Pune Doctor and the Chennai Engineer
Everybody was looking forward for this particular day. Our entire training batch had planned for a trip to Mahabaleshwar. My roommates woke up early and were getting ready.
"Wake up Sudhin, Its getting late..."
I too wanted to get up, but then I couldn't even open my eyes.
"Macha, I think I have fever da."
"Oops!!! I think it's the viral outbreak in our area. I heard even our next door batchmate Avi is having the same problem."
Just then, Avi clad in a woolen blanket came to our room.
"Good that I have a company, these guys can go too. Avi, we'll consult the doctor"
"But today is a holiday. The campus doctor wouldn't be available."
"In that case, we need to go Kumar's clinic which is near Hinjewadi Chowk..."
Immediately after our friends left, we started off to meet the doctor. Two nurses were sitting in the reception.
"We want to meet the doctor. Is he in?"
"Doctor ek tasani ethe eteel" *
"What was that, Sudhin?"
"I think she's saying that the doctor is out."
"But don't the people here know English. What do we do?"
"I think she spoke in Marathi. I know little Hindi. We'll manage, don't you worry."
Turning to the nurse, I again asked her, "Doctor Bahar? Kab Vapas?" **
She showed her index finger. Just then I understood she meant that the doctor would be back in an hour. In less than half an hour itself, the doctor arrived. We were asked to come in.
"Sir, hum log beemar!!!" ***
"Hmmm...."
"Bahut mushkil hai" ****
I could understand his patience too. My Hindi was very bad and funny. But we had no choice these people don't understand English. Avi was in absolute silence.
At last, the doctor spoke, "Koi problem nahi... Aap log kahen se hai?" *****
"Chennai Se. Yehan kaam karte. Hindi toda toda aathe." ******
"Kahan Kaam karte ho?" +
"Infosys mein" ++
"Ho!! Infosys mein, kya kaam?" +++
"Software Engineer...."
"Kya? Engineer Ho aur English nahin jaante?!!" ++++
~Sudhin
* Doctor would be in an hour. (Marathi)
** Doctor is out? When he'll be back?
*** Sir, we are suffering from fever
**** Very difficult
***** No problem, where are you from?
****** We are from Chennai. Working here. Know little Hindi.
+ Where are you working?
++ At Infosys
+++ What job at Infosys?
++++ What? You are an engineer and you don't know English.
posted by Unknown @ 1:56 AM
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