Story of the Lamp

“Useless Obedience”

Not very long ago, my friend from Australia (Actually Pakistani but recently shifted there) sent me a lamp as a gift. He also sent the same to another common friend of ours. Australian friend’s strict instructions were:

“Do not fix the lamp by yourself. Wait for Raja (The Other Friend) he will come at your place to do so. You might break the lamp.”

Raja never came because the Australian friend sent both the lamps without bulbs. So first we needed the bulbs for the lamps. According to Raja:

“Bulb for this particular lamp are not available in Pakistan.”

Australian friend responded to this statement of Raja and tried to convince Raja that bulbs are available in Pakistan.

Raja replied with the problem:

“Maulvi likes warm light, and I have ordered warm light bulbs from Dubai. Let them come and then I will set both the lamps before Ramzan.”

Raja never came before Ramzan due to official trip to Karachi, and after Ramzan he got married. I waited for him but that lamp did not get lucky. Before Ramzan it was 1^st week of June and after Ramzan July was almost hitting its 20^th. August, September, October passed away; eventually I forgot about setting the lamp.

Finally, November arrived, my sister told me about a lamp store that should be visited. I needed a lamp for my writing table so I went to that store. The moment I entered that store I saw the exact same lamp which my Australian friend gifted me with strict instructions.

I asked the shopkeeper about the bulb. And he replied with a smile:

“No sir no special bulb and especially not from Dubai. Just simple energy saver Osaka or Philips; not the pin one but the one with bangles (Choori Wala). Get with cool or warm light, depends on your choice. I can fix your lamp if you have any doubts”

From the same store I bought another lamp for my writing table. On my way back home I stopped by an electric store to purchase energy savers of my choice. I set the new lamp on my writing table when I reached home and after that I unpacked the gift from Australia and ignored the strict instructions.

I assembled the lamp within 15 minutes. Now the bulb, when I looked at the holder it seemed different and I thought my friends are right; this holder might require that bulb especially made for this particular lamp. But Thank God, I recalled that lamp in its operational form in the store where I was like half an hour ago. I fixed the energy saver fine and switched the lamp on.

Amazing light, that took more than six months to glow. Really, it made me very happy. I placed it properly and I truly liked the lamp’s everything. The gift was perfect. Thank You Omer! (The Australian Friend). Amazing Warm Light.

Also I thought for a moment that someone has ordered bulbs for the lamp from Dubai. And they are on their way…I still got no news about the lamp sent to Raja (The Other Friend) if it’s working or still packed under some bed. Because, mine was, but not anymore.