Monday, September 29, 2008

Missing the target !

This is an incident I had a few years ago when I was in Kanpur. The winter had just started and I preferred keeping my windows open so that fresh air can make my sleep more enchanting. I generally am in the habit of covering whole body from head to toe if its chilling outside.So there was I, sleeping soundly. There comes a time in the morning when although we are sleeping we unconsciously know that the morning has come and its time to wake up. So it was during this time that something hit my face with a bang. The sound of it was too loud for me to understand what was it. Although living alone generally I dont fear moving into my empty house even when it is dark, but this time it was different. I just laid there. The sheet was still covering my face but the hit was real nasty and I just couldn't comprehend what was it. Has the fan above me fallen down? No its so big, it cant be. Has one of the wings broken. No I can still feel the air of the fan. Two minutes gone then five minutes. I was really worried. Or is it my windows are open and may be some bird has accidentally got inside and got hit with the fan and now it lays their. oh shit! is it some crow? sparrow. Oh my! these thoughts ran fast through my mind.Then finally I took courage and very fast I lifted my blanket to really see the thing. Fear and curiosity both were ruling inside my mind by then. What was it ? Where is it? I couldnt locate anything. I got up and then walked a little to the window.

There it was lying just behind the door. Well Oh! its the folded newspaper with a tight rubber band on top. Now I got more curious. To my amazement the windows had iron bars and something can get inside only if it is thrown almost straight from outside but my flat was on the second floor and the newspaper vendor always has to throw it from below. Only this time he missed the target which till then was always my balcony. :)

Now I was getting more curious. I then did my own research. In the end I came to the conclusion that there's only one way that it can really enter through the bars. All the permutation and combinations pointed out that only when the object (in this case folded newspaper) is approx 45 degrees titled and also takes one more turn when half of it is already inside the bars of the window that the object can enter. It was a highly improbable thing and I was able replicate the action only after doing some hard work by really working it out.

Since then till I stayed in Kanpur I never covered my face while sleeping or whenever I did I took care that the windows are closed. :)

16 comments:

Mampi said...

Hahahaha,
what a start to the day....
waking up to calculate like Uncle Podger,
Great
Well written, and the suspense well kept...

Salil said...

Hi,
Well written. I liked the buildup to the newspaper.
I have wondered many times if ever cieling fans have fallen on people. But I have never of such an incident.
Keep them coming.
Cheers,
Salil

Balvinder Balli said...

Yaar Parry, isn't your post wrongly titled. In fact it should be "Hitting the Target". Please give the newspaper vendor full marks from my side for hitting the bull's eye, despite all the impediments in line of fire :-))

Well done for keeping up the suspense till the end.

How do we know said...

ha ha ha!!! ROTFL!!

PARRY said...

mampi : yes the day went great with a feel good factor after i gained some confidence in my problem solving prowess.:)

salil : thanks for visiting. I pray they never fall on anybody. And wat do you want to keep coming?
these nose breaking incidents?? ;)

balvinder : HaHaHa....Now that you have quit army otherwise he would have come handy in your missions and would have proved his real worth. Bad luck. :)

hdwk : Thanks for visiting again.

~nm said...

Hahaha! Now that was FUNNY!!

EXSENO said...

I bet the paper boy made a lucky throw and he was probably so excited that he finally made it,he was probably trying to do you a favor. You need to tell him to not hit you in the face next time. hehe
That is such a cute story. I bet he would feel badly if he knew he had hit you in the face.

Balvinder Balli said...

Hi Parry, I have left a Tag for you on my blog.

PARRY said...

nm : Yes on hindsight it definitely looks funny. :D

exsceno : well although i did meet the paper guy for settling the bill but a peaceful person as i am i didn't once thought of settling the scores. :)

balvinder : oh one more tag! will see to it and do it asap.

Mana said...

lol.. so u fear opening windows while asleep? :)

SHWETHA said...

This post reminds me of readin ma favourite O'HENRY'S short stories.

Anonymous said...

oh god, u really turned on the suspense n when i got so curious, u just made me fall off the chair, laughing. well written!

Renu said...

The word kanpur made me read the post and I enjoyed it, and I cant understand why people cover themselves so completely while sleeping, I feel suffocated:), first timer here:)

Reflections said...

LOL, enjoyed this post. U know I didnt really want to go to the part where u found out what is was...my mind was trying to guess it:-D.
Nope...didnt get it right..thot mayb somebody was playing the fool.

PARRY said...

Reflection : But I bet you must have guessed what I was going through at that time. :)

Destination Infinity said...

So, other than the concept of infinity, we have a lot of things in common, I guess. I too live alone. And I am also afraid of any sound, especially in the night around my house. And yes, I too cover my face fully while sleeping. It's too cold in Bangalore, you see....

Destination Infinity