Hair and now
RECENTLY a senior citizen, the uncle of one of our colleagues, was entering a government building for some work, when he was stopped for a security check. The securityman looked him up and down, noted his silver hair, and took a second look at his identity card photograph. The visitor, who is blessed with a relatively young-looking face, assured the securityman that he was indeed as senior as he was supposed to be. “The hair on my head can be bleached white,” he said, “but look at the hair on my arms — that is white, too!” The securityman had a good laugh and sent our uncle on his way.

Taste of Tradition
AN ENLIGHTENED male reader remarks, about Karva Chauth, that it is “kadva chauth” — where tradition masks the bitter taste of “woman’s voluntary subjugation to male dominance”.