Mr. Sharma had proudly announced that this time he would rent his house only to a “decent and cultured” tenant. Past experiences had taught him enough lessons. But the moment Mr. Verma walked in with a suitcase and three flowerpots, Mr. Sharma felt that fate was about to play another joke on him.
The beginning was pleasant enough. Mr. Verma introduced himself by saying, “I am very calm by nature. I just read books.” By the third day, it became clear that his “books” were actually motivational videos played loudly on speakers, inspiring the entire neighborhood. Every morning at five, Mr. Sharma would wake up to booming voices shouting, “Rise and shine!” and wonder whether the rent was too low—or his patience.
Then came the kitchen chapter. Mr. Verma considered himself an experimental chef. One day, after watching a YouTube video, he prepared Italian pasta whose aroma was so powerful that even Mr. Sharma’s cat temporarily left the house. When questioned, Mr. Verma said proudly, “It’s a new dish. You’ll get used to it.” Mr. Sharma thought to himself that perhaps the chef should get used to it first.
The real shock came when the electricity bill arrived. Mr. Verma had a unique habit of running the air conditioner, cooler, and heater all at the same time. His logic? “It maintains balance.” Mr. Sharma tried to explain that this was a house, not a power plant. Mr. Verma smiled and replied, “I have a scientific mindset.”
The troubles did not end there. Every month, while paying the rent, Mr. Verma had a fresh story ready—sometimes the bank server was down, other times the UPI system was “emotionally disturbed.” Eventually, the money would arrive, but not before raising Mr. Sharma’s blood pressure.
The final straw came when Mr. Verma began feeding pigeons on the terrace. Within days, the rooftop turned into a grand pigeon convention. When Mr. Sharma objected firmly, Mr. Verma argued, “Birds have rights too.” Mr. Sharma replied, “Yes, but the terrace is mine!”
At last, one morning, Mr. Verma announced that he had found “new opportunities for inspiration” and was moving out. After he left, the house felt unusually quiet—but peaceful. Mr. Sharma sighed with relief and muttered, “Next time, instead of a tenant, I’ll pray for divine blessing.”
RAJEEV VERMA 