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Scribbles rom a Spiritual Slacker
Really,
I
don't
mean
to
complain
(
all
right
I
DO
mean
to
complain,
at
least
a
little)
but
it
is
interesting
how
what
we
take
for
granted
as
routine,
ordinary,
unremarkable,
commonplace
and
quotidian
is
anything
but
routine,
ordinary,
unremarkable,
commonplace
and
quotidian
here
in
India.
I
am
referring
to
what
we
do
everyday
without
any
fuss
or
thought,
something
quite
simple
and
unremarkable;
taking
a
shower.
Now
first
off,
the
word
shower
is
a
bit
of
a
misnomer.
We
do
not
actually
take
showers.
There
is
a
shower
head,positioned
conveniently
at
eye
level
so
you
have
to
stoop
to
get
under
it,
and
detachable
in
case
you
don't
feel
like
doing
that.
But
it
is
so
rusted,
occluded
and
sclerotic
that
it
emits
barely
a
dribble
of
intermittently
spurting
water
as
it
wheezes
asthmatically
and
complains
that
you
are
using
it
at
all.
So,
what
we
use
is
a
bucket.
One
can
dump
this
over
one's
self
in
one
fell
swoop
or
(as
I
opt
for)
use
a
large
measuring
cup
with
a
convenient
handle,
and
pour
the
water
over
various
portions
of
your
body.
Of
course,
the
water
is
not
hot.
When
I
first
arrived
and
it
was
still
warm,
this
did
not
pose
much
problem.
It
was
bracing
and
invigorating
and
I
could
even
congratulate
myself
that
I
was
beginning
to
get
into
the
spirit
of
practicing
austerities.
But
it
is
not
warm
anymore
in
the
morning.
In
fact
it
has
reached
the
internationally
agreed
upon
standard
of
whether
the
weather
is
cold
or
not;
you
can
see
your
breathe!
And
at
this
temperature,
pouring
icy
water
over
myself
first
thing
in
the
morning
is
taking
austerities
to
way
too
great
of
an
extreme!
So
the
question
arises,
"How
to
get
warm
(or
at
least
not
frigid)
water?"
Well,
one
can
adopt
a
number
of
methods.
The
most
commonly
used
is
to
use
the
hot
water
heater
in
the
second
floor
kitchen.
This
contraption
called
a
"geyser"
(pronounced
m"geezer")
is
a
boxy
construction
with
various
switches,
dials,
hoses
and
looks
as
if
it
came
from
a
mad
scientist's
lab
from
a
black
and
white,
low
(very
low!)
budget
50's
sci-fi
movie.
It
sometimes
works.
you
flip
various
switches,
the
gas
ignites
and
out
spurts
hot
water.
Sometimes.
Then,
I
carry
the
bucket
down
the
somewhat
steep
with
no
handrail
stairs,
hoping
I
don't
fall.
If,
for
some
reason
the
hot
water
heater
isn't
working,
there
is
no
need
for
despair.
There
are
other
options.
One
is
the
immersible
hot
water
coil,
a
long
piece
of
folded
coiled
metal
that
rather
resembles
an
alien
probe
(It
is
NOT
to
be
inserted
into
any
orifice,
this
type
of
short
cut
is
definitely
contraindicated!)
Of
course
use
of
this
instrument
is
dependent
on
a
supply
of
electricity,
and
that
is
dependent
in
getting
up
early
enough
before
the
regularly
scheduled
6:00
AM
power
cut
(after
all,
who
needs
electricity
once
the
sun
is
barely
discernible
on
the
horizon!)
After
that,
this
method
is
not
feasible.
That
leaves
the
final
option,using
the
gas
range
to
heat
up
water.
This
is
dependent
on
several
factors.
The
gas
is
not
centrally
pumped
INTO
the
range.
It
comes
from
a
replaceable
canister
parked
on
the
kitchen
floor.
If
no
gas,
no
hot
water!
Unfortunately
you
can
only
heat
one
pot
up
using
this
method.
Once
you
have
hot
water,
other
complications
ensue.
Usually,
the
water
is
too
hot
to
use!
(
I
discovered
this
by
scalding
my
foot!)
So,
the
hot
water
must
know
by
diluted
with
cold
water
to
reach
the
requisite
temperature.
And
as
you
ladle
it
over
your
lathered
body,
one
must
be
judicious
in
using
it,
otherwise
you
will
run
out
before
you
finished
rinsing,
leaving
a
nice
residue
of
soap!
So
you
see,
daily
ablutions
are
not
simple
at
all!
But
I
will
say
this;
when
all
the
different
variables
conjoin
felicitously,
the
sensation
of
warm
water,
cascading
over
your
body
is
relaxing
and
soothing
indeed!
And
actually,
we
volunteers
are
well
off
and
spoiled
compared
to
others.
In
our
lane,
every
morning
we
see
a
sight
that
is
repeated
in
1,000s
of
lanes
all
over
India,
young
men
in
the
cold,
outdoors,
vigorously
bathing
(in
shorts
of
course)
using
a
hand
water
pump.
They
are
trully
practicing
some
austerity
albeit
out
of
necessity!
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