Monday, January 21, 2019

Pink Panther and The TATA MUMBAI MARATHON 2019

‘Thanks, but I don’t do popular choices’…neither am I, a Jaguar. Of all the cats, Pink Panther suits me. Inspector Clouseau’s randomness has a rival.

I observe, Good experiences are actually, a consolidation of many good happenings, that reach epitome exhilaration, with the least planning and predictability/ expectation, just like my arch rival, dear Old Inspector Clouseau. The awe factor is max, when the planning is the least.

A goal is at the back of 'Ze' mind and there is no constant awareness about it, as things do not fall in place, as when they should follow, with a “must do” plan. I find less experimentation in planned activity. You achieve all the goals to the “Expectation.”

I should warn, hazardous are the ways of Inspector Clouseau, and anybody attempting to mimic may have higher chance of mishap, a shade grayer than Pink Panther, in case, he struck again.
M.Clouseau is an artist by heart, but he finds bugs for a living. (The bugs are found, through random walks of a designer turned software QA guy. A larger part of the Surete, goes by logical detection and a plan. They are not amused by random walk that end in  not-found surprises, especially when close to case closure.)

After office, when he heads back to “Ze Reum”. Ze critic of software, is now a part time Creator to strike a work life balance. The werk at home is to refine creativete` or continue to make accidents, that either produce good art or end up as an art-fill in the waste paper basket.

Art equipment is costs and ‘ze reum’ is full of it. Surete` pay may not help keep up, so he is forced to create art on commission, to those who can afford it.

Can you do a portrait for me was, till recent, was received with a khaki overcoat collar up, cold shoulder “No”! 'Portraits on commission are  probleme.'  He cannot be the wild artist, stop where he wants, but MUST create a like to like image that meets the purchaser’s eye. He usually goes through a series of exchanges to make corrections, to be as human as the mood allows.
Recently, he was busy with oil painting of a dancer. It was followed by another watercolor for a friend of his. Commission paintings come with a delivery timeline. He stands beside his easel to work for 2-3 hrs at a stretch. At weekend evenings, he goes for run at race course and lately he has been feeling too tired and sluggish to go on runs.
He has not given a thought to the most rational explanation of 3 hrs of easel work may leave a stiff back and frozen shoulder. Stiff back does not promote running at evening. Frozen shoulder does not help to shrug and Ze Eyes are tired and hazay..so a nap suits, a noon siesta is on the cards.

Painters have whims and they use the atmosphere around to get into the mood. Monsieur Clouseau, is no different. As the clock ticked to the approaching marathon, he has ensured couple of long runs of 30 km each at any time of the day he feels positive. There are very late morning runs, few afternoon runs. Couple or almost no weekday runs. Weekend runs are too slow. He has no idea, what he should expect on the D-Day and 5.30 timing seems apt, if not unreachable target.
The unplanned commission work is completed, just before the marathon day and he agreed to carry it to Mumbai, rather than mail it.

On the train, he purchases a head cover with bright orange and yellow design, which he feels will come handy, when he has to camouflage himself from the rest of the runners.
To test the impact, he tries it on a Surete` colleague, to drape like a Sardarji. If he finds the diamond, this is safe place to hide it.


 Zeir is one guy in his team who has a plaster on his hand. How can he run with plaster? 
He could be carrying diamonds!

Ze Railway 'reum', is bit nastier than he left, in his last encounter. Ze lockers have broken latches and they will not be able to hold diamonds anyways. At 1.30 AM midnight a suspicious character is chatting on his cell 'phyone' with his son. The ramble continues without any objections and sleep takes over till 3AM morning alarm.

Run begins at 5:30AM.. Lot of 'positevete' in the mob, makes M.Clouseau run at much better pace than he dreamed. The weather is worse compared to last year.
It is a dream solo run , if he cuts off himself from few arrogant people who want him to “make Reum” for them to go ahead.. esp when Zeir is plenty of reum already, why zis arrogance.

People drop trash on the road, Zey shoot bottles like football that might hurt Barefoot runners, zey have no time to aim for ze bin. Ze run ends and he feels afresh.
He crosses the borderline and tries to find a breach to go to CST terminus without collecting the medal. He has successfully avoided adding more junk in his cupboard for last two years. But this time  the Pink Panther is well secured from all boundaries, he must enter ze ground. Zis time he must stand in queue and accept  the "Ordre national du Mérite".

On way back to the Reum, Ze bag is given to a beggar. Ze junk metal and towel is carried back to ze reum, as it may be used as disguise in future , be used as a can opener or scrape paint off the palette.
He joins his surete` team for journey back to Paris.


Yet another case. Solved pretty faster than he expected. i.e 4:47 to the finish
https://sportstimingsolutions.in/share.php?event_id=47265&bib=1169