Junk billboards

This eyesore has been parked on the National Highway in Porvorim near Chodankar Nursing home. It's been there for many days now and doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Apparently it belongs to Nirvana Nest Buildcom Pvt. Ltd. who have figured that instead of disposing it off decently, it would serve a better purpose as a crappy billboard.

If people start making their junked vehicles into roadside billboards like this one, it is going to be quite a sight. Is this even legal?

Mobile classified advertisement

Blending billboards with nature

Who said you cannot blend those ugly billboards with nature?

And no, someone did not stick a branch into the billboard.

Where do those leaves think they are going?

Look who's supporting

I'm not sure whether the telephone pole is supporting the cables or the other way around.

What's in a name? Especially this one.

I just had to ask. FraJasFla stands for Francis, Jasmine and Flavia. If they had used the end of their names, instead of the start, it would be CisMineVia, which would sound just as weird.

Another tree gives way to house in Porvorim

A Catholic Tale

As I walked down the busy footpath, knowing I was late for an important meeting, my eye fell upon one of those unfortunate, homeless vagabonds that are found in every city these days.

Wearing what can only be describes as rags, carrying every worldly possession in two plastic bags, my heart was touched by this person's condition.

Some people turned to stare. Others quickly looked away as if the sight would somehow contaminate them. Recalling some long ago priest who made an admonition to "care for the sick, feed the hungry and clothe the naked," I was moved by some powerful inner urge to reach out to this unfortunate person.

Yes, where some people saw only rags, I saw a hidden beauty. A small voice inside my head called out, "Reach out, reach out!"

So I did...

I Won't be at Mass this week!!

Kids And Money

I bank mainly with HDFC Bank. When I walk into the Porvorim branch, almost always, someone or the other tries to sell me something I don't want. Stuff like mutual funds, insurance policies, etc. I am used to it and politely decline.

Yesterday was different. I had been to the bank to make a wire transfer. As I was reaching the end of the form, my personal banker asked me how old my son was. I told her that he was four and he already had a Kids Advantage account, in the hope that the conversation would end there. What she said next shook me: "If he was eight we could give him an ATM card".

"What?", I blurted, disbelieving my ears. "You give eight year old's ATM cards?" She was about to make me a sales pitch, but I asked her to save it for someone else. I finished filling the wire transfer form and left wondering what our world was coming to.

I wonder if the next generation will know what currency notes look like, let alone understand and appreciate their value.