Anil walked up in the house and looked around. Its been a hard day. He calculated and it was still 3 days before the weekend. He slumped on the sofa and switched on the TV. The 1 and half hour journey through Mumbai traffic really tired him and everyday he spent 2 hours in front of the TV doing absolutely nothing except surf through stuff he could not comprehend.
His fingers switched channels mechanically without any thoughts. There was nothing much except some family serials where all the family members fought with each other.
Suddenly his fingers stopped switching. He was looking at a quiz show. He looked at the watch. It was almost the end of the program. Maybe 4-5 questions more.
He let it stay.
The show contestants were a middle aged man and a young teenager. They were nervous and the host was doing his best to make them nervous and relax at the same time. A good host always keeps the excitement alive. After all its the TRP that counts.
The host asked the next question. Out of the 4 choices, the contestants had to select one. Two wrong questions in a row and they were out of the game.
“USA” Anil muttered to himself
The contestants struggled. The host was enjoying himself
“USA. You stupid! USA” Anil was frustrated
The teenager took a chance and selected USA. The Middle aged man was on his second wrong answer. One more wrong answer and he was out. He did not stand any chance when he selected Spain. His logic, the other three he had heard about. He did not know much about Spain. Apparently he did not know much about USA either.
The host waited before revealing the answer putting some anxious movement in between. The middle aged man was disappointed and was out of the game. The host did the customary ritual of how great it was to have him.
The teenager had survived. The host went on with the show. He asked the next question.
The teenager fumbled again.
“Konark” Anil muttered bored by the seemingly easy question.
“Amritsar” the teenager blurted out
“What?” Anil couldn’t believe what the teenager said.
“Your 5th standard question you idiot” Anil was fuming.
The host was enjoying it
“Yeh answer….” a long pause
Suspense music. The host waited, the audience gasped, the idiot smiled nervously, Anil just knew
“Yeh answer galat hai” The host finally said almost laughing. He was enjoying this, very much.
“How do you get selected?” Anil was frustrated “How do you come so far?”
The host was ready with the second last question. Another wrong answer and the teenager was out. A right answer and he was close to the winning question and maybe a big prize
The question was asked. Anil sat at the edge of the sofa
“K2” Anil said to himself again expecting the teenager to hear the correct answer
The teenager did a quick eeny meeny maina moo. The audience waited.
“Annapurna” The teenager appeared unsure of his answer but he was still taking a risk.
Anil smacked his forehead with his palm “Abey! Kya yaar?”
The host was delighted. He could try his tension-growing, sad-face technique now. And he did just that.
After a whole minute of waiting and dilly-dallying he gave the bad news
The teenager smiled sheepishly. The host again did his customary ritual of saying bye to the participant. Anil shook his head as if he didn’t believe that anyone could give a wrong answer to such a simple question.
The host gave the usual speech about how no one made it till the end and how they will be back the next week but not before the question for the audience. The winners may get a chance to participate and ofcourse big prizes to be won.
By the time the credits rolled out, Anil had SMSed the answer. It was a stupid question after all and he knew that many, many people will SMS the correct answer and then the production team will sit and pull out a lottery for people. These people will participate and then the show will go on.
Anil knew the whole drill. He had SMSed for similar quiz show a number of times. It didn’t take much time and he knew the answers hoping that he would be lucky enough for the lucky draw.
He tried to recollect when was the last time he had won a lottery or any surprise gift. He knew the answer too.
Never!
He sighed and got up. It was time to cook up some dinner. He looked at the mobile phone bill kept on the dinning table. The itemized bill showed a big amount went for SMSes.
He shook his head in disbelief but he knew the answer
“I got to stop sending SMS to these games shows” he said to himself making a mental note to pay the bill next day
The TV was still on and on a different channel, another quiz show had just started!
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Note: When I watch a quiz show, I am sometimes surprised why the contestants cannot answer simple questions. However I have never been in the hot seat and answered questions and feeling the pressure of so many eyes watching you. But then again, Would I be there?
A story inspired by quiz shows on television.
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