Clueless in California by BS Prakash
Konark. Pages: x+213. Price: Rs. 195/-
To paraphrase a former American General’s observation, a diplomat is someone who can remain silent in several languages. Or, to quote from this book, a diplomat thinks twice before saying nothing. Prakash, a career diplomat, obviously does not fit into this stereotype. He loves to say what he wants to say in a manner that may not be a hilarious ripsnorter but is funny, but thought-provoking, nevertheless. The smile stays on one’s face right from the first anecdote to the last, with an occasional chuckle ballooning out of the mouth. Of course he blames “the spirit of San Francisco” for his self-expression resulting in “undiplomatic digressions” in the form of this volume, providing the author’s perspective on America.
This perspective is influenced by variegated experiences, as well as the characters Prakash encounters wittingly or unwittingly, like Kulwant the driver – the archetypal Punjabi immigrant; or the author’s lady co-passenger on a flight – in which our man is the only one in a formal suit while the plane is loaded with people in shorts and casuals – insists that anti-Christ is out to put a chip under everyone’s skin to control them. And, since the Silicon Valley is in California, the satanic process starts from there – she warns darkly. If this sort of superstitious stuff jolts you then obviously you nurture a rather romantic image of a rational America. Then there are dinnertime debates on the prevailing gun culture which generates more heat than light. We learn that the youth there seem to be more interested in tai-chi and yoga than things American. The book’s separate sections on diplomats, techies, the diaspora etc, provide us with a kaleidoscopic view of California and yet leave us clueless about this west-coast US state.
THE TRIBUNE
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