Outside the Gates of Hades...

Often in life you meet someone who leaves behind a lasting impression for whatever reason - small or big, good or bad. One of such people in my life inconsequently, believe it or not, is the guard standing out the SBI branch of NFC.

He is a typically Haryanvi Tau, if you ever saw one. He is tall, gruff and his language is very informal. He nitpicks on everyone setting a step inside the door of the bank. There is a ready instruction on his lips for one and all. He reminds me of Cerberus watching over the gates of Hades. This old man is as conscientious as they come by.

But somehow I feel he has developed a soft corner for me in that hard-hitting exterior of his. From insisting me to break lines, to showing me the ropes around the workings of a nationalized bank in India, from letting me know who is the who in the bank to helping me even fill out simple forms, he leads me through the entire process each and every time. Mind you, I have been very independent in most things including bank related works to need a guide. But he is so sweet to me in his approach, that I let him show me the going ins and outs of the process.

One day when I had gone after quite a few months, I was standing in the line awaiting my turn in the SBI branch (that time in the Community Center at NFC).

Guard: Bade dino baad dikhi
Me: Haan (with a smile)
Guard: Mujhe lagaa shaadi-vaadi ho gayi hogi
Me: Nahi, nahi huyi (Dreaded topic!)
Guard: Mummy-Papa dekh rahe honge tere liye
Me: Haan (Nervously)
Guard: Dekh beti... meri ek baat yaad rakhna. shaadi karte samay do baaton ka dhyaan rakhna. apni biradari mein hi karna aur ladke ki seerat dekhke karne. paisa-vaisa kaam nahi aataa agar seerat achhi na ho na hi surat aati hai kaam.
Baki tujhe koi pasand ho to kar lena apni pasand se, bas bihari se na karna. (a lil biased Guard Uncle, init? :P)

I always laugh out after visiting him. Anyway, few days later when I again visited Community Center, the bank had vanished! I was so shocked. Later I came to know that it has shifted to main NH-2. I thought of visiting it once again and somehow I wondered if I would see this guard ever again.

But there he was standing as tall and stellar just a little inside the new modernized bank, still giving instructions to one and all. He saw me and again wished me.

Guard: Bade dino baad aayi.

And thus started the process of again leading me through each step of the banking procedure all over again.

Once I was done, he enquired about if I was able to get through all. Then he again asked me if I was married yet. After hearing a no, he advised me some more.

Guard: ab thoda wazan ghata le. (Yea my bane, even bank guards give me weight loss advice! *sighs*)
Guard: halki phulki hogi to aadmi ko god mein uthane mein mazaa bhi aayega. warna khush kaise rahega.

And he said that with a straight face, supposedly good advice and let me tell you there was not a touch of lecherous intent behind it. The crude way that he speaks, could have offended anyone if you are not used to the way he talks. I took it in my stride for it was just good natured advice from his end.

I haven't got a chance to visit the bank since that day and since I am still single, weight problems or not, I am thinking I should probably ask him to look for a guy for me! After all I am sure he might have scanned and analyzed and shortlisted some guy he deems worthy enough! ;)