The cracking, popping sound is unmistakable.
I crane my neck to see who it is.
It is the middle-aged, pot-bellied colleague this time. And he insists on doing an encore (Groannnnn)!
As I turn my head away, I can’t help but remember how people, at some time or the other, have indulged in some (harmless) knuckle-cracking. Leaving some, like me, frothing at the mouth!
The first recollection I had of it was of my brother cracking his knuckles as close to my ears as possible, to get his back on me for having scratched my nails on some muslin / silk – something which made him feel as squeamish as the average person feels when he hears the sound of screeching chalk on a blackboard. The anguished look on my face was totally complemented by the gleeful one writ largely on his. Of course a loud fight, complete with bloodcurdling screams, was in order, much to my Mom’s despair.
You can obviously discern that I never was a fan of knuckle-cracking.
Then you had those at school who insisted on cracking their knuckles at each class test, half yearlies, and annual examinations. My reaction all those times remained the same – a glowering look at the “offender,” complete with furrowed forehead, and knitted eyebrows, or sometimes, just for a change, an arched eyebrow, reminiscent of a well-known Bollywood vamp.
Most times I’m sunny, and yet there are those odd occasions when the only thing that comes to my mind when I hear habitual knuckle-crackers, is to hook my right index finger, walk straight up to them, and rap them smartly on their heads. Of course, social propriety ensures that I desist from carrying out my designs...
In college, when we sat around with each other over cups of steaming tea / coffee, the common room resembled a theater full of eager youngsters, gathered to catch tickets to a screening of their favorite movie idol. The only difference was that here everyone had assembled to catch last minute scribbles / notes that would take them from that shamefully low-score to a barely-sidestepping-borderline-one. With all that palpable tension rife in the air, it was but natural that the distasteful sound would “pop” (pun intended), causing many people’s heartbeats to race just that little bit faster, and fetch quite a few funny looks for the knuckle-cracker.
For some, it was that time again to dole out that much-perfected scowl. All the more at people, who after having tormented you with their incessant knuckle-cracking, proceeded to crack their wrists, and necks – leaving you with no option than to leave the room, but not before giving them a pretty unhealthy dose of murderous looks.
With my history of practical jokes, wisecracks, general goofiness, and loony tales to back me up, you couldn’t blame me for people not believing a word when I would, solemn wise face and all, spout how cracking knuckles could lead to arthritis. The disbelieving faces are still etched in my otherwise awful memory.
As are the loud cracking sounds that reminded me of the box of untouched Rice crispies at home…
Wonder what knuckle-crackers will do next…probably come up with a dedicated website, complete with forum and chat.
Oh wait, they already have that…
Dunno what’s next then.
Maybe I really should get “cracking” and consult a chiropractor…
No comments:
Post a Comment