Radio waves

Satiricus was always easy to get along with. Listening to the new mellow FM89.5 that had burst on the scene made him even more laid back. He particularly liked the oldies. He’d been enjoying the old Rafi so much, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. He walked around with a goofy smile on his face. So you can understand his chagrin when the Muckraker screamed that his newfound source of joy was obtained unfairly. It was as if the old, law-abiding Satiricus was smoking ganja on the sly: it might make him feel high – but it just wasn’t copacetic.
“Ah wha wrang wid you, Sato bai?” Cappo exclaimed over Lata’s dulcet voice from the new FM Radio 89.5 in the background. It was from the movie “Saajan”. “You look like you swalla crapaud!”
Satiricus explained the source of his discomfort and concluded, “All of us wanted radio to be freed up. Why only some people get licence?” “Sato, me friend,” began Hari softly, “why you don’t check out these things before you get so bent out of shape?”
Shreya Ghoshal had just started her “Teri Ore”, and her voice was so pure and unadulterated that tears welled up in the hardened bunch around the table. “What do you mean,” said Satiricus after a while.
“I read the papers.” Shreya continued to weave her magic. “Yeah, but which papers?” asked Suresh. “Got to be the Stabber and the Muckraker. Right?” Satiricus nodded.
“Sato, old friend, when yuh gon learn?” asked Bungi exasperatedly. “Every rope gat two ends. Is de GTimes own de new FM89.5. Yuh na know how Muckraker and Stabber hate GTimes?”
“The truth is, Sato, when GTimes buy over VCT, Zeira had a case in court for a radio station,” explained Teacher Samad in his patient way. A Rafi classic from “Teesri Manzil” segued seamlessly from Shreya. “The court ordered the government to grant the radio licence to GTimes. Which is what we’re listening to right now!”
“Oh Haseena…” crooned Rafi. “But de government use de chance fuh give nine other radio stations out to other people!” burst out Cappo indignantly. “We gon get nine other radio stations soon. How come Muckraker and Stabber nah complain about dem?”
“Monkey know which limb to jump on,” explained Suresh. “The other people who get radio station include opposition people. So they wouldn’t mention that!”
An old Asha Bhosle tune was now playing – “Piya Tuu, ab to aja”. The old girl’s voice was as pulsating as any of the young ones today.
“So Sato, old buddy, don’t hang all yuh clothes pon one nail next time, OK?” advised Hari. “Just enjoy the music. You got choice now, you know!”
Satiricus had returned to his old, jolly self. In fact, as Asha kept crooning, he got up and made a few of the old moves he thought he’d forgotten. “FM 89.5 was here to stay!” he thought exultantly. “If music be the food of love, play on!”