Take It Easy

Akhil was confused. He had just been told to take it easy by his fellow Teaching assistant Mike ‘Belly’ Smith, and was not too sure what it was supposed to mean.

He had finished his weekly session teaching eighteen year old American kids how to save documents in word, as part of his Computer Literacy assignment. His throat always got parched from all the speaking, and he had gone out of the room to grab water.

He had also managed to get locked out of his classroom. His wallet, ID, home keys, everything was left in the room. Poor Akhil was worried about what to do and he remembered that Mike had his office nearby. He ran to Mike’s office and asked him if he had access to the same room.

Mike did not.

But he suggested that Akhil call up the campus police and that they could help unlock the room for him. And as Akhil left, Mike said “take it easy”.

Akhil thought that maybe he looked worried thats why Mike suggested him to take it easy. He was a little surprised though. He wasnt quite that worried. Anyway, he thought, that was nice of Mike.

The cops took 10 minutes to get there, and were very cooperative. As they left, they told Akhil to, well, take it easy.

Akhil had just arrived in America to start his masters, and really didn’t know much about the American way of doing things. That night he discussed with his more experienced roommates, and they laughed at him shamelessly for a full minute before they could even reply.

Abe gadhe…you are a complete idiot. Just take it easy.

Filed under: Stories , American Slang, Amreeka, Desi, FOB, Fresh Off the Boat, Indian in America, Life in America, Not Resident Indian, NRI