleverly set for me. So I audaciously continued my late arrivals for next one week and promptly reported to him for getting my late pass signed. He was at first surprised and then with a lot of indignation screamed at me “ Karthik, I asked you to come on time for just one week. You never came on time and now how dare you stand in front of me asking for a late pass?”

I calmly replied, “ Sir, If only I could come on time for just a week, then I can come on time all through the year. I have a genuine problem and that’s why I am here. So I kindly request that my late pass be signed at the earliest“.

Struck by my logic, he gave that omniscient smile. But he immediately signed my late pass, and I am sure, in the history of my school, I would have been the only one who was allowed to come late by half an hour. This habit continues till date. And thats why, I am fondly called the Late Latif !!

4 comments:

Karthik "KK" said...

Mate... Y did ya stop at clg ;-)

Pls go on & tell us more abt ur late comings after 12th... I would luv to hear abt them..Wud be much more innerestin..N'est ce pas :))

ShaXanK said...

boss , where hav u been?
infact i agree that there IS a better way of starting the day than getting out of the bed every morning. one can get up every aftrnoon !!!
its because ppl like us that the morning crowd is not increased otherwise how can evry1 be on time. i mean unless som1 is late ppl wont understand that they were on time.
ok ok my commenting time's up

The Soul Doctor said...

Hi Shashank

My job is unrelated to the computers and I am not always on my desk. Hence I may get late in replying.

If too many of us start getting late, then we would become the morning crowd!! so, its not good. people must be on time.

Unknown said...

Late Latif!!!!!!I wonder how u got an entry in Army wit dat tag....:)...I always thot Army ppl r punctual abt everythin as in everythin...no pun intended...

Cheers,
Uma