Most of you with even a passing knowledge of me know that my go-to legwear is a pair of shorts. I wear them anywhere and everywhere unless it is too cold. Much to the dismay of my friends, family, and occasionally innocent onlookers.

I have shown up at dress-up parties in shorts, wedding receptions in shorts and anniversary celebrations in shorts. Sharmila and the girls regularly have showdowns with me over my insistence that any future weddings in the family must be destination weddings on an island. Where shorts are acceptable formalwear.

I believe in planning ahead in wearing them down.

My friends in India used to be quite taken aback when I showed up in shorts during my quarterly visits to my parents. It seems to have become more commonplace there now. I like to think I did some pioneering work.

My dad, upon seeing our firstborn daughter for the first time, immediately advised me to start saving money. I would need it to get her married off! I am sure he grew prouder of me with every quarterly visit, realizing how much I was saving by refusing to buy full-length trousers. You may recollect he was the same guy who was disgusted that I paid a full dollar for a pair of socks and that they came up only to my ankle. (Upon converting to rupees, he had strongly felt they should come up to my knees!)

There have been other benefits too. When I reunited with my very first friend in life after about 40 years, he had no trouble spotting me among the people waiting at the bus stand in Burdwan. Then there was the incident when I went to visit Joyjit’s mom in Asansol, who had met me just once during a visit to the USA. When she opened the door, I started introducing myself. She stopped me halfway.

“I know, I know. You are the one who goes around in shorts, right?” Some people leave a lasting impression with their personality. I leave mine with my exposed knees.

So, what does any of this have to do with the wine bottle in the picture?

A few weeks ago, I went to the wedding reception of a friend’s daughter. My entire family – Natasha, Nikita, Rohan and Sharmila, had made it crystal clear that showing up in shorts would result in physical injury. I do think Jay Jay was rooting for me, but his ability to intervene was questionable. Especially since he was not invited anyway.

So, reluctantly, I showed up in Indian clothes.

One of the first people I met was the bride’s grandmother, a lovely Indian lady I have met many times, although probably not in the last year. I walked up and started chatting in Bengali. She smiled politely, but I could tell she had absolutely no idea who I was.

I stepped back and offered a clue: “হাফ প্যান্ট পরিনি বলে চিনতে পারছেন না বোধ হয়” (“You probably don’t recognize me because I’m not wearing shorts.”)

“RAJIB??” she exclaimed.

Much laughter followed.

Then, a week ago, this bottle of wine arrived at our house as a return gift, accompanied by a lovely note: “Thank you for not wearing shorts to the wedding.”

There you have it. You people wear trousers every day. I wear them once and get rewarded with wine.

Take that, you trouser wearers!! 🙂