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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Opening Things – Part 2

Apropos of the above post on Opening Things Athiran Santhosh Soman has sent me this video by Larry David, though a bit long, promises hilarious viewing. Watch the way he stomps at the package he tries, tries, tries, and is unable to open. Why does the packaging industry go paranoid over their precious products? Nah!

In this context, something I forgot to introduce in the earlier post. You know how difficult it is to open taps? Sometimes it has sensor which detect your hand kept under it and delivers a burning burst of steamy water. There was this tap at the Blue Frog poetry slam Sunday before last, which I supposed was operated thusly. I kept my hand under the narrow spout and waited, and waited, and waited. Nothing happened. Exasperated, I looked around. Nothing. No sign of a tap, contraption, screwy thing anywhere around. By now I am wallowing in self-pity and contrition. Contrition, that I didn't visit night spots like Blue Frog more often. Then this amply endowed poet comes in and coolly flicks a lever placed, you won't believe this for nuts, at the far side of the tap, and the liquid flows.

Ahem!

I have struggled with taps all my life, sometimes it is clock-wise, sometimes anti-clockwise, sometimes it is a lever to be raised up, sometimes to be lowered down, sometimes it has to be pushed, sometimes it has to be pulled. Oh God, why can't they make opening taps and packages simpler?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

what about the taps that have a foot lever at the base? or the drinking fountains which are sensor-operated? or the labels on glassware that don't come off neatly but in stubborn pieces? why are we so obsessed with security? in the west, they disallow grills on windows and doors since firemen can't get in during an emergency. last year a chinese family perished in a fire in sydney, a mere 24 hours after installing grills, against the regulations. when i see the numerous locks around the house, i dread having to break out of my house during a fire or an earthquake. as far as registered post and parcels are concerned, let 'em rip!!

Unknown said...

haha! I know. I know.