10 great bitter-sweet moments!

We all have our personal lists - of the zaniest/quirkiest/
funniest/ craziest/smartest ... We devote this page to them.
This week, Manoj Madhavan lists ...

A fortunate vacation You haven't taken a break in a long, long time. Your family back home is fuming, sulking... Finally, you tell them you are coming home. No one is impressed. But when you reach, they are all smiles. A lottery ticket bought by your grandfather in your name has hit pay dirt!

Dinner's on me You invite a friend and his wife for dinner at a fancy restaurant and at the end of the meal realise that you left your wallet at home. But your friend offers to pay as he's got a surprise promotion that day.

Hard decisions While window shopping, your wife falls in love with a pair of diamond earrings. Ouch. She is trying them on as you desperately try to keep the smile on your face... and then one earring falls down and rolls out of sight. As damage control, she says she has changed her mind.

Birthday blues It's your birthday and this year you are in no mood to celebrate. You drive back home from work telling yourself that it's like any other day. And then, surprise! Your friends have got together to boost your flagging spirits.

The sound of silence You have been chosen by your boss to deliver the opening speech at your company's annual day dinner. On the dais, just when you wish the earth would swallow you up, the lights go out. A major breakdown has occurred at a sub-station...

Oops and thank you You are at the most boring party in town. No excuse however seems to be good enough to hotfoot it out of there. Till someone accidentally spills a drink on you...

Floral fantasy At the florist's, you choose a big bouquet for your wife but the price nearly has you fainting... till you discover that the bouquet was prepared for someone else who has not collected. It is now at half-price.

Dream bytes You lose your heart to an expensive top-of-the range laptop. If only you could afford it... The next day, your boss says there's been a systems upgrade and everybody's getting a new laptop. And there it is!

Marriage wows You are sulking because your wife seems to have forgotten your wedding anniversary. You bury your head in the morning newspaper only to find a lovely anniversary greeting on page 3.

Musical chairs You are fed up of your neighbour who seems to have a party every night. No amount of pleading has made any difference. Just when you think you will go mad, his wife comes by to say they been transferred to the Bahamas.

– As told to Hina Navin, Dubai-based freelance writer