Come Watch The Fringe

My Calling

Though I get by, my hindi is appaling at best. I often find myself mired in complicated and embarassing situations, because I cant make myself understood, or because I simply cant understand what the guy talking to me is saying. And the more I get flustered the less I understand, and the more complicated the situation is going to get.

Im doing the sound for a play, and helping me out is the tech guy, a gentleman named Jasbir Bhaiya (JB). JB and I were ensconsed in the lights room earlier today, watching the rather disorganised play downstairs, and we got rather chatty despite my hindi.

However one sticky situation arose while I was crawling around under the lights console, trying to hook up my ipod.

JB: Aapne bilkul galat line chose kiya hai. (you have chosen the wrong line)

I stare up at him from my submissive position on my knees, confusion wrinkling my forehead. I begin to examine the bundle of wires in my hand more closely, carefully tracing them back to the slots in the sound board marked Line 1, Line 2 and so on. Since Im relatively new to the sound tech world, today being my first day, it was not inconceivable that i had messed up royally.

JB: Mera matlab hai, yeh jo line hai, bahut mushkil hai. Aapko bahut musibat ho gi. Hum sab ko bahut musibat hoti hai. (I mean, this line is very difficult. Youll have lots of trouble. We'll all have lots of trouble)

I begin to panic quite seriously. I have no idea what Ive done that is so disastrous, but clearly it could put the whole play in jeopardy. I go over every wire in the sound board, but they all appear to plugged into the right slot. Miserable and close to a major breakdown i turn to the heartless JB and ask,

"Kaunsi line?" (which line is it?)

JB: Theatre ki line! Iss me bahut musibat hoti hai! Raat ke dus baje tak rehearsal ke liye rehna parta hai! (The theatre line! Its a very difficult profession. Rehearsals go on till ten at night!)

I stare at JB, struggling with a mix of horror, delight, relief and an irrrepressible desire to giggle like an idiot.

He's right. Theatre is a tough profession. Where else could this have happened to me?

Come One, Come All