Panama City - Day I

 As sun sets over in Panama City Florida, you can feel it's morning in America. Sun might have set over the British empire long time back, but sun certainly doesn't set over Panama City. We discovered this after arriving here on our first post pandemic trip out of state to find this popular beach vacation spot on Florida panhandle extremely busy and bustling. 

We drove through the three states of Georgia, Alabama and Florida on a three  and half hour drive to Panama City on a hot, steamy day when temperature reached almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38°Centigrade). The undulating landscape of gigantic Pine, Maple and Mimosa trees under the sizzling mid day sun gave away to Palm trees swaying in the incoming Ocean breeze as we got closer to our destination. The land got flatter, swampier - riddled in Shrubs and Bushes swamped with decaying tree trunks visible on both sides of the road.

I have a long tryst with Florida, having visited the state multiple times. Arguably it is America's favorite vacation spot. Six year ago on our way to Miami we took a night halt at Melbourne, Florida in a Potel (in America so many motels are owned by Patels, they can very well renamed as Potels). Though it was month of March where most of the United States burn gas to keep their homes warm, standing in the lobby I felt a wave of wafting cool air from the Air Conditioning. 

As the pretty motel receptionist handed over me the magnetic strip key to our room, I saw a mosquito surreptitiously sitting on her cheek. She smiled and asked me "Do you have any questions ?" I replied back "Yes, May I slap you ?" "What ?" She retorted back. I pointed to the mosquito on her cheek. She instantly burst into laughter and as she slapped herself she blurted out - "Welcome to Florida". We call Mosquito, the National Bird of our State. Glad a la Mahatma Gandhi she didn't show her other cheek to the mosquito.

Haven't seen a single mosquito here in Panama City so far, nor expecting any on a sea facing balcony on the 11th floor of a motel, because mosquitos can't fly beyond 60 feet in ocean wind. The bursts of sea breeze felt pure and pristine as we lunged for it, longing for it so long. 

After darkness dawned, from the high rise building we could feel bouts of cool air due to an approaching thunderstorms from the South Western sky. It reminded me of the adage - Marriages are made in heaven, so also thunder and lightening. More later...

The Death of Telegram

 Exactly 8 years ago this day the telegram services was closed forever in India. July 15, 2013 was the last day a telegram was sent. 

For years telegram was the harbinger of news - good, bad or ugly. First the good news, which was mostly related to birth of a child (mainly son, birth of a daughter unless she is the first child is rarely an occasion to celebrate back home). Or a new job offers for which the mailman (postman) was rewarded with LADDOOS (sweets) or monetary tips, occasionally both. 

Bad news was mostly related to sickness and death. Often dreaded for delivering news related to death, the telegram was already on its death bed in the age of emails, internets, social media, texts and smart phones. Unsurprisingly, finally it died its natural death.

Once a Babu (the way the government servants are addressed in India) went out on an urgent trip. He instructed his servant to send a telegram to his family members informing them about his unplanned jaunt. The faithful servant sent a telegram in Odia "BABU AJI MARI JAICHANTI" transliterated " Our master passed away today".

In fact the Babu went to a place called AJMER. So the slight difference in the spelling of AJMER and AJI MARI (died today) played havoc with the ill fated recipients of the fated telegram. When the smiling Babu returned back home a few days later his family members were startled to see him as if they saw a ghost. 

I sent one telegram in my life to fake illness in order to get some leaves from my Govt service where I once worked for a short period of time. I was told to do so, as a telegram message then was the best proof of authenticity to use in the SARKARI (govt) world. RIP, telegram service. Even 8 years after your death you have enough of nostalgia tied to you to be dug out from your grave.

Belief in Limited Socializing

 Over the years I learnt something the hard way. Unlimited socializing leads to unnecessary headaches. Hence I have decided to limit by socializing to a limited circle of friends around whom I feel quite comfortable and have no qualms whatsoever.

These days finite socializing keeps me sane. It has reduced the vulnerability from any future fiasco. Familiarity breeds contempt. Someone once told me - "Ass might look pretty from a distance, but if you get too close to the ass it will stink".

A few Odias aren't happy with me for my social distancing from the greater US based Odia community. Being from the same fraternity the expectation is higher from your own BIRADARI. In USA you have Odia, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi - all kinds of regional outfits (often multiple ones from the same community in the same state or city), but hardly any functioning Indian association. We are Odias, Gujaratis or Telugu first, Indian origin later. Only time we think ourselves as Indians when India plays a cricket match, especially against our arch rival Pakistan.

To those Odias who detest me of staying aloof from them, I have this message. I didn't come to USA to mingle only with Persons of Odisha origin. If my intention was to mingle only with Odias, I could have lived in my ancestral village near Puri. My native village consists of only pure bred Odias, not a single non-Odia lives there. Why I came to America if I had to socialize with Odias ONLY?

Please forgive me for doing some self bragging - after staying a quarter of century in the United States I have not forgotten my roots, culture, language and tradition. I have touched them in many of my blogs, highlighted Odisha's history, its eminent personalities, its culture,  festivals and language. Whenever possible I have brought our forgotten heroes to life by highlighting statesmen and their contributions to my home state of Odisha in various fields - e.g. art, literature, astronomy, sports and politics. I have translated many articles and a book from Odia to English (Now I have self patted my back so much that I might sprain my hand).

Man is a social animal (women are more social than men). Some socializing is necessary. But person doesn't have to go around every weekend and do "ହେଁ ହେଁ ଫେଁ ଫେଁ" (laugh and chitchat) just for the sake of socializing. In fact frugal socializing has enabled me to focus on the larger agendas in life and following various creative pursuits. I would love to keep it that way going forward.

Do Businessmen make successful politicians

 Do Businessmen (or women) make great politicians ? Technically speaking nothing stops them from becoming one. I have many entrepreneur friends who are not only highly successful, they are outstanding individuals who make immense contribution to society. Always in awe of them I admire their guts, risk taking capability and philanthropic outreach.

Yet I can't remember a business person ever becoming a successful politician. The rise and fall of Donald Trump brings up a very pertinent question - Can a businessman (or woman) excell in state craft ? Possible, but unfortunately history hasn't been on their side. Rarely we have seen eminent business persons at the helm of affairs of a nation and carving a niche.

Billionaire Trump boasted that if elected, he will build a wall on Mexican border, making Mexico pay for it. None of that happened. In four years in office, he managed to build a token wall on a small stretch of the vast southern border, but by any stretch it hasn't stopped illegal immigration. Nor Mexico has paid a single Peso for that wall. 

Trump was a businessman from outside the Washington Beltway, supposed to bring a breath of fresh air using his much vaunted negotiation skills as an asset to his administration. But he turned out to be a pompous, big fat liar with dictatorial tendencies, trumpeting hot air to garner votes. His skills as a businessman (a failed one) neither helped US, nor helped his reelection bid.

A nation ain't a Corporation. You can't build a fence and bill your neighbor, as you send invoices to your clients in business. You can't fire your voters if they aren't on the same page with you. Managing a country is not a business of managing boardroom or balance sheet. A country is not run on the basis of profit and loss. It's takes lot more than that.

It's not just Trump who failed. We have seen many Businessmen making poor politicians, national leaders or anything remotely statesmen. Mitt Romney, a man with business experience failed to enthuse the electorates in a nation known as the citadel of Capitalism.  Despite his best efforts he could not get rid of the stigma of a vulture capitalist. He could not connect to the commoners especially in a country where business and business men are adored and not so much frowned upon, unlike in many nations including India.

I personally admire and respect the businessmen for their vision, acumen and stewardship. They make champion managers, have exemplary people skills and guide their corporations to pinnacles of success. However their leadership is mostly limited to their boardroom, rarely beyond that. Many are poor managers on home front which lead to marital discords and divorces. Managing a nation is a whole different ballgame.

History stands as a testimony to this fact. Our great leaders Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr.,  Subash Bose, Indira Gandhi (arguably the most manly Prime minister India ever had. She did size up Pakistan by walking the talk, not just by talking the talk) did not have any business background. In America, the most capitalist country in the world, none from Roosevelt, Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton or Obama had any kinda business background. So also English Prime Ministers Churchill and Maggie Thatcher. The myth that a business person would make a great national leader still lives on and on, yet to be vindicated.