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(ARCHIVE) Vol. XVIII No. 20, february 1-15, 2009
a-MUSING
(By Ranjitha Ashok)

On the spot

This is a special news flash for all those People-who-sit-with-People-on-stage.

THE AUDIENCE CAN SEE YOU TOO!!

Sorry.


Shouldn’t have yelled…. but, seriously, you guys don’t seem to get it.

Just last week, even as a certain dignitary waxed eloquent, the obviously bored worthy sharing stage space with him insisted on scratching his ears constantly and, worse, yawning hippo-size – right into the face of the audience.

The dignitary was certainly of XXL variety; but the yawner was no light-weight either, worth-wise.

And yet….

Perhaps a certain ‘beaming off’ is understandable.

You’ve done this a million times; you’re bored; you’re thinking: “What the hell, this audience is not here for me; I’m just the ‘have-the-honour-to-introduce/ invite’ guy. Who cares?”

And, lulled by the drone of the speaker’s voice into a false sense of invisibility, you drop your guard, choosing that moment to dislodge that irritating guava seed that’s been lodged in your teeth, bothering you no end.

The audience, deciding it’s more fun to watch you, switches loyalties, the more frivolous elements laying bets as to whether and when you’ll succeed.

But spotlights are harsh and revealing – even to those on the fringes of that golden circle.
Another subject for one of those eternal ‘How To…’ manuals?

 

In this issue

We continue talking...
Eco-unfriendly...
Chennai's Art Sangamam
Celebrating Mylapore
Historic residences...
Other stories in this issue...
 

Our Regulars

Short 'N' Snappy
a-Musing
Our Readers Write
Quizzin' with Ram'nan
Dates for your Diary
 

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