It is Good Friday, and once again my mind wanders to that hill outside Jerusalem where three crosses stood like a grim exhibition of human judgement. On the middle cross hung Jesus, declared innocent by the very authority that sentenced Him. On either side were two thieves, properly labelled, properly…
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.
When Speakers Stop Speaking..!
The other day I attended a talk at a sporting location, where the speaker, a very famous author, whose books I have read, talked. Mind you, not ‘spoke’. Talked. Words flew out of his aged mouth from a voice that was powerful and resonant. Unfortunately, it was not a speech….
Between Two Thieves..!
As Good Friday approaches, there’s one picture that quietly settles into the mind: Three crosses on a hill. One in the centre. Two on either side. And in the middle, a man who had done nothing wrong, placed between two who had. Now pause there. Because that picture is not…
Unprofessional Professionals..!
Strange contradiction, right? How can you be both unprofessional and a professional? It sounds like saying you are a vegetarian who eats chicken on weekends. Yet, they come in all shapes, sizes and job descriptions. Take the politician. Elected to serve, but serves only himself. His speeches; full of promises,…
Slow Down Your Fingers..!
I have discovered a new species of human being. The Forwarding Genius. He wakes up in the morning, brushes his teeth with one hand, and forwards messages with the other. By the time he has had his first cup of tea, he has already solved world peace, exposed three political…
Are You His Masterpiece?
The other day I was walking past a shop window and noticed a mannequin standing there with more confidence than most politicians I have seen. Chin up, shoulders back, dressed better than the average wedding guest. People stopped. Stared. Some admired. And one fellow even adjusted his own shirt as…
Only Custodians, Not Owners..!
Many years ago, sitting in a charming little café perched like a contented cat atop Malabar Hill, my wife and I made one of the wisest decisions of our lives. We decided to get married. The café, quite naturally, took full credit for this life altering moment. Every year thereafter,…
Losing Your Power to Analyse..!
Yesterday I attended a meeting in my society to discuss the feasibility report with a firm, which in Mumbai is not just a project, but an emotional rollercoaster with blueprints. There were long discussions, with an engineer explaining with great seriousness how the old building would give way to a…
Deadly Bird Fight..!
For years my morning coffee, I have in my garden, has come with a peaceful audience. Crows, mynahs, pigeons. Sparrows, and once I counted, eight varieties of birds that gather at my feet, waiting with remarkable discipline for the birdfeed I scatter. No arguments, no shouting, just quiet coexistence. And…
I Messed Up..!
The rarest words in the English language are not “income tax refund” or “let’s talk peace.” They are three simple, honest, terrifying words, “I messed up.” Two days ago after that shocking collision at La Guardia in New York, an air traffic controller reportedly admitted, “I messed up.” No legal…
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.