Friendship

Which is the most generalized relationship in the world? Think! Think!....... Friendship! It can just walk into any other relationship and stay harmoniously with it. Even if the original relationship fades away, friendship can stay and maintain its own identity. Truly something different, isn't it? We all get introduced to friendship long before we spell R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N and we tend to stay in friendships long after we have understood, tried, succeeded and messed relations. With the Friendship Day approaching I thought it would be cool to write about people who make up a big part of each one of us.

When I was a school kid we had this tradition on birthdays that the birthday girl could choose her best friend and take him/her around to distribute sweets. I always so eagerly waited for my friend’s birthday, because I assumed that on those distribution rounds the best friend got extra chocolates. So I distinctly remember when one of my best friends did not choose me for the tradition, I sulked for weeks to come. Come to think of it today it sounds cute but childhood friends evoke a strong passionate reaction amongst many. You had to be loyal to your friend, loyal in sharing lunch boxes, not getting too friendly with someone else and making sure that your friend was always the first to be invited to your birthday party. Since you almost grow up together in an era where other distractions have not yet taken priority, these friends are probably the most treasured (for many people).

In college, a friend is someone who rides pillion with you to college, bunks lectures and hangs out because you think the lecture is boring and completes your file while you try to impress the opposite sex. A friend lies to your mom that you are studying at her place when you are actually out with your date. A friend is the first person your mom calls up when she wants to make sure that you are indeed going on a safe trip. Everything 'extra' is promptly fulfilled by your friend without nagging you about it. It may be extra money for movies, extra time for completing your notes, extra butter-polishing so that you get to attend the lab session and many such extras.

As we all step into the adult world, this relationship quietly steps aside to make way for others. You become a professional, get hooked, become parents and go onto add many other feathers to your relationship cap. All this while friendship just exists! At times, you forget to invite it into your happiness, forget to share your grief or a momentous achievement but it never sulks. It definitely comes a long way from the childhood friendship we all adhered to. After the initial glitz and glamour, when the newness of many relationships wear off, we all cater to the neglected but still strong bond of friendship. You may have not spoken for years but just drop a mail and see the way your mail thread grows.

Friendships are like that, they do not really need a lot of attention; once the bond is set, it seems to exist forever. Anyone who makes you feel good about yourself, reminds you of your past and makes you laugh, feels happy about your present even if s/he is no longer a part of it deserves a special pat. So this friendship day raise a toast to all your friends with the age old yet contemporary proverb by Albert Camus -

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.


Happy Friendships Day everyone!

Help!

He: What's the difference between a semi sleeper and sleeper?
Me: The semi sleeper is just a more comfortable chair.
He: But then why is it called a semi sleeper? Why not simply call it a chair?
Me: Its not a chair...it's more comfortable and reclining.
He: But it's still a chair...
Me: Alright.....it's a chair..

I get back to my work and approximately 5 minutes later he screams.......

He: I understood the difference!
Me: Ugh! what?
He: Semi sleeper chairs have a maximum angle of 135 degrees and sleepers are 180 degrees.....
Me: .............................. (Lost for words)

Whoever asked me to marry a geek!

Good Morning

On the way to my hubby's office early morning today I came across a plethora of views. Views that exist always but are missed in our everyday running-to-office-state! Since it was my officially laze around day I decided to stop and look around.

Newspaper folks were busy distributing the papers according to their customer's taste. The milkman was in a hurry carrying the containers of milk. Mom and Dads in their sleepy night gowns waiting for the school bus for their wards. Their wards on the other hand excited to talk to the friend standing just beside them. Women surrounding the hand-cart vegetable seller to buy some fresh vegetables to pack tiffins or for the breakfast. Men with handbags for some early morning shopping to help their wives - milk, veggies and newspapers probably.

A bunch of freshly bathed people waiting patiently outside the temple as the priest completed his prayers. The deity decorated with beautiful marigolds and the incense sticks spreading more than just the fragrance all around. The small shops were all open and the shopkeepers all set to cater to the early morning urgent needs of their customers. The big shopping malls were still in deep slumber. The eateries were full of people who probably had no one back home to cook a sumptuous breakfast. A bunch of guys on their bicycles carrying lunch boxes and chatting amongst themselves as they rode to work. By this time we reached his office and I saw the IT professionals all set for their early morning stand-up/scrum meetings.

Mornings bring in a lot of things other than just than a new day. It brings in hope. It brings in the thought that yesterday, however it was, is gone, and today will probably be the day that sets everything to what I want. Good Morning!!!

:)

It poured suddenly and I could not ride any longer, so I just parked my vehicle and stood near a shop. I saw Mr.I (Mr. Important) coming. Why that name? Well, he wore an important black tuxedo with important leather shoes and carried the even more important BlackBerry. And his driver carried an umbrella to shield Mr.I as they both walked towards where I was standing. So maybe that's not a good nickname but in the context, it was definitely apt.

Their conversation told me that Mr. I's car had broken down and so he was stranded. Probably too important to just hail a cab I guess. He waited fidgeting with his lapel and phone simultaneously when two middle aged aunties walked to him and the fun started.
The aunties: Aren’t you Chinnu? (If that was indeed his name/petname then my nickname was better, wasn't it)
Mr.I: Excuse me.
Aunty 1: Oh, see, look at him. He is so big that he cannot recognise us now. Arre we were your neighbours when you stayed at GM (someplace I couldn't catch).
Mr.I: Oh Ok, but I am really sorry I don't seem to recognise you.
Aunty 2: Aren't you Vandana's son. How is she?
Mr.I: Mamma is fine. Whom should I say asked for her?
Aunty 2: Oh, Chinnu you cannot recognize me. I know you since you didn't know how to wipe your flowing nose.
At this point I burst out as did a few others.
Mr.I (embarassed): Hmm, Aah, hmmm, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Aunty 1: Chinnu, this is very bad. Ok tell mummy that you had met us. Radha Akka and Meena Akka. (Akka means sister). And don't loiter in the rains or you will catch a cold. Saying so they pulled his cheeks and left.

Mr.I was maroon red with embarrassment and I just couldn't stop laughing. Whoever you are, aunties always behave the same way I guess.

First Impressions - Bengaluru

Staying in Banglore for some days now, the one word that comes to my mind to describe this city - Leisure! May be the hard core Bangloreans would disagree but being a new entrant I really think people have lot of time in this city. The best justification for my observation would be the houses here. Most of them are independent houses and are huge....I have been to quite some places in almost a week...People here really seem to put a lot of thought into building their dream-homes, if I can call them that. Most often than not I see a new idea implemented with respect to some aspect of the house; be it the main gate, the sidewalk in the garden, etc. Coming from Mumbai, where the only houses are flats and with rates that burn your pockets this is indeed a welcome change. Pune too boasts of some areas with great bungalows but the frequency is definitely less than Banglore.

Another beautiful aspect of the city is its climate. The climate is wonderful and for a person who prefers a cooler environment this is heaven. And another impressive thing out here is that many locals can converse fluently in English. Thanks to the IT sector I guess!

But as a newcomer my top 3 glitches would be-
1) I miss not knowing the local language. All my life I was in places where I was good with the local language. Sometimes when my questions draw a blank stare I feel so lost and bad too.
2) Multiplexes are oh-so-costly. After the bad reviews for Cars 2 I didn’t dare go watch it . They should atleast drop the prices for the morning shows for stingy movie buffs like me
4) Local Trains - If you are from Mumbai you have to miss the railways yaar!

But I think the glitches are too minor and once I become the proverbial Roman in the city of Rome they would cease to exist. Cheers to that!

Etiquettes anyone?

I was travelling to Nasik in a semi luxury bus and long bus rides are something that I do not really look forward to, unless absolutely necessary. Anyway, this time I had decided to make the most of my journey and had equipped myself with some movies. My journey started and so did the first movie on my laptop. I was watching Omen - yeah the old one. "Mi pahila tar chalel na (Would you mind me watching?)" - the man sitting next to me asked. He was a villager dressed in the typical attire of white dhoti and a semi white kurta. "Mala sanagamner la utraycha aahe. laambcha prawas, tevdha picture baghitla ki kalnar nahin...chalel ka?" (I have to travel far and watching the movie would be a good timepass). I hate intruders in my book reading or movie watching sessions but the man had so earnestly asked me that I could not refuse him. "Pan tumhala sound aiku nahin yenar......", i told him showing him my headphones. He retorted, "Vanda nahin.....aamhi faqt picture baghu..."(No probs, I will just watch the movie). I was wondering how he could enjoy without the sound but I just it let it be because I didn't really have a choice. A few hours into the movie and I got bored, so I decided to change the movie. As i was about to start another one, I suddenly remembered that someone else was watching it too.....I looked at him and he signed me to go ahead and change the movie. This time I started “To kill a mocking bird" (Yeah i was in mood for some oldies).......I loved the movie and was completely immersed in it when suddenly I felt the nudge. I looked at my co-passenger and he was smiling. I put down my headphones and he said..... "Aaala sangamner...picture baghta baghta kevha aala kalalach nahin bagha.....dhanyawaad tai". (My stop has come, thanks for the movie sister). Saying so, he got down.

I kept looking at him. All through my journey I had not given him a second glance. Yet while getting down he had the etiquette to thank me.......and thank me for what...an english movie that he watched without the sound. I smiled........we spend a fortune trying to teach and learn etiquettes from our elite schools...and I wonder if we really do learn anything.

Quote

One of my all time favourite quote -

Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and then beat you with experience.