User:Soosaiya

The shadows of a lost weekend
It was Monday morning in the office. The shadows of weekend still lingered at corners. Many a face appeared listless, twisted with mild grimace, probably ruminating over “O! How quickly the weekend ended.” Around 11 am the telephone on David’s desk whirred. It was from Gopal, his friend. The voice at the other end echoed an unsung note of an unfulfilled commitment, attempting in vain to retrieve the glory of a lost evening of weekend.

Gopal asked, “How about an evening-out today and dinner in Himalayan Restaurant?”

David fumbled for words, “ Well…ah....well…ah..well…” Words did not flow. Words dragged like a stranger’s feet not knowing which path was to be taken at the forking road.

Sensing the dilemma of his mind Gopal quickly added, “You got plenty of time until 5pm. Tell me later..” and hung up.

Minutes traveled in its long needle in circles. Something began to stir up in David. Thoughts arrived, fleeted and departed, all in lightning speed, and repeated its cycle one after other: Ping pong. “ To go” or “ Not to go”- it rose like Hamlet’s question.

Slowly, David began to reflect, “. He has some shopping errands to do. Truly he may need a company. What if I were Gopal with similar invitation to hand out” Things appeared in different color now to him. He began to feel bit ashamed of his “ Well-ah-Well”, the phrase which attempted to reflect on his traits and disposition differently.

Then, David felt joining the outing seemed better than not joining. He felt bit awkward as the second decision ran opposite to the first one. He wondered why his rationality was hijacked by his own brain in the first place.

David was this time bit keen on knowing in the background of scientific knowledge, although he faced similar situation many times in the past. So he searched through some neuroscience text and psychology thereof to understand why he had 2 decisions- both opposite. What he understood was this:

The first decision of implied ‘No’ arose from emotions related to his selfishness. Emotions do not originate from neo-cortex (thinking part of brain) and hence the detail analysis of the event with all relevant data could not be carried out in the neo-cortex for want of time. The highway (neo-cortex route) was bypassed. So, the decision was not a well-judged one.

In connection with a above, he began to remember T.S.Elliot’s words in a poem:

In a minute there is time

For decisions and revisons which a minute will reverse.

And time for all the works and days of hands

That lift and drop a question on your plate;

David’s thoughts traveled far into the parody of Elliot’s song: When questions descend on me, should I allow them to drop on plate I hold as if I were to allow some descending samosas-conically prism’d with nostril piercing aroma streaking out, mouth watering, crispy, freshly hotly dredged out from simmering cauldron of oil pond. “Yes”. Holding a question on a plate for some time may help arrive at fairer or better judged decisions than the ones arrive at reflexive state.

When the appointed time came, both were in Himalayan Restaurant, adjusting themselves to relax and sink in the chair rather than sit and attempting to regain the glory of the lost evening .The conical samosas arrived in a plate and were seated upright with their peak pointing towards sky and not willing to eye those two who were pondering over a ‘Question on a plate.’ Gopal and David held their moments for a while and looked into the samosa if it had any question, but it only brought answers to them. “He..hee..hee..” Laughter arrived and spilled over walls. Smiles spread horizontally in their lips. Cups rubbed their shoulders. Cheers went up vertically .Quickly, the samosas, as cutely conically shaped as in alabaster, proceeded toward mangling themselves under the rapid movement of crunching- munching- jaws before passing through the gullet to satisfy their gratification and nourishment.

Author: Soosaiya 22-Sep-06 Seoul

Bibliography:
 * Daniel Goleman: Emotional Intelligence
 * Keith Oatley: Brief History of Emotions
 * T.S.Elliot( 1948 Nobel Laureate for literature): Alfred Puffrock’s Love Poem