Thinking thoughts on a stuck sprig

Fresh mint

It all began with this yummy plate of palak pakodas and pudina chutney (spinach-fritters and mint dip) that Jamuna from 6th floor sent me yesterday. My hubby and I munched on them happily till the last crumb had been polished off the plate. A warm cup of tea downed it all.


Are you saying…’why warm’???

Not to worry. Momma will tell you.

That’s because I answered the door, read a mail and got carried away by a soppy dialogue in a soap before I took the first sip of tea. Meanwhile the hot cuppa became a warm cuppa.

Now that was the first time I got a hint of it. An irritating sprig of mint was caught between two molars. You know how it is when that happens!

Much like the mind that keeps harping on painful experiences my tongue kept going to the irritant trying to pull it away. Of course like the mind fails my tongue too made only futile attempts to banish the irritant.

I tried a toothpick, a toothbrush and yukk my finger nails too.

But no

Then I remembered what a leading guru on TV had said. Fill your mind with positive thoughts, think of a vacation you went on (not about mountain roads that made you puke), and think of the joyous family gatherings (not the aunt who almost caused a fight between two brothers) … he said.

Aaah! That’s the trick. I decided I needed to fill into other delicious stuff. So I had two slabs of the new Cadbury silk chocolate, a handful of crisp potato chips and some juicy tomato slices.

No good. It was fine while I was enjoying the new taste and thoughts … but soon it was back to square one.

Hey, I know! Engulf your mind with a mantra. Let one thought fill your soul. That will surely cleanse your mind of all sad thoughts. The guru was abso sure.

Ok. I can do that! I worked hard with my cheeks to swish around a cup of warm water for 3 minutes.  Just one thing would fill the space. right.

That sprig I tell you. It was as bad as the memory of a bad experience. It simply refused to budge. You know how obstinate these thoughts of events gone by are; they just hang around and refuse to go. It was same to same. Like that only

By then I was exhausted. My jaws were aching. My cheeks felt tender. Moreover I was close to finding out who the murderer was in an Agatha Christie.

So I said to the sprig. Forget it. Be there if you must. And I proceeded to follow Hercule Poirot.

Can you believe it, like a sweet obedient puppy, that painful sprig made its way out…simply…just like that.

Painful memories are in the vein of embedded sprigs. Same to same. You got to give them time. They will eventually edge their way out.

and O! I got the picture from Google images. If you have an objection, just let me know.
I shall let it go.