The rise in petrol prices proved disastrous for the nation as the political parties went into an overdrive with protests, rallies, bandhs, hartals and what not. I looked happy as I bid a respectful adieu to my boss on Wednesday only to be warned that we have to keep the office fires burning on Saturday. My mood crashed with a thud as I yanked my bag onto my shoulder, muttering ominously to myself. The bag decided to divorce itself from the strap at that moment and I was left staring at it lying on the floor, its contents spilling over, while the strap continued to swing merrily from my not so petite shoulder. 

I was devastated, not because I had to go through the trouble of buying a new one but because I had to transfer the entire contents from their place of rest and reorganize them into their new abode. And hey! I really had no idea what surprises my bag might throw up. Now all you techies out there, don’t look bored. I’m certainly not going to brag about my laptop bag, simply because I don’t own one. Now isn’t that a shame? And to think that I’m the second most important person in the office, the first being the office boy who locks and unlocks the office everyday, where I spend the rest of the day listening to my boss going Grrrrrrr. Ungrateful beasts, the lot! 

Finally coming back to the subject in hand. My bag. I try to sift  through the contents quickly, determined not to overload my swanky new bag. A precaution that had been overlooked while stuffing its predecessor. I gingerly take out the root of all evils, my wealth, which looks insufficient once it is released from the confines of the container. Money isn’t everything, I console myself as I prepare to dig deep into the murky depths of my bag. What have we here? I stare in astonishment as I bring up 4 pens and a half eaten bar of Cadbury’s chocolate. I try them out, one by one, the paper yields as I try desperately to scribble on it with my new found treasures. I put them aside, determined to get rid of them as I gingerly bite into the Cadbury. A pained ex-pression crosses my face, as I remember that I am on a diet. You must exercise, I rebuke myself. I fling away the chocolate and take a couple of steps to the fridge, walk 2 steps back again with a fresh chocolate bar as a reward for my 4 step walk.  

I dig again, and find a handful of folded papers staring up at me. Aaila! Love letters, I must be the ultimate femme fatale, the recipient of such numerous notes of amorous nature! I’m all agog as I slowly begin to unravel the papers. Hmm! I snort in disgust as my eyes take in the old grocery lists, reminders from my mom, my nephew’s list of computer games & an odd bill or two. My romantic bubble bursts as I reach the end of the pile without discovering a single declaration of loveL My next lot reveals a couple of cheque books without any leaves. It confirms that my finance is experiencing the Fall even as Monsoon peeps over India. I also come up with a handful of revenue stamps which makes me wonder if I am related to a certain Telgi by an outside chance.

But all is not lost. Of course I retain the most important things too.  The keys to my flat, the keys to my letter-box, my mobile charger and the most important tool of all……Awww! Where is it? I turn my bag upside down and inside out, No Luck!.:( Oh God! @#$@*&^%! What will I do now? I have been rendered immobile and don’t remember my own No., never having had the opportunity of calling myself. Heeeelp!