Wednesday 5 November 2008

Dabba Chor

A completely illogical thing is happening to me right now. My office has a benevolent chor.

We have a system in our office where one can leave one's dabba to be washed by the office staff after lunch, and they'll bung it in one drawer in the pantry for you to come and pick it up at the end of the day.

Sounds neat, doesn't it? It is, except, as in all good things, there's a catch. Despite this advanced clearance system, there is one flaw. We don't label our dabbas, and as there are only so few functionally well made dabbas on the market, a lot of us have similar, if not the same products.

What this means, is that people often pick up other people's dabbas out of habit on days when they themselves haven't brought theirs (reference to my previous post and that bit about being slaves to habit). At least, that's the only rational explanation I see for this. Anyway, in that process, I lost three metal dabbas. Not that I was particularly attached to the unwieldly beasts, it's just that my mother makes sure I don't forget it.

Anyway, consequently, I start getting the plastic Lock & Lock dabbas which are less common. This, I thought was a fool-proof plan, seeing how my Lock & Locks are rather old, slightly browning and whatnot... Obviously, I was mistaken.

Because someone in my office has taken that one and left a brand new but otherwise identical dabba in its place for me. I've waited four days for this person to realise their mistake, but that doesn't seem to be happening, so I guess I'm going to have to take the new one... I have no choice! = )

30 member protest rally:

Preeti said...

hawwww... you idiot...
go search for the person and give it back to her/him...

this so reminds me of the time when i did the same and mom would freak. and she caused the embarrassment of all embarrassments by labelling my dabba with a bloody notebook label that said
Name
Roll No.
Standard
Division
School

waaaahhh...only i know how i lived it down. and there is this son of a dog who still reminds me of it...

i hate boys!!!

jhayu said...

@ Preeti.
Four days! I can't hunt any more than this!

And that is precisely the reason I wouldn't label mine...

And let me guess, he's male, he's related to you, he's younger than you?

Haw! You hate me!

Che said...

This is what happens when you leave your dabba for office boys to wash idiot. taking home and wash it yourself!

Preeti said...

you've got to be relentless, jhayu...sorry... excuses nai chalega...

well spoilt brats like you can get away with being rebellious and also attracting more pamperers for their efforts...we poor souls have to pay for our sins...

you guessed right...hmph!!!

nooooo... i just cant hate you...

ok i'll rephrase that...

i hate some boys!!! Jhayu excluded!!!

jhayu said...

@ Che.
Firstly, I would not be washing it myself, I don't live alone. Secondly, I get home at 11 pm, leave home at 8 am. I'd prefer spending that time on something more productive than washing my dabba.

@ Preeti.
Why do you think I haven't made off with it yet? I feel terrible even considering this alternative, but even my mother has suggested it as an alternative to whupping my butt!

Please, no spoilt brat nonsense happening here. Other way around, if anything...

Preeti said...

aww...ok...

you know... the dabba washing by self thingie is actually a good idea...i do that everyday you see...despite not living alone...

you can wash the dabba first thing in the morning, na...
ok...bad idea that!!!

you can wash the dabba as soon as you reach home...hmmnnn thats better...

how i love the word dabba...oh it sounds so beautiful...

:-))))

jhayu said...

@ Preeti.
I know it's a good idea. However, that plan does not take into account one thing. I'm lazy as effin' hell.

Now dabba washing first thing in the morning: not happening.
Reason: I'm not a morning person, AT ALL

Dabba washing at night: Not happening.
Reason: I come home so late and tired, all dishevelled from my hour and a half journey. And in this state you want me to wash my dabba? =(

And you like really weird things. Like the word dabba. And me. =P

Scribblers Inc said...

and good things happen in tiffindise...its a happy tiffiny world! :)

Scribblers Inc.

Preeti said...

laziness is not going to take you anywhere, understand...

then become a morning person, jhayu...become it...

well the night thing...ok ... you are right. it can be little taxing especially for men. :p

weirdos will ultimately like weird stuff and fellow weirdos na... right...? what else did you expect, jhayu...?

Pratz said...

ya rite....u have no choice...lucky you [:P]

fishbowl said...

this made me smile:)

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Reminds me of how my dabba was nitched when I was in school! And when grub-time came calling, there was no grub!

Result, I carried a decoy dabba which was empty!

On a lighter note, perhaps you need to attach a homing device to ur dabba! ;)

Sparkling said...

Take the dabba home Jhayu and just think that you've earned it for all those other losses you've had.

Stop thinking so much. Leave that to me :)

P.S: I'm really jealous of you that your mom prepares the dabba for you, it's been years since somebody gave me a dabba for work :') :(
I miss it. I want it.

jhayu said...

@ Scribbler.
Dude. Losing your dabba is not a cool thing...

@ Preeti.
you are right. it can be little taxing especially for men
What is this gender discrimination? Reverse sexism, this is!

And your last point does make sense... =P

@ Pratz.
Yeah, I guess I will...

@ fishbowl.
I'm happy that...

@ Rakesh.
Dude, that's another thing altogether. Dabba in school was a precious thing that you guarded with your life... Nice thinking on the decoy, though..

@ Still.
Hahahah... Maybe I should..

And you're coming na, chill. I'll give you dabba. =) Problem solved!

Mansi Trivedi said...

Hahahaha... I say keep it :)
Great system, I wish there was one at my work place too. I wash my own dabbas!

Sparkling said...

Hello, what abt the garam garam khana in the dabba? You expect me to take a khali dabba at work?

Btw, I'm coming na where? ;)

Thanks dear :D

jhayu said...

@ Mansi.
Firstly, welcome! If I may ask, how do you find yourself in these waters?

Secondly, (and @ all) I do intend to bring it home, if only to show my mother what she is encouraging.

And your office should get office-boys!

@ Still.
Nooooo!!! I said I'll get dabba for you also!

And I thought you're coming!

Sparkling said...

You thought right! :)

P.S: As I keep reading the last line again and again and again it kinda starts sounding corny :p LOL!

jhayu said...

@ Still.
See? That's what I was talking about...

Advice: Stop reading the line!

Chintan Padhya said...

That's why i am smart to not getting into a problem similar to yours, i don't bring dabba only.

jhayu said...

@ Chinti = Kurtnirvana = R Boy.
And this is where I save on the immense stupidity of paying for lunch everyday!
= )

burf said...

i guess the day will come when you will get your dabba back

Preeti said...

idiot...

Shoaib Daniyal said...

ha ha....a rather practical demonstration of Bombay's, er, sorry Raj, Mumbai's famed Dabbawala system.

(I hope you work in Bombay, man. Otherwise my eeshmart comment is so gonna fall flat.)

jhayu said...

@ Burf.
I hope not... =P

@ Preeti.
= ) Guilty as charged!

@ Hades.
I don't get dabbawalla dabbas, man! And yes, I do work in Bombay (Eiti nervinti save, Raj).

Preeti said...

I take it back...

:-)

Deepali said...

Found who it belonged to? Don't bother looking I am sure soon enough they will get swapped again. Haha and I bet your mom will be upset that you again misplaced the dabbas.


Did you know I lost a dabba (and not a very common looking one) in office. Forgot it upstairs at the table and I don't know where it disappeared. Worse still I had left a CD with it which Ratan gave me to give to Gautam...I don't mind losing the dabba - my first in years but both R and G were after me about the CD. It's good I found the post. Will remember next week when I am in get another copy.

jhayu said...

@ Deepali.
No, I don't know yet, and I've already swiped it... = P
I can't wait any longer than 10 days!

Haven't misplaced any CDs, though... =P

Deepali said...

Ah well somebody elses mom must have been happy that her son/daughter was a little more careful and got his/her right dabba back hehe.

This mixing up business was the biggest reason I wouldn't put my tiffin for washing. Of course needless to say that at home it would get done by the maid at night or if by chance it got left, then mom in the morning so I never really had to worry about that.

jhayu said...

@ Deepali.
Naw.. I had enough of my mother complaining about washing the dabba in the morning, so...

Post a Comment

Talk, my friend. Now that you've read this section, the urge to speak has increased. I know. It's all right. It happens...
Stop fighting it. Talk.