Today, as I listen to the political noise, the talk by rivals, the rabid thrusts, the bluster and blabber, the eyeball looks, and ferocious threats, I think of the steam engine! In my mind, even today, there is no ferocious, powerful, robust, beast, like the steam engine of yesterday. Even…
Smelly Feet..!
“What’s that terrible smell?” shouted the chairman of the board, who was the head of a charitable organization that looked after those in prison. We all wondered where the smell came from, and looked at the odd couple who had come in and were sitting in front of us. Rather…
Just Being John..!
I’ve always been rather fond of John; quite liked the fact that though he was short, he appeared taller than most people on stage and even off. People said he wasn’t good looking but I’ve seen pretty girls hanging onto him and realized he was quite comfortable with himself, till…
Are You Losing Diamonds?
He had worked and lived abroad, alone, all his life, and today as he stood with the rest of the family at the wedding of his daughter, he realized he didn’t know her at all. He looked at his wife, she looked old and care worn. She wore the best…
Armchair Terrorism..!
Decades ago, I traveled the local trains of Bombay, most often clinging to the sides of the doorway, hanging on for life. Daredevil stunts like this helped me get to my destination on time, maybe a bit disheveled, and all the worse for wear, but still passable, till better days…
Cheers to the Unknown Many..!
I was at a dinner the other day when the speaker a small dapper billionaire, who had built up an empire, spoke at length about his humble beginnings. “I owe my success,” he said, “to my mother, who was just a municipal teacher. But she though widowed in her early…
Leaders With Brawn..!
Maybe you don’t know, or just maybe you don’t want to read between the lines but with recent pictures of a bare chested Putin flexing muscle, or another talking about the size of his chest, there’s a new breed of leader bosses emerging even in our own country: “For centuries,”…
Don’t Ask for Approval..!
Most of us seek approval. How often I’ve seen a child or maybe an adult rushing home from school or work, eyes all aglow, “I’ve done well in my exam!” shouts the child to his parents, “I’ve got a fantastic order today!” says the man to his wife and they…
Scowling Over An Insult..!
In ancient Greece and Rome, the Stoics, a group of philosophers who preached the value of emotional resilience — and whose teachings have plenty of modern-day devotees — urged adherents to let insults go. “Many have taken small injuries much more seriously to heart than they need,” wrote the Stoic…
Safe House..!
“Don’t worry, we’ll keep you in a safe house!” says the police officer reassuringly to the frightened but bold person who has decided to testify against his criminal boss! And time and again as such a courageous person decides to stand up against the powerful, and testify in a court,…
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.