Saturday, August 4, 2007

Kochappan's Fall

By the time I reached his house it Thirty minutes past Six .I wanted to tell him that I will be away at Calicut till Sunday, to do a training programme for 6th semester students on
'Career Craft' at NIT for MA Foi academy. He was extremely happy that Iam engaged in these activities.

'' Do you still write copy for the designers and the ad agency'' He asked.
'' Yes. I have written some more slogans for them and this time I have taken care to see that my English is good. thanks to you.'' I answered with joy.

I knew that he was ready to go for a wedding reception and was in a bit of a hurry.I asked him whether he will just glance at two or three one liners I had written.For me he will delay anything. He agreed.

First one was for a USHA brand toaster ; a one liner to attract tthe attention; a point of purchase display.
' A Gift that every member of the family appreciates ; automatically burns toast '
kochappan read it and there was this silence ; the one which falls without noise.

'' Making a toast would be better than 'Burning' a toast ; both for writing and eating.'' He suggested.

We Menons take good suggestions without questioning.

The General Manager needed a ' WANTED' notice to be pasted in the shop entrance for getting some girls from 6.PM to 9.Pm to work in their fruits and vegetables section.

I gave one - ' WANTED - Unmarried girls to pick up fresh fruits and produce at night'

Kochappan appreciated the correctness of my English but suggested a comma after produce, to give it the correct meaning. The other one, Kochappan said, would give an impression to people, that Varkey's is starting a breeding centre or a production centre.

We Menons ---- ----- ----------- ------- -----------.

The other one was for their manufacturing and packing unit.

' WANTED - Fifty girls for stripping machine operators in the factory'. Kochappan looked at it.
That thing fell again ; without noise.

'' Fifty girls as 'stripping-machine' operators would be more acceptable for a factory. Your English is good, but that would be apt for a cabaret joint'' . He opined.

The third one was for the same department store but for a social cause; sale of used clothes of the women members of of the church nearby;proceeds of which will be for the orphanage.
' SALE - Ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement'.

This time Kochappan fell ; with a thud sound !

This time also it was a question of a missing hyphen !!!

menon (aniyan)

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