Around Town

My Run:

...through time and tax brackets

- In a 2 mile out-and-back, I start out at a global, cutting-edge corporation capitalizing on the expanding phenomenon of e-commerce.
- The first turn takes me onto the street where water buffaloes and un-metered compact taxi cabs jockey for position and fares.
- The recently created 4-way stop light manages the tech boom traffic and allows poor (and sometimes handicapped) people to appeal to drivers and vendors to hawk their penny goods.
- My next turn takes me down a connector street that it lined with street food and chai stands.
- As the road progresses, it becomes less developed. Makeshift huts are created with recycled parts to house the needy.
- In the distance, you can now see our complex and other buildings under construction, a cruel foreshadowing that these impermanent shanties are truly impermanent.
- The straightaway ends at a Novotel Hotel that is known for its decadent brunch for $40/head, probably more than the weekly salary of all the people I just ran by. Breath. Now touch the gate and run back home.

Barber Shop menu:

1 haircut with shears and meticulous attention
straight razor shave
chai and optional cigarette
Direct TV on the little box
cracked knuckles
head, face, shoulder, and arms massage

> 100 rupees ($2.50) ...and I'm paying the foreigner price of triple the normal

My Gym: Cyber Pearl. Not the nicest place, but we get a corporate rate there. It is louder than any club I have been to. The weights are adequate, but there wouldn't be enough for my brother Jesse to get a proper lift in. High-kicks while looking in the mirror are so in right now.

The Garage: Where all our drivers hang out and the meeting place for any trip out. They play Carrom Board to pass the time (picture taken from the web). Like pool, you have to knock 'poker chips' into the pockets using a cue-chip. These guys are angels and put up with a lot of traffic and waiting time for us.

The ATM: The closest one to the apartment only provides 100 rupee notes ($2.5o) while most machines dispense 500 and 1,000 notes. It reminds me of post WW1 German hyper-inflation. Some withdrawals won't let you close your wallet.

Street Food: Mr. Tibb's Frankies. We went there thinking we were ordering a hot dog and got a little slice of heaven instead. Basically an Indian taquito, this greasy snack adjoins our tailor. This place is the only reason that we are never upset that the tailor can't ever gets things right the first time. or the second time.