It was a very pleasant evening and Mr. Ravi, dressed to almost perfection, was waiting for his wife to get ready. It was getting late and Ravi could not wait any longer asked his wife, “Have you finished dressing up?”. His wife Mrs. Ramani who was still not yet finished shouted,” from past half an hour I am saying you to wait for just two minutes. Can’t you understand?” Well, jokes apart, two minutes have always been the phrase used to indicate people to wait for a few more minutes than just two minutes.

Purchasing groceries on Sunday mornings has been my usual routine. As usual I went along with my uncle this Sunday and we happened to come to this particular guy who always sells lemon. As usual we went to him and he seems to be busy with something and asked us for two minutes in his peculiar style, ” Do minute rukiye Saab” (Wait for two minutes Sir). We waited for 10 minutes at his place till my uncle lost his patience and argued with him. While they were arguing I was forced to think about the phrase “Two Minutes” frequently used by everyone for everything.

With this thought still lingering in my mind I strained my mind in thinking about all those incidents where I was said to wait for two minutes or I made people wait for two minutes. Apparently there was no such occasion where I really stood by my word nor seen anyone. Then why use this phrase instead of asking to wait for a few minutes. When two minutes doesn’t really mean two minutes then what is its measure in time???

Two Minutes. It doesn’t seem to be a complicated one. It simply includes two words “Two” and “Minutes”. But the importance of this phrase is understood only when u experience it or stand by it. Two minutes generally do not convey exactly two minutes at least where people tend to take it for granted that the customers or the persons waiting to meet them will wait for some time. Where exactly this phrase came into existence is not known but how it came can be anyone’s guess. It is used and not followed. Is it because of carelessness and disrespect towards one’s work?

People tend to use different phrases for different situations like, “Can you hold on for a second?” while on telephone. Or, “Can you please wait for five minutes?” It does not really mean for five minutes but till such time when the person again shows up. But unfortunately, from my experiences till this very day, I never came across a person who actually meant to come back as soon as possible. I was made to wait for quite long time at various places in different situations like waiting for a signature or a specific document to be handed over to me, waiting for my friends to arrive at a particular time, or waiting for my servant maid to complete her work so that I can do my work!!!! May be its not only respect towards your work but also towards other peoples work which causes this delay.

The phrase “two minutes” really shows the respect other people have towards you and your work. May be this mutual understanding of each others tendency of respecting each others work is what is to be understood from the phrase Two Minutes.

Yours Always,