Coffee, Compliment and English

Was sitting in Cafe Coffee Day today with the missus*. There was just another customer besides us. The guy approaches us and says- "Brother! Can I say something?" I say yes. He says- "You sound good." I think maybe he was an audience in some quiz that I conducted and liked my voice (though I must not let you get that notion- my voice doesn't sound too good on the mike). The missus thinks the same. Then he adds- "You both sound good." Too stunned to correct his English, I murmur a thanks and he goes off giving us a thumbs up! We were in splits for the next half hour or so.

Now I can appreciate the power of bad English. Had he used proper language, we may have thanked him and proceeded to sip our drinks. His incorrect usage gave us a reason to laugh and be happy. Long live desi English!

*I am not married. Not yet (thankfully ;) ). The term was borrowed from one of my dear friend's blog where he uses the same to refer to his girl. Also, it has some old world charm. Plus, as he frequently reminds me: "The English messed up with us for 400 years. We can pay them back by messing up with their language!" He devotes hours trying to cook up new Indianised English words!

Surprise

A few months back, while in the throes of a deep slumber stolen from the regular work hours of my department, I was woken up rudely by an incessant and somewhat loud knocking on my door. I opened up to find a courier boy holding a parcel and a piece of paper to sign up. After verifying that the parcel was indeed addressed to me, I signed it and received it. Upon opening, I found a beautiful pen stand with an accompanying card. The card alluded to my brilliant personality and magnetic charm [i exaggerate, but you get the gist ;)] and also to the fact that it was a one off thing and that I was not supposed to worry about it. It also asked me to listen to a particular song by some young singer about some refreshing drink. I read the note, tried calling up the number (which btw, was signed MH and obviously false since a marathi lady was on the other end admonishing me in what I thought to be the choicest words possible in her language- i don't know- never understood a word of it), and then dutifully listened to the song. I didn't like it much but it wasn't bad either. 

End of story. :)

Racing with Rickshaws

It has been a month or two. Embarrassed by my ever increasing abdominal girth (compounded by liberal doses of the fluid called beer), I decided to do something to rectify the situation. Getting up in the mornings was tough. It always has been. So, the only available option was utilizing the evenings.

Help and inspiration arrived in the form of a colleague. His evening forays compounded with some dietary control had reduced him from a fat slob to a lean and thin young man. I joined him in his walks. 

Being taller than my colleague, my strides were longer and more often than not, he was left behind. Also, after having achieved his desired weight and waist size, his focus shifted to other forms of exercise. As a result, I found myself alone most evenings trudging away reveling in the sweat and the aches in the muscles.

It happened one day. As I was walking along at full speed, my long legs striding mechanically, thinking about my further plans of developing some muscles, I crossed a rickshaw. The rickshaw puller was laboriously pulling along a family (I presumed) comprising two ladies and two little kids. The road was full of potholes, as the peripheral roads inside the campus of the illustrious college that I study in, are wont to. As I crossed, engrossed in my own thoughts, the rickshaw puller rang his bell. Irritated, I admonished him and asked whether he was pulling a rickshaw or something else. He retorted with "Rickshaw."

Over the next two-three weeks, I have crossed maybe five-six more rickshaws during my walks. Their reactions vary. Some just resign to their fate of being overtaken by a pedestrian and to the vagaries of the pothole filled road. Some keep up the race, sometimes succeeding in regaining the lead, sometimes falling back. Some keep up just about to succeed when our ways part. Some huff and puff, some mutter under their breath. Sometimes, I myself add a spurt of speed and prolong the duel.

Over the days, I have come to enjoy and even look forward to these little tussles. They make me forget. Forget the aches in my muscles, forget my problems at work and at home. The moment takes centre stage. Those are great moments!

I look forward to more such encounters. I don't mind losing, nor gloat in winning. Just enjoy the moment.

Thats what it feels like! :) [Photo credits: A still from Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Kaminey']

Random Ramblings II

It has been a long time. A very long time indeed.

When I started this blog, I thought I would try and write daily en route to my goal of becoming a much read author some day. Within months, the goal became weekly, then monthly though in actuality it had become practically unrealistic to maintain. Of course, random posts did make their appearance- most of them under  influence of alcohol. Some posts were good too. In fact, I remember churning out four posts in one single night!

When I think and look back, I think this blog (and the course taken by blogs of my friends and acquaintances) mirrors our life and maybe, our attitude towards it. 

As a child, the world is at your feet. You can be anyone you want to be. You say proudly- "I'll be a pilot!" or "I'll be a doctor!" in answer to the stupid questions elders ask you. (Now I know. Those perverts ask you the question only to secretly gloat over your failures in your subsequent life! They do remember what you answered!)

As an adolescent and a teen, you still think those dreams are possible. You have your life before you. Its a matter of choices. You dream of studying for 'n' number of years followed by a good job paying you 'x' amount of money. You think of buying your car, bungalow and property before you are even into your middle age.

As you step into the next age bracket, you wake up to the practical aspect of life. Studies never end, jobs don't pay well- even if you get one. Girlfriends nag, family bores. Marriage woes loom in the near future. You limit your dreams. Bungalow becomes an apartment; SUV becomes a small car- you settle for 'y' rather than 'x' as salary.

Marriage and kids follow. You now try to make do with what you have got. You work for your family and kids. Your dreams and ambitions remain- to be fulfilled by your progeny in proxy in their lifetime (Well, you hope!).

And hope is what keeps us going. Hope that someday things will be all right. Someday life will be what you wanted it to be. Someday your dreams and ambitions will be realised.

Someday this blog shall be what you thought it would be...

New Year Wish

If only wishes would come true
I would have wished the world for you
Sadly, we all know its not to be
My wishing you a 'happy new year' won't make it happy.
There shall be success, there shall be failures
There shall be joy and there shall be tears.

I hope you enjoy your life
In smile, and even amid tears
Let not success get to your head
Nor failure demoralize you.
Just do the right things
And life will be happy for you.