Age - for no reason

             I had visited the local branch of Canara bank with a high frequency in the previous month since opening the account for our newly formed apartment association. I was now on first name basis with not one, but several people in the bank. Being the treasurer of the association made these harried visits unavoidable. I rued the day I had boldly volunteered for this post. The risks were similar to placing one's head on the block under a supposedly non-functioning guillotine. In any case I waved cheerfully to all and sundry on every visit. The bank employees helped most of the time - sometimes they passed the buck to have it land back squarely on their desk as I always persisted. I had nothing to lose by not giving up.

             Yesterday I was particularly harried as I tried to multi-task among the cheque deposit desk, the cash deposit and the Internet banking desk. Finally I reached the desk to update the passbook. Mr Raj Shekhar nodded at me but carried on what he was doing. I decided to sit for a bit. He looked up with a broad smile at me and said 'Madame what is your age?" Sensing a compliment coming my way I leaned forward and said "Guess!". I had been through this game many times before and it was a great morale booster to have people underestimate my age by anywhere from 15 to 20 years. After all the vowing etc I would shrug my shoulders and say I cant take credit - its in the gene's. Mr Raj Shekar gave the ambiguous head shake: " Why I am telling madame, there comes a time when we have to slow down. Say 40 or 45 or 50, is time to relax and not run like this. Why you want to be treasurer at this age."

         If my face fell and hit the floor he did not seem to notice. I had never had anyone guess  to within 10 years of  my age. Had I aged so much in India? He took my silence as rapt attention to his sermon: "Myself, everyday I am going home, changing first thing to shorts and T-shirt". With his hands he gestured the dropping of his pants from his waist. " I am putting on comfortable shoes and I am leaving my house. I am roaming around Bangalore. Nowadays Volvo buses are very good. I am going to Marathahalli, to Whitefield - anywhere the bus will take me. I get off the bus and walk around in quiet places. I am taking deep breath and totally relaxing. Then I am returning home completely fresh." He pursed his lips and shook his head in the affirmative self righteously..

      I struggled for words. Words like yoga and meditation hovered somewhere above me but never descended to my lips. I did the ambiguous head shake " Thank you - you are giving me good advise". By this time my work was done. I could not help thinking- "and while you roam around Mr Raj Shekhar, does some kind lady sit at home and prepare dinner for you to come eat having fulling relaxed yourself?" I felt a distinct heaviness in my step as I left the bank. Heaviness for the supposed lady waiting by the hearth with a warm dinner and for my aging self. I could not help examining myself in the rear view mirror closely for grey hair and wrinkles several times that day.