It's our final night in Dehradun, walking from Lakshmi Guesthouse down Kanwali Road, looking for toilet paper, we find only the peanut seller on the corner. Got any spare cash I ask? Scoot back to the room for a few roops. At 20 cents a bag for hot monkey nuts it's a bit hard to pass up, even after a fine dinner. In and out of successive stores, owners scurrying into back rooms, or nodding heads signalling no stock of the rolling stuff. We chance upon a store with a group of locals at the counter transfixed on the TV inside blasting out the last 12 balls of the 4th One Day cricket match between Australia and India; the local side chasing an impressive 350 from Australia, 20 needed to win. Joining the audience, we note numerous street dogs inside the shop, luxuriating on plastic chairs. The owner secure in his role, a plump jolly man with a significant forehead cyst, holding court to the locals, now joined by two intrepid foreigners. We're quickly engaged with the crowd, discussing the merits of cricket, one-dayers and the like.
"Where are you coming from?"
"Australia."
"Oh. Very fine."
Noting this is actually a medical store, I venture to enquire about toilet paper.
"Oh! We don't have much demand for that." A smiling response.
I ask whether the locals need to hold on for 50 years, providing a suitably animated demonstration. Laughter and Hindi all round.....we're in!
This is the way it is in India he says. No medical sales but customer loyalty generated by the generosity of a shared TV and lively banter. The game over, cheers all round, India chased down the Aussies to tie the series. Namaste, we venture further in search of the elusive bog roll. No luck!
We make the return journey to the guest house, passing a late night purveyor of various fried snacks, samosas and tikki, only to see the 'Medicine Man' astride his scooter, store now closed for the evening. The glance of an eye, a smile greets us.
"Did you get your equipment?" he asks.
"No!" I reply. "There doesn't seem to be much demand for it here."
Epilogue.
Returning to the guest house, Dinesh, the magnificent manager and cook, magically produces two half rolls on request; Babool, fine silky toilet tissue. Confirming there's not much demand (perhaps except from foreigners), the manufacture date reads November 2011.
"Where are you coming from?"
"Australia."
"Oh. Very fine."
Noting this is actually a medical store, I venture to enquire about toilet paper.
"Oh! We don't have much demand for that." A smiling response.
I ask whether the locals need to hold on for 50 years, providing a suitably animated demonstration. Laughter and Hindi all round.....we're in!
This is the way it is in India he says. No medical sales but customer loyalty generated by the generosity of a shared TV and lively banter. The game over, cheers all round, India chased down the Aussies to tie the series. Namaste, we venture further in search of the elusive bog roll. No luck!
We make the return journey to the guest house, passing a late night purveyor of various fried snacks, samosas and tikki, only to see the 'Medicine Man' astride his scooter, store now closed for the evening. The glance of an eye, a smile greets us.
"Did you get your equipment?" he asks.
"No!" I reply. "There doesn't seem to be much demand for it here."
Epilogue.
Returning to the guest house, Dinesh, the magnificent manager and cook, magically produces two half rolls on request; Babool, fine silky toilet tissue. Confirming there's not much demand (perhaps except from foreigners), the manufacture date reads November 2011.
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