Manmohan’s Red Turban
The cloth merchant in the Old Delhi market looked up and smiled as the Indian Prime Minister entered his shop, “You have come to buy your blue turban sir?”
“Yes, yes,” said the Prime Minister distractedly.
“Something worrying you sir?”
“Is there? There is? Yes, yes!” sighed the PM, “There is! I think there is!”
“Is it the BJP?”
“No, no, not the BJP!”
“The missus?”
“No the missus is a fine woman!”
“Sonia?”
“No, not Sonia!!” said the Indian Prime Minister, looking around furtively and hoping his guards were out of earshot.
“Then who is it sir?”
“The Commies!” shouted the otherwise mild Prime Minister, “they are giving me a bad time, a very bad time with the nuclear deal!”
“Ah!” said the turban seller.
“Ah?” asked the Prime Minister, “you seem to act like you have something on your mind?
“Ah!” said the turban seller.
“Ah?” asked the curious PM.
“Go in for a red turban sir!”
“A red turban!” squeaked the prime minister then looked out to see whether his guards had heard him shriek.
“Yes sir! Yes sirree! A red turban will help them see different!”
“How?” asked the PM.
“It will signify that you are identifying with the Communists!”
“But can you imagine me wearing red, it will create consternation, chaos and maybe a crisis in the nation! Why my own home will be in an uproar! My missus might leave me!”
“Precisely sir!”
“Precisely?”
“Don’t you see sir,” said the turban seller excitedly, “when you create chaos your commie friend will immediately recognize you as a comrade! They will party with you, sup with you and maybe even make you honorary member of their politburo!”
‘All this by wearing red!”
“I tell you sir, they love red! You will have their life long friendship!”
The Indian Prime Minister laid aside the blue turban he had been about to buy and held up the rough red one the turban seller had brought out for him, he then sighed and asked the shopkeeper to wrap it up.
“I just hope this will solve the problem!” he said wearily.
“Solve what problem?” asked the turban seller suddenly, “I talked about their friendship sir, their brotherhood, but Prime Ministerji there is nothing you can do for them that will solve any problem! They believe in…”
“Chaos..!” said the Indian Prime Minister sadly as he bought his familiar blue turban and slowly left the shop.
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