It was my late mother some years ago who sent me this meaningful piece, maybe remembering how I was so terrible at mathematics in school. A story about how just one word of praise helped a shy student break through a mental block. Eric, like me, never very confident in…
Robert Clements is a journalist and newspaper columnist. With an estimated 6 million readership, his column, Bob’s Banter is published in over 30 newspapers and magazines in nearly every state in India, as well as in the top newspapers of Bangladesh, London and Dubai and is also translated into Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
Grab and Hold..!
How often we look at others and envy them their power and position, forgetting that most of us get equal chances of bettering ourselves, it’s only that we don’t grab opportunities that come our way: A young man wished to marry a farmer’s beautiful daughter so he went to the…
Broaden Your Cave..!
As I explored the ancient regions of Cappadocia and walked gingerly into the seven cave churches, I found some delightful insights. I found that it was not St George alone who fought the dragon but he was ably assisted by another warrior and horseman, St Theodore! Now there be very…
Garbage Truck or Factual Content..!
As I see a political leader not giving a single press conference, I remember a time when I had to chair my first meeting, I did not expect much problems because the members of the committee had done a good job during the whole year, and I quite expected most…
Tall Man..!
The guide taking us on a tour of Istanbul was extremely articulate and expressive, suddenly he whispered, “There will be times,” he said, “when I will have to refer to our great leader, and I might not talk about him in a very complimentary fashion, so rather than being arrested,…
Precious Women..!
And as I walked among the ruins of an ancient Roman city yesterday in Turkeye, and looked at the lavish live styles the men led, I asked, “And what about the women?” “They were treated as inferior!” said my guide sadly. Nothing’s changed as very often in my mailbox are…
Nothing Comes Easy..!
It’s been a hard day of trekking for me in Ephesus, Turkey, but what I’ve learnt I don’t think I could have picked up from any encyclopedia or Google search. Gary Player for years was a great competitor in national and international golf tournaments. People constantly said to him, “I’d…
Busy?
Spent an evening at the club, with a gentleman who knew one of India’s billionaires when he was coming up, “I knew him when he was struggling,” he said, “And I helped him a bit!” “You must be great friends now!” I said. “I suppose we are!” he said loyally,…
Stop Being A Crab..!
Quite often we are likened to crabs who pull each other down whenever one tries to escape from the box it is being held captive in. In 1936, American Jesse Owens seemed sure to win the long-jump competition at the Olympic games. The previous year he had jumped 26 feet,…
God and Our Operational Expenses..!
“Oh, Father, how nice of you to come home,” said the little old lady, as she ushered the priest in. “I was hoping that somebody would visit my house today. I have made some nice fresh cakes!” “Ah,” said the priest, “that does sound tempting. Doesn’t it?” “Oops,” said the…
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.