What is the difference between “I am a teacher and I am working as a teacher’ ?

What would be your reaction if you had a chance of meeting with Birbal, Akbar, Tenali and Mullah eating pizza at the Seaview Hotel? Shocking? Unbelievable! But I had such an experience. Were they ghosts or Artists?

Wait.

Let me unfold my experience.

‘At the Seaview Hotel, there was Tenali Raman. Next to him was the wise Mullah. Akbar the Great and Birbal were as usual in serious discussion sitting opposite to each other.

I was astonished at this sight. What were these people doing? Where had they come from? Were they not dead? Was it my own imagination? Were they cinema actors directly from a shooting spot? No answers.

I watched them with a new interest. A bearer came and served them  pizza. By now I was convinced that these people might be drama actors or cine artists. I tried to move towards them. But I could not. Something drew me back. But I introduced myself shouting “Hey, I am Saketram. I am working as a teacher in English. What are you doing?”

A swift retort came “I am sitting here.” Reply seemed to have come from Akbar.Though I had doubts about my presence of mind, still I could feel the teasing tone

“What are you doing? Tell me.” This time I throw the question to Mullah. We could never expect a reasonable answer from this man of irony. What I expected was, just, what was his job.

 Mullah smiled at me “My dear friend, Open your eyes. I am talking to Tenali Raman.”


 Confused and irritated, I turned to Birbal.. “What are you doing?”

 “We are all sleeping? Don’t you see?” It was a pure sneer. There was a mockery in his tone.

I started doubting “How a sleeping man could tell that he is sleeping!” They were all actually sitting around a conference table. I felt let down like a fool when my simple question was not attended to.’

“Open your eyes and see!” someone familiar shouted at me in a high pitch. I brought my hands to my eyes but there were nothing except two hollow holes. Where were those eyes with which I had seen all these grand persona of History? With those hollow holes I began looking for my eyes around me so that I could have them back in my socket. (Don’t look for logic) Suddenly I could see nothing. It was complete darkness. I shuddered. I was horrified; terrified; scared and alarmed!

A soothing chill air along with a drizzle from the far…far away window attempted to bring me out of this bewilderment.

At last, with great difficulty I opened my eyes. My wife was spraying water on my face. The sight brought me back to my senses.I think that i was sleeping and dreaming. I became very alert.

She shouted “Are you dreaming? Blabbering something about Birbal. Don’t read too much in the night.If something goes wrong, don’t expect me to come to any Mental Hospital accompanying you.” As usual she never cared for my reply and promptly moved to attend her kitchen chores.

It was an immense relief to know that my meeting with Tenali, Akbar, Birbal and Mullah

was only a dream. I was really happy to have my eyes and sight back.( If you had such disorderly dreams, you might also feel the same relief)

I thought over the dream; Took notes to share them with you.

Actually my intention was to know their jobs by asking “What are you doing?” That is how most people ask.

If you ask me “what are you doing?”  My natural reply is “I am working as a teacher.”

But it is wrong.

When one wants to know about the occupation or job, the standard question should be:

                     What do you do?   (Not: what are you doing?)

And I realized that is why our old friends had answered: “I am sitting; I am talking to Tenali etc…" which frustrated me endlessly at that point in time. 

Well, what can I say; Akbar, Birbal, Tenali and Mullah drove home their point even in my dreams!

Note:

What are you doing? (A Present Continuous question)

You have to tell what you are doing now.

That was how those wise old people answered; they reported what they were doing at that point of time:

  I am sitting;

  We are eating;

   I am talking to Tenali etc. (All are true at that point of time)

The two main points of present progressive are:

1.      It tells about actions going on now.

2.      The action should be temporary in nature with a start and end.

Examples:

I am working as a clerk in a bank. (Means: work is temporary)

I am reading now. (Started a little ago and soon will finish)

He is eating pizza.

Next time when you would like to know anyone’s job, please ask “What do you do?”. 

When you are asked, reply “I am a banker. (Permanent)

He is a teacher; she is an analyst; I am a business man.”
Do not use Present continuous.