From: rrp@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (rakesh.r.patel)
Subject: Re: Musings of a disgruntled suburbanite (Poem-Long)
Organization: AT&T
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 18:39:49 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.171148.11516@research.nj.nec.com> rsd@ccrl.nj.nec.com (Rajiv Dighe) writes:
>		Ramblings of a reluctant Suburbanite
>
>I live the American dream.
>part skimmed milk, part cream
>Is it a comfortable dream
>or does one wake up with a scream ?
>
>A few weeks ago, our ceiling developed a leak
>a surprise ? hardly, nary a shriek
>same-to-same thing happened sometime last year
>so this time I faced it without a fear
>
>"Shouldnt we call a roofer ?" asked the better half
>"Naah, its blown in from the attic window" I said with a laugh
>This fanciful theory was courtesy my neighbour
>whom I had warmly clasped to my bosom-for saving me the labour
>
>This time I did a better job
>instead of sticking it with tape and some glob
>I removed the sheet rock, for a change
>a certifiable act I'm told-quite deranged
>
>I drilled the new sheetrock onto the stud
>after it landed on my head many a times with a thud
>then I stuck the tape with compound spackle
>which squarely hit me on the face amid spousal cackles 
>
>And then I sanded
> and spackled
>		and sanded
>		  and spackled
>and sanded
>   and spackled
>		thinking I was stranded
>	     and shackled
>in this never-never land of non-uniformity
>this endless mindless quest for conformity
>(it can know be told
>if I may be so bold
>I still sanding
>and spackling)
>
>Somehow that is an apt metaphor
>for the state of my life in stupor
>an unending battle to maintain the facade
>of a seamless creaseless existence-bloody charade
>
>Last weekend was our big date
>with Mother Nature and boy, was she irate
>we surveyed the state of the lawn
>and decided to grab the bull by the horn
>
>It was time to shake and rake
>and vow that future houses will be in a lake
>Raking by itself can be a very cerebral act
>when you have time on your side- not just react
>
>But as I gently turned my barren earth 
>memories flooded from the past-clearly no dearth
>As the winds would suddenly reach a calm
>I smiled to meself as I thought of KILLAM
>
>KILLAM was my friend MALLIK's magnum opus
>witty, humorous it sharply brought to focus
>the plight of the bachelor drafted for chores
>in return for a hot meal and lecture on mores 
>
>
>And even before that I remember times in S.Bend
>when Desi professors invited us for odds & ends
>They thought that feeding us was payment enough
>for after all we were the youth-rough and tough
>
>The "hungry graduate student" was even then a myth
>but we were too polite to openly admit it
>and it always made for a good tale
>in the dark nights as we walked the campus trail 
>
>In those days our time was considered cheap
>as bachelors there was clearly no excuse too deep
>but somehow we had still had our freedom to reap
>and we never felt shackled or a felt a climb was too steep
>
>Clearly then the world was at our feet
>no task too big, no fear of defeat
>I thought about our old crew
>and wondered how many still knew
>
>the challenges of tasks unfamiliar
>the ability to smile and still steer
>how many would now rise to my invitation to clear
>my yard of leaves for a keg of beer ?
>
>I can now see a litany of reasons
>for not being the man for all seasons
>Bad Back
>Daddy Track
>Spousal Attacks
>Spare time I do lack
>
>And then came a sickening thought
>it was not even a question of how many could be bought
>but how many were even able
>to tackle these tasks and still be stable
>
>Most of us have become quite old
>Atrophy spreading in with the cold
>As our joints begin to creak
>and we do our tasks with feelings weak
>
>Then there is the New Jersey Rat Race
>as we try hard to keep up with the pace
>weekdays are spent driving to and from work
>as for weekends-chores that we cannot shirk
>
>These were my thoughts as I gathered the leaves
>and anxiously watched the darkening eve
>15 bags full and I have just done my front lawn
>"the sidewalks and the backyard is left" it is beginning to dawn 
>
>So I have inherited the AMERICAN dream
>I lead the life of the creme-de-creme
>a house I have mortgaged my life for
>a lawn that looks like the S. Florida shore
>(post-Andrew it goes without saying
>but I better stop that thought as I am straying)
>Each weekend there is a laundry list
>of things overdue-if you catch my drift
>where is the time to smell the roses ?
>which reminds me- I have to trim the posies
>who would believe the amount of work 
>that a man must do to enjoy his perks ?
>When will this cycle of Karma end ?
>as I longingly look at my days in S. Bend..
>
>Rajiv-"Queschen is Why not How"-Dighe


Oh! Boy! Don't give you day job! What soppy drivel.

Rakesh Patel
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian