Bush Gets the Boot!

It has to be the most Indian thing that I have seen on the International Chapter so far. What is so surprising about the whole matter is that he missed! Guess Bush has finally learnt to duck in the face of oncoming missiles. One is so used to his opening his mouth and shooting them out that this makes a pleasant change. Kind of reminds me of the usual day in the Bihar Lok Sabha. No one would even bat an eyelid if it happened there.

The true measure of the feelings of the people of Iraq flew with that forlorn footwear in futile fury at Bush. That’s what every kid on the street on the street in Baghdad would like to do, but will never get the opportunity to do. I know that the man got imprisoned and all that but I’m hoping against hope that he’s getting served caviar in prison for his amazing feat of bravery. It truly was a rallying point in the low spirits of the Iraqi people.

Given the fact that the farewell visit was something of a formality that neither side was truly interested in, it sure became the talk of the town after that incident. Every major newspaper and news channel is milking that footage and story for all its TRP ratings. There will hardly be a man, woman or child with access to a television who will not have heard that story by the end of the week. For a pair of size ten boots that’s quite a debut.

I won’t be surprised if in a decade or so from now the same footage is shown at an auction house in London. We will be told the story all over again by a polite Englishman with impeccable manners. Then the same shoes will go on auction for thousands of pounds more than the original value. Maybe some rich and patriotic Iraqi will silently bid an astronomical amount on it. Then we will laugh at the memory and marvel at the tenacity of the man who held on to the pair and finally cashed in on them after so many years. Such is life…