As India and China slowly start recognizing each other as enemies, I think of another enemy. “I’ll have another drink,” he told the waiter. “It’s your fourth,” I said. “So you’re good at counting,” he acknowledged. “Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” “I know when to stop,” he said, glaring…
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.
Respecting Those Working from Home..!
“You are so lucky Bob!” is something I hear ever so often from friends and relatives, who know I spend the day writing from home, “You can be so flexible with your time!” “No, I can’t!” I’ve been saying for years. “Why not?” they ask. “Because there’s more discipline you…
Lockdown’s Like a Butterfly’s Cocoon..!
How we would like to get out of bed every morning, knowing there was no problem to face, right? Wrong! If that’s what your thoughts are, because those same challenges make the difference between you flying high, and you crawling low! I’m going to use an old example, bear with…
Bachchan’s Bouquet for his Teacher..!
Abhishek Bachchan visited his old school a few years ago. I believe that like a little excited schoolboy he went from class to class, explored every nook and cranny of his former alma mater, smiled at all the present students, and good morning ma’med every teacher he met. While he…
A Prison Story..!
For many years I was part of the Prison Ministry, working with prisoners in jails across the state. A story I used to frequently tell those in jail, was of the prodigal son: A certain man had two sons. When the younger told his father, “I want my share of…
The Election Vaccine..!
In a huge white house somewhere in Washington, a lady walked slowly from room to room, staring sadly at each piece of historical furniture, “Whatcha doing?” asked her husband. “Am gonna miss them table and chairs!” she said sadly, “I feel wretched leaving them!” “Who says, we’re leaving them?” asked…
Bare Necessities..!
I love Jungle Book, especially Balu the bear and his antics. What I love most is the song he sings to little Mowgli: “Look for the bare necessities The simple bare necessities Forget your worries and your strife I mean the bare necessities Old Mother Nature recipes That bring the…
Working from Home, but..!
I decided to do some homework today. Yes, I do work from home and have been doing so for a few decades; tapping away on laptop, making enough noise with the keyboard to hopefully keep the neighbours fooled I am gainfully occupied! But today I decided to do some homework,…
Grandma’s ‘Take Home’ Gift..!
Grandma, lying in her comfortable bed heard her door opening, “Hello grandma!” said her teenage granddaughter as she swept into the room. “Hello my dear girl!” said grandma, “How nice of you to see me today! I missed you yesterday!” “Oh grandma, I had such fun yesterday!” “You did, come…
The Woman Angel and the Policeman..!
When a policeman from Bihar allegedly insinuated in the word, ‘aukat’ that actress Rhea being a woman does not have the right to speak out, he uttered what many men think about a confident woman. And in my imagination, the same policemen or someone like him after passing away walked…
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.