Signs that make you smile in our paradise isle!

Yes, the ever-rising cost of living is truly hurting us; and the bungling bureaucrats make it difficult and at times almost impossible for us to get any work done in the public sector, making us grin and bear their indifference; being taxed and taxed some more directly and indirectly for anything and everything by those in power is certainly hitting us below the already tightened belt. In spite of all these negative and disheartening aspects, there are so many little signs/notices we see in public places that can still put a smile on our faces.

So my advice to you is, when you set about your daily routine, make an effort to observe these signs/notices and have a hearty laugh!

For instance, when you see a sign by a wayside eatery saying they serve ‘Rose Chicken, Devils and Sort Eats,’ will it not make you smile? Or when you see a billboard saying ‘Body Parts for Sale’ next to an auto parts sales outlet, will it not make you wonder and amuse you? Or when you see a bookshop selling ‘stationary,’ won’t it make you pause for a while and think how on earth do they get the spellings wrong? Or come across an advertisement saying free gifts on offer – aren’t gifts supposed to be free anyway? Or saying something or seeing some place will take your breath away or leave you breathless in their promotional material – will it not make you question the sanity of the people writing such copies for advertisements or more should be more aptly called ‘advertease-ments’ for that’s what they do – tease you! After all, who in his or her right mind would want to have anything to do with something or some place that would stop you from breathing and eventually kill you? Of course, one must not overlook the sayings on the rear side of trishaws. One such saying that really caught my attention goes like this – Get in; Sit down; Hold tight; and Shut up! You must also not fail to listen to the man coming down your road collecting old and used items who will among other things say ‘parana bras gannawa’! Now will it not make you confuse as to why he is collecting ‘old brassieres’ and put a grin on your face? Of course, if you inquire you will realize what he is referring to is ‘old brassware’ and not old brassieres!

So my advice to you is, when you set about your daily routine, make an effort to observe these signs/notices and have a hearty laugh! After all, it’s not without any rhyme or reason that it has been said, ‘laughter is the best medicine.’ So smile and let the country smile with you!