Monday, October 26, 2009

Our imaginary world...


Its 3.34 PM, to be precise 3.34.23.. 24…25…26, every second looked like it was lazy to do its routine work. Felt like time was playing tricks on me.. Groundhog Day effect. I was bored today, totally bored didn’t know what to do after the class. For time pass I was watching Richie Rich, a cartoon series… today, on the so called ‘yesteryears most happening thing’.. You tube. The story revolved around riche’s dog Dollar being kidnapped by a cunning villain & how riche on time saves his best friend/pet by airdropping money on the bad character.

I had laugh, a boisterous one. I wished it for once it was real, or may be… me being in riche’s shoes :) Ya you are right!! I was wondering why we are so fascinated by unreal stories…. Be it Neo in matrix, superman, Spiderman, Krishh, Mr. India & even riche rich…. Whatever it be your fascination for ideal things…

The reality is far farrr away from truth, be it in our bollywood movies or even our daily soaps where you have family dramas. Making minor things look huge, many repeated replays that too in different angles. Where the main character faces all the trouble in the world and still never revolts. The ideal wife, husband ya some other character you can think off. Whom are we fooling…ourselves isn’t it.

It hard to accept that we are really ‘Ideal’ worshipers. We want to be the hero & heroine look alike, don’t we... For an example as a naïve guy you would want an eight pack… OK lets settle for something less may be six pack, but nothing less than that. An MBA grad wanting 7 digit salaries that’s the least that he can even think of working for. He/she would rather stay unemployed but never work for the disparaging 6 digits salary.

Thinking about it, I find it really confusing. Is it in really in our human nature or the society we live in?? all I can say is, I donno the answer…. Hope you can come up with one…

Friday, October 23, 2009

“a lot can actually happen over a cup of coffee”


This was an incident that happened few years ago in Mumbai, in a Cafe Coffee Day out let. After work I had gone to a nearby coffee day, I just wanted catch myself snack and coffee before I head back to my room. The outlet was nearly empty, It was just me and a couples sitting at far end on couch to be precise; It was just another humdrum evening. Suddenly a huge group barges in to the outlet. All of a sudden the outlets serene atmosphere had been overtaken by their overexcited group. They were very noisy, It was little disturbing to say the least. Meanwhile my coffee & and a multi grain just arrived.

Then I saw this young bloke, who was actually throwing a party to them. a tag hanging around his neck with the company badge. The guy had lean structure, thinking about it he could have easily convinced me that he was yet to pass her Xth. Anyway he was well dressed and Looked like he was pretty happy about something may be his birthday I thought or something else. He was splurging money treating more than a half a dozen of his friends.

All of a sudden he stands up on the stool he was sitting, “I am really happy today, on the house for all of them” he told seeing all of our faces. I was feeling little awkward at someone else paying my bill & even the unexpected generosity shown by an unknown stranger. Although I felt really happy for her for reasons yet unknown to me, I was just a passerby.

I went and congratulated him and I said my fussiness about him paying my bill, somehow he & his friends convinced me that it was cool with them. I had a small conversation with the group & I was about to leave, I couldn’t control my curiosity to know the reason for the celebration; I went ahead and asked him for the reason. All his friends started laughing I thought I had done something wrong, he turns towards me & in mellow voice he said “I lost a lottery”.

What!!!???? I thought to myself that was strangest reason I have heard to throw a party. But what could I say, I just smiled at them and left for my room. On the way I was thinking about the same thing. I somehow felt that people have become so busy and muddled in their work and other complexities that it hardly mattered, they just wanted to have a good time and they had theirs & off course I had mine!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Mundane life of a soliloquist


The door was far flung open, it was waving at me. Although I tried my best staying away from it, there was some urge in me to experience it! Reluctantly I entered the great temple of Solitude, where a man abdicates all the fears & worries. I felt like I was floating in the thin air, about to take off for a journey beyond the realms of my imagination. I was experiencing the bliss that the almighty could have bestowed on its VVIP devotees, the bliss of ignorance & innocence. Is this what it is like in heaven? I know this couldn’t last long…

A small tap on my arm by a close friend of mine woke me up. I was back from my heavenly blissful state; here I was attending class on Sunday, 9 Am to 6 Pm nothing short of epic marathon. Small glance at my watch, it was 3.33 Pm although I don’t believe in numerology but looked like number 3 was playing a game on me! Even watch looked like it was on slow motion like me after a heavy lunch. I was not to be blamed, for a change the hostel mess had prepared GOOD food, believe me it’s a rarity. My brain was telling not have more rotis but heart was telling me “Idiot you rarely get good food in the hostel mess, offer lasts only till the stock last”. Needless to say my heart had a thumping victory against the evil intentions of my brain. Here I was stomach full, lumbering to the class. Finally to add icing on the cake, my regular place below the fan, in the fifth line of middle row was waiting for me.

Normally 9 Am to noon is not a problem at all; I can say it’s a cake walk. But then on every minute looks like an aeon, seconds start playing games with your head. Faculty was a good one no doubt, but my thoughts were drifting somewhere else. To maintain the decorum of the class, a manual smile and a gentle nod of head once in a while was my customary practice. Then yet again I was standing on the vestibule of my temple of solitude, losing myself to heavenly bliss….

:)


I hurriedly got off the train, Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station is a one of the three main railway stations of Delhi, located towards south of Delhi. Its 5 Am & still the Station was teeming with people all around. Although I had not slept for nearly 36 hours, I was totally fresh at that time. Thinking about this crazy insomniac freshness I must thank my hostel life & prolonged night sessions of counter strike. I checked my watch for time, it was 5.16 am I had less than an hour to catch my flight. I had a 6.15 Am Air India flight to catch.

I was hoping to find Mr. Harvinder of quick cabs as soon as possible. Believe me it’s always a good idea to book a cab if you are going to airport, saves you lot of time & money. To my good luck as soon as I got down the stairs, I saw a car parked in left side of stairs with a big logo of quick cabs on it. Leaning to the car was a tall hefty elderly Sardar, nothing less than a ton that was my conservative guess. I approached him.

“Harvinderji”, the person replied with a broad comforting smile. I had got my answer. I told him about my flight, just a nod of head. Looked like I had date with lady luck, not even a single traffic red light was there to greet us!! In-between I even tried striking up a conversation with him, either junction would prop up from nowhere! Or he would just turn at me and give a standard smile and a nod. The guy was laconic to say the least here I was in front of airport in 25 min. I got out of the vehicle & gave him his slip. He gave me the same warm comforting smile again. Before I could thank him, off went the Indica. It was totally strange, in entire 30 minute interaction not a single word!!