Power struggle…
Boiled water wrestle,
Walking a few steps closer to the staff, I started to see the sweetness in their junky eyes, the vague very shy attempt of a smile, and the strange combination of inviting but declining type of gestures… but I concluded:
regardless, they must be helpful and friendly, and I made my self comfortable with it.
Its quite often that I get surprised with the fact that I am surprised its cold.. seriously, I live almost in the north pole and its October in France (Daaaa ) …this trip was no difference, I barely brought a thick long sleeves piece of cloth and didn’t think of bringing a thermos to heat my body from the inside, so I made my purchase of a new thermos and confidently went to the Ashram staff and asked them for boiled water…
Round #1: The angry-looking yogi said: “the kettle is only for the staff, we don’t provide this service, and we don’t want people to be in and out to the staff corner, you should fix one for yourself”.
My jaw dropped a bit, but the rebel does not take no for an answer, not from the first attempt… so she stood up and with a witty cunning voice she said” ah, ok, sorry, you are staff right? can you please get me boiled water ? ” putting the bottle an inch away from him.. it was now his jaw that dropped, took the thermos and filled it halfway and brought it back to me with an attitude.
Round #2: I made my wicked plan to get to the cooking workshop 5 min early so I can stay in the staff corner and get my boiled water from the staff kettle, but as I got there the kettle was no longer there !! it was moved to the kitchen and now I have to ask permission from one of the staff.
I picked non-smiling but the less angry staff and said “Can I get some boiled water from here ? please ” and silence surrounded us as she looked me deep in the eyes and sought the inserted inner order of commands and said after a while “hmmmmmmm…. eeeemmmmm…. ah, ok but just a little”…
Round #3: knowing that the kettle is gonna be in the kitchen until the end of the course, I made it like a little game, every day I will ask someone different and see how the round goes… but this time I picked a Swami…
“Can I get some boiled water from here please ?”, I said, expecting a NO from a firm stiff face. ..”yes, of course, help yourself “… and my jaw dropped as I heard a happy smiling yes coming towards me…
Round #4: I walk into the kitchen, look at the non-smiling but less angry girl, I smile an raise the hand carrying the thermos, she nods back, and I turn to the staff kettle and fill my thermos with boiled water.
Moral of the story, bring your own kettle.
