Pictures Can’t Describe Some Things

How about them India Cricketers? They were given a proper thrashing in the first test for the T20 World Cup by Sri Lanka. That was big news Tuesday. But maybe they’re getting their groove back. India’s passion for cricket is just one more of those ironies, like Tata buying Jaguar and Land Rover. It’s got to be the historical momentum that came from nearly three-and-one-half centuries of exposure to the British. OK, I’m not counting the Portuguese and French, but it’s obviously the fascination with all things eccentric that gives India a certain charm.
Today was one of those experiences with IST (Indian Stretch Time). We’ve come to the point of several decisions: (1) was a bank account, (2) phones, and (3) housing. We’ve got the phones, we’re working on the housing, and then there’s the bank account. Now you’re all well aware that everything high tech is resident in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, or the Delhi area. If it’s programmed, it’s here. The graduates from IIT (India Institute of Technology) are supposed to possess telekinetic powers so advanced that they must sign an agreement with the school that they will only use the powers they've acquired for good before they graduate.
But can I tell you -- I walked into ICICI bank today. Her company opened an account for Deb. I say “Deb” only because according to the literature, it will be about two months before I will be able to use the account for any transactions other than deposits. Now I knew this going into the bank, but I was only going to make a deposit. Walking in the door, I thought I had been transported back in time when banks had tellers and “platform” people (the people that do everything that a teller didn't). Back in present time, there was a greeter, and a line of teller stations to the left against the back wall, and a line of people to the right who, it appeared, did something other than teller stuff. A banker approached me and asked if he could help. Good start given my initial visceral reaction to the surroundings. I needed one piece of information and one transaction. Shouldn’t take more than five minutes. "What is the exchange rate?" I asked. The banker left and talked to two of the people who weren’t tellers. Then he walked back into an alcove and was on his cell phone for about five minutes. Alright, adjust the time expectations. No problem. He came back with the good news: their exchange rate was less than the trading rate, but better than the hotel. Again, good start. While the banker was on the phone, I took the opportunity to fill out the administrative stuff for the deposit. He took the deposit slip with the account number on it and walked back to the line of non-tellers again. Words were exchanged. Non-teller typed on her keyboard and then pointed to the screen, shaking her head side to side in a way that I now can discern between “that would be no” from “of course we can do that”. One thing that you must do is put together both sound and motion to interpret the answers you get. The sounds will always be “of course we can do that, no problem”, but combine that with the deliberate side-to-side head motion means “no way can I possibly do this, nor do I want to” as opposed to a motion that looks like performance art of M.C. Escher’s Mobius Strip which could mean “it is possible, but then again, in probability theory, everything is possible”. The banker came back with the deposit slip. “The account is not active and has no money”. OK, I knew the second part of that. The first part kindda startled me. The account was opened two days ago. Do ya think that the people who are relocating several thousand employees, many of them graduates of IIT, from Mumbai to Gachibowli, where their new glistening world headquarters will be located, would be able to input one simple checking account in less than three days? But nooooooooooooooooooooo. “Maybe tomorrow the account will be active”. I thanked the banker, shook his hand, and walked out of the bank laughing. It brought to mind the urban legend of Franz Kafka laughing hardily after he read any of his works. It was all quite existential. I went with it.
Well, on the phone front, I have made some progress. A new SIM card actually works. Feeling embolden by my ability to take what could be a frustrating situation and reaching a sort of transcendental moksa as in the Jain religion, I took my new phone and dialed Deb’s cell. Remember the dueling banjos? The call actually went through. I explained to Deb the bank account status and hung up. I immediately called our driver’s cell which I already had programmed into the phone so he has my cell (very important). I took a call from our realtor and told him to arrange some additional viewings in another apartment community.

The rest of the day has been answering e-mails and taking some time to excercise.
I’ll have more pictures tomorrow. A great good morning to you all.