WHY I HAD ICE-CREAM AT NIGHT 11.00PM

JUNE 2019

Call it the genetic structure, family history, social scheme, nature’s conspiracy or whatever, the fact is – am short. While being short has its advantages (like you are asked to stand in the first row when a group photograph is being taken), it carries its own obvious disadvantages.
One of the prime disadvantages of being short is – putting on even a little weight shows one to be plump or fat!!! At 50 plus, I put on not a “little” weight, but “considerable” weight and it showed everywhere. Cheeks, neck, hands, belly and legs. I really did not mind these but two happenings made me think again.
One, I started snoring. So loud that I began to be, one, a source of acute embarrassment to my wife (especially when we are either traveling by II Tier AC in train, where the only sounds are a small humming of the Air Conditioners and my loud snores or when we go visiting relatives) and two, a big disturbance at night to the rest of the family.
Next, I realized that obesity is a deterrent to good health.
I decided that I had to reduce my weight. And of course, the first thing that comes to the mind is Walking. I resolved to walk daily with an objective of reducing at least 15 kgs in three to five months. (coupled with a diet of fruits and vegetables).
I have an intelligent friend who suggested with a great deal of ingenuity that before embarking on such a mission, I would have to first check my present weight so that I would know how many kgs I would have knocked off after my target of three to five months. I marveled at this intelligence. I had not thought of it.
Now, where could I check my weight? I could readily recall two places. The General Hospital and the nearby provision store where there were scales/weight checking machine to check weight. The hospital was far off and the provision store nearby, so I visited the latter on my scooter. It was evening. When I marched in to the store, I retrieved a two rupee coin from my pocket and went to the place where the machine used to be. There was no machine there. I asked the shop keeper about it. The store keeper looked at me and said “Machine I have removed long back, sir. Not many using it”.
When he said that, I became more determined to check my weight now. Going to the hospital during evening time was somehow ruled out. I raked my mind to recall where I had seen a weight checking machine. And yes, it struck me, the Devi Ratna Cinema Hall had one.
That night, I announced that I was going to the night show at Devi Ratna Cinema Hall. The whole family was surprised but I was desperate now to find out how much I weighed. I lied to them that I had heard that the movie was good.
And so I was one among the nine people who had turned out for the night show that day. Yes, I counted. I marched in. Fearing that I would be conspicuous if I straightaway walked to the machine, I went into the cinema hall. The film started, some little known movie. I waited eagerly till the intermission. During the intermission, I walked towards the weight machine, trying to look casual. I went and stood on it. There was no sound or action.
I asked the vendor nearby “Does it not work?” “Two weeks back it stopped working. Mechanic will come this week to repair it” he said. Seeing the frustration in my face, he asked – “Ice cream sir?”
And that’s how I had an ice cream at around 11.00 in the night.
I have not yet checked my weight and because of this, have not started my walking and dieting. Must first check the weight, na? AND NOW IN JUNE 2020, Corona, na?