Waiting Room

Strangers do not fascinate me much but there was this girl in the waiting room sitting few chairs away from me. She was not the most beautiful of faces I had seen but she was pretty, pretty in her Indian dark complexion, in her Granier chocolate brown hair. But it must have been her eyes which were the most appealing because I couldn't stop looking at them. During one of these staring times while she was talking to her companion her eyes suddenly welled up and without a blink's dispatch a tear drop fell from her left eye, fast through the cheeks and slow as it reached the chin. She didn't wipe it off - a silent cry for someone close to her heart.

In the waiting room you see all kinds of people, some ready to breakdown, some already crying and then there are those impatient ones who have to fight with the receptionist and irritate everyone around. But not strangely everyone in the room is just praying for it to get over safely.

Smiles and tears are just a call away from the OT.

My Wardrobe

'The rate at which you upload photos on social networking sites is the rate at which your wardrobe age.'
Delhi is the perfect place to be in a shopping spree specially if you have your parents paying for everything.
We always hope that one day our wardrobe will have nothing we do not like, but that never happens.
Reinvigoration of my Wardrobe will always be a never ending process.

In Delhi

I never knew there was an elite route to the airport, the shortest route, which auto drivers took only when you paid them their days salary. Thanks to the new discovery, I reached the airport right on time for my check-in.

If I had booked a First Class ticket or I was upgraded to First class, I don't know. Me and my seat mate Alex (a Nigerian) were both surprised. We were the only people in the first class compartment which was separated from the business class by a dark coloured curtain. Yes, they had no economy class. The leaflet read 11 First Class + 64 Business Class Seats. Rest of the First class seats were unoccupied. The service was awesome, and one of the flight attendants, Bhavana, served a grilled Chicken Cheese Puff just to me. I made sure I complimented her in the feedback booklet. Alex complained that the hostesses weren't beautiful looking. I couldn't disagree and added, that maybe they had personality tests these days. The First Class was not much different though, the cushion was definitely extra comfortable and they had a foot rest at the bottom, which I only discovered during Landing, but I see no reason why I would prefer it over the Business class or even the economy class.

Maybe I will fulfill my long time fantasy to be at different, distant places within a short period. In these 2 months I have been to the North East, to South, Central India and the North. But travelling is a much hyped adventure and it can get on your nerves at times. I saw a book in Landmark that day titled 'There are no Toilet Papers in the road less Travelled' which sarcastically discusses the cons of travelling by relating to actual mishappenings. You should definitely read it.

I reached Delhi an hour late. Mamme was there to receive me. I am staying with him tonight at IIT Delhi.

We went to a late night show later - 'The Hangover', having two strong shots of Classic Martini, which was the perfect preparation for the movie. Mamme was not in a condition to drink so I did the honours for him too.

Delhi is really really hot and when the hot dry wind washes you cracked skin, you cannot feel any worse! Right now he is sleeping comfortably in bed and snoring. I wish I was him.

My Second Parents

They had an Olive tree in their garden and also a Bogori bearing tree. We must have unitedly executed innumerable sixes over their fence just to find an excuse to get into their compound. And they knew that. Their house was just above ours, not like in flats but in hill stations. They had Chinese carpets all over the house and the house always had a pleasant aroma of something sweet being cooked, probably a fruit cake being baked with wine. I never found out the secret recipe of the aroma.

We called them Singh Madam and Singh Sir. They were Christan and every Christmas we children of the colony, Pulin, Palin, Togram, Togmin, Moli, Mojum, Chow, jingled our way to their house for we all had an open invitation. We sang Carols and ate sweets and cakes. The star hanging outside used to be lite all winter. That was the closest star I knew and the biggest looking also. As I can remember I had always known them, immediately after my birth. Mom blames them for my poor fluency in my mother tongue. I spent all my time at their place because I loved Singh Madam's food so much and they only spoke English and sometimes Hindi. So that's what I first learnt as a kid.

Today they are old, have kids who have kids, they have retired from their job and shifted somewhere else. When I see the place occupied my someone else I find it weird. The Olive tree is no more there, the Olive tree where my kite stuck once and the whole colony came out to see it and when someone managed to untangle the strings the kite took off high up in the sky and only remained a beautiful memory thereafter.

India Tour

In case you are wondering where I am right now, I am in Chennai; Stranded. My plan was to stay here only for 3 days and now I will be here for more than 2 weeks.

In the last 3 weeks I have travelled a lot, made many last minute ticket cancellations, 7 precisely. I could have got a return ticket home from the deducted money.

The trip to Bhopal-Indore-Ujjain was awesome. I had plans to go to Mumbai from there but for some reasons had to come back to Chennai.

Few things I won't forget about the trip:

Bhondu's new hair cut.
Bhale's jolly parents.
That they made me dance 'Teri adaaon pe marta hoon' - Bobby Deol style in front of Bhale's parents.
Our performance on Didi's birthday celebration - Bhale (Lead Vocalist); fkd (Guitar); Galib (Saayari deliverer); All (Chorus)
The Ultimate challenge to present our roses to any girl (with few understood clauses; looks, age, marital status, etc) attending the wedding; the stem of mine got broken before I could choose my girl - Thank God.
Mamme's bold proposal to Shruti (Bhondu's far cousin) and the banal rejection - 'Shut-up'.
Bhondu's Dad welcoming me jokingly - 'Tum to Bihar ke ho na?'.
The Shehenshah theme photo shot.
The drowsy devotees at Bhasmaarti.
Surprising everyone by leading a Bhajan at Bhasmaarti.
The strike (X) during my first attempt at bowling.
Eat-Sleep-Drink routine at Tattu's.
Bhale's classical dance performance inside car.
Travelling twice (Chennai-Bhopal;Bhopal-Chennai) in Waiting in this broiling heat.
Drinking Electral with almost-hot water.
The deadly smell of Dhamki's vegetarian Fart.
The deadly smell of my fart.
Beer.
Beer.
Beer.

Update: The Blind Beggar whose cell phone rang when he entered our compartment - A Vodafone Magic Box (gives me an idea for an ad).

Patience

When the bus driver is done reading the paper he will start the engine.

Inspired by Institute drivers.

Posting from my mobile

An Hour before the departure they inform us that the flight has been delayed by 40 mins. So till then I have nothing to do but play with my mobile.
My Vodafone sim is working here and I feel connected.
I was called for questioning after my luggage was passed through the x-ray machine.
'Sir, do you have a liquor bottle in there'
'Yes'
'Then you will have to open it for us'
I could only hope that it was not confiscated. I opened my bag and they complained that the bottle was not secure enough and so a lady attendant helped me wrap it in my mom's Naga shawl.
It's time for boarding....