Too Many Choices.......



Too Many choices......
These days one is spoilt for choices. One of the causes of stress, says a report. Choosing a shampoo, deodorant, holiday packages, mode of travel, a humble pair of chappals, you name it. Every time I need to decide upon something, I feel like pulling my hair, not much of it is left anyway. Long back, one guy thought of using it as an effective deterrent to avoid pesky visitors. Let me explain his modus operandi.
  I knew this person in my college days; let us call him P. By nature reclusive, he avoided visitors to his home. But, as per the trend in those days, people used to land up unannounced to his place and partake any goodies and beverages offered (this was also the norm).He was badly put off by these visits and was desperately searching for a way to get over this perplexing problem for a long time.
One day he proudly announced that he had found a sure-fire solution to his problem. Naturally I was very curious. I knew that P, being of soft nature, could not be expected to resort to any sort of crudity to achieve his objective. On enquiring about it, I was pleasantly surprised to be invited to his house.
Well, the visit went like this.....
When I knocked, the door was opened by a smiling P.
P: Hello, great to see you. How are things?
For next few minutes we indulged in some small talk, but P gave no indication of coming to the main point. I also did not want to rush him and waited impatiently.
P: What would you like to drink, something hot or cold?
Me: Thanks, please do not take any trouble.
P: No, no. It would be a pleasure. You must let me know what you would like to have, something hot or cold.
Me: Well, if you insist. It is rather hot. Something cold would be welcome.
P: Makes sense. Would you like to have buttermilk, lemon juice or tender cocoanut?
Those days readymade, synthetic beverages were not available.
Me: Buttermilk would be welcome!
P: Good. Would you like it to be sweet, plain or with a dash of salt?
Me: Sweet would do, I suppose.
P: Is it to be very sweet, medium sweet or less sweet.
By now I was feeling a little a little irritated.
Me: Medium would do.
P: That is great. I hope you do not mind white sugar. Because, I happen to have a stock of raw sugar. You know people have their likes and dislikes and I want to meet their expectations, as much as I can.
M: (Impatiently) Please, white sugar would be just fine.
P: Oh, one more thing.
I had started feeling agitated....
P: We did not talk about the quantity. Would you like it to be a full tumbler or half?
Me: (felt like screaming) Full tumbler please.
Fortunately P had proceeded to the kitchen by now. I heaved a sigh of relief as I got some moments to calm down.
Just then, I heard P call from the kitchen.
P: Do you want it to be served in a glass tumbler, brass tumbler or the steel one. You know some people attach a great importance to it....
Me: (shouts) Steel tumbler.....
Enough is enough I thought and walked towards the door....
P: One more thing ....would you like it with a dash of garlic, pepper or Jeera?
That was the last straw. When P came to the drawing room, there was no trace of me.
It was then and there, I vowed never to visit him again.
Then the coin dropped. His experiment had after all worked!
                                                *****

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