the month august-1

For a large part of August, this song described our situation very well...


This is one reason why i was not regular in this blog.ye alag baat hain ki in my new office i have no access to blogger....

Holland vs Netherlands

Circa 1995-96
Characters:
Me 11-12 years old.
A, My brother 2years younger to me

Scene: We both were alone in the house. While surfing channels, my brother came across a football match on some Sports channel. Being an avid sports fan (as he proclaimed then), he got hooked to the match. I was not a keen sports enthusiast. All I wanted to watch was “MTV”.
Me: A, change the channel.
A: (royal ignore)
Me(ordering): Didn’t you listen, change the channel. I don’t want to see that stupid match. Its not even a ‘LIVE’ match!! Some old match..
A: Let me watch na di..
Me (tried snatching the remote from him)
A (successful in seizing the remote to himself)
Me: (got up from the couch and stood in front of the screen making weird body movements in order to not let him see the TV screen at all..
A (annoyed) ; kya hain di.. get lost. Have I ever done this to you? Why do you always does this? I..
Me (yelling): You don’t even know which two countries are playing this match, and still you want to see the match! huh..
A: I know..I know (still trying to catch a glimpse of the match)
Me (in my cunning Judge avatar) : ok, you have to earn the right to watch the match..I ll ask you a question.If you get the right answer, you can watch the match and if couldn’t then I ll have the remote. Fine?
A: (perplexed but seeing that this is his only chance to view the match uninterruptedly) Okay. But it has to be something of my standard, ok.
Those were the days when we were ardent followers of “Bournvita Quiz Contest”. So quizzing each other on current affairs and general knowledge was our time-pass.
Me: ok. It would be an easy one. Tell me, which 2 countries are playing this match?
A(fading smile) : oye..!! let me at least see the screen. I cant even see their jerseys.
I moved from the screen and checked that the score –board was not poping at any side of the screen at that moment. After a good 15 second. I moved back to my place of being a wall in front of him and TV.
Me: So tell me..
A: Give me time..
Me: Ok , I will give you a hint. One of the team is “Holland”. How did I guess?(proud of my knowledge) Because they are wearing the ‘Orange’ jersey. Orange is their national colour of sorts. Now tell me which country the other team represents.
I myself had no effing idea about the teams.
A: (blank face but impressed by my knowledge of Geography and football)
Me: Time up! Give me the remote.
A: (like a dignified loser handed me the remote): But you first have to tell me which is the other team? (ah, the thirst for knowledge;))
Me: Stupid, you don’t even know this and then you proclaim that you are a know-all in sports. It’s between “Holland” and “Netherlands”!! (still suspecting that I might get caught on my ‘high-risk' bluff)
A (with a saddened face and nodding his head) : ohh..
Me (controlling my laughter hard changed the channel to MTV and still couldn't stop grinning all the time of her master-stroke and awaiting her parents to tell them the incident).
That was the age of stupidity of my brother.
Later in the evening, this story was told in front of the whole family how my brother came to believe that Holland and Netherlands were different countries and I know for sure, I would be narrating this story of their father's knowledge to his kids also.. Yes, wicked me:)

On fountain-pen

Today, when a person from another department came to me for some official work, I noticed him writing with an fountain pen (ink-pen). 'Ohh, you are writing with an ink pen..!!' with a big grin on my face I said. He smiled. It was that moment of surprise and happiness , you know, when you find someone reliving the days you left so far behind...may be in Class 9-10th..

I continued staring at my screen and blabbering the data he wanted, in between stealing glances at the beautiful black-and-red model and the chelpark-blue ink marks it was leaving as it strides along the page. "Is it 'Stic'?" I asked tempting to hold that pen. "I used to have a pen in the same colour once". "Parker" he replied. Ohh.I couldn't help but lend out my hand and hold that pen and write my name in my note-book with the fountain-pen.

It's been long time that I saw someone using an fountain-pen. Even my cousins studying in Class 6th or 7th use Gel-pens and Ball-point pens. n there was time when our Maam used to chide even students of Class 9th or 10th then for not using fountain-pens, as she believed that using Ball-point pens deteriorates hand-writing. No wonder, I never used Ball-points till Class 11th.Yes, only fountain-pens and Luxar Pilot pens for me.

I wonder if Stationary shops still sell these pens?

I wonder if brands like "Stic" still make these ink-pens? I wonder if young students are still finicky about the colour of the body of the pen or which cartoon is appearing in the pen. Like "Show me the pen in red-n blank. No-no, not in blue-n-yellow". Ok, I am sure nobody does it. But I used to do that.

I wonder if a young student still checks the ink in all his pens every morning while preparing his school-bag.

I wonder, if Chinese pens (today the market is teaming with cheap chinese goods and they all symbolizes poor quality/ use and throw type. But in those days, the decade of 90s, Chinese pens were the priceist and cutest with metalic bodies and a smaller nib) still hold the charm of some young eyes who secretly wishes that her cousin leave her 'legacy' to her in the next academic year..

Realization 4: Height of Narcissism

On a drizzling day, walking alone in the street carrying an umbrella and humming "Pretty woman, walking down the street..."

All you who sleep tonight-1

All you who sleep tonight
Far from the ones you love.
No hand to left or right
And emptiness above-

Know that you are not alone.
The whole world share your tears.
Some for a day or two
While some for all their years.
-Vikram Seth

I just happened to pick this book from my Club library mainly because it was a Vikram Seth and it was not thick;) . Also it was the first time I would be reading a book on poetry. I think I lack depth to understand all a composer tries to write between lines but then when you read something so direct and plain yet so profound and poetic, you can not but fall in love with it.
Definitely, the best poem I have read till date...

Near-death experience

Numbness in your limbs, body turning cold, lips dry, mind blank, the heart thumping so loud that you fear it will pop out from your mouth which is screaming ‘aaaaa…’ at the highest pitch it could , that dizzying empty feeling in the stomach : all at the same time. You cling to your only support with all your strength and might but still feeling that you are losing the grip and you are going to die..

I went through all of this and it was completely my choice. On reaching the crossroads, I was in dilemma if I am taking the right decision? But then once the wheel starts rolling, there is no looking back only this sensation that you are going to die.

On our trip to Land of sun & sand, I tried everything from jetskiing to bump-ride to what-ever-was-created-in-the-name-of-water-sports. I even exuberantly ferried to the deep sea to go for para-sailing above the deep blue ocean. Imagine the feeling to fly like a bird and have a real bird’s-eye view of the ground sea below! But as I saw people putting up the gear and getting ready to sail, the heart started beating faster and an unexplainable emptiness/ whatever in my stomach which made cringe with fear.So when my turn came, all the attempts of ZZ convincing me “Main Hoon naa” went vain and I decided that I will be more happy to see him flying from the ferry ..He sailed alone and I really enjoyed watching him enjoying his sail so much. We came back happily and never spoke about it later.

Till one day,I caught up with the self-improvisation ka bhoot and decided that I have to overcome this fear of mine. So I talked about it with ZZ who zeroed on a venue nearby –an adventure park.

The first ride itself made my heart beat escalated to 120/min. ZZ sweet-talked me into it saying it will not go high but it will only revolve around the main pole. I got entrapped and had the ride..Fear did grip me but overall I enjoyed. Do I want to take that rode again? No, thank you..
Next we took a water ride..The boat takes you from narrow ways and then goes through an elevation and then runs down at meteoric speed splashing water everywhere inside and out. I was game for it and liked it, probably because the fun part ended so soon as it begun. There was a ride from which the cries and the exclaimations were the loudest and the oscillating machine could be seen from the farthest distance itself. ZZ was so pushing me to take that ride else “aane ka phayada hi kya when you didn’t overcame your fear.” As if he was not enjoying his rides.. ZZ had already done 2 rides alone without me as I clearly metioned that I am not interested to rotate my body at 360 degree over and over again for 10 minutes and that too at such speed.


So after analyzing that high ride from the queue, I said to myself, this does look high but its not as terrifying as it looks. The speed looks nominal and the duration of ride is also less than 5 minutes. As I sit in the ride, I double-checked my seat-belt, held the handle with all my might, asked ZZ, who was sitting next to me to hold my hand instead of holding his handle. The journey began and needless to say, those less than 5 minutes become the most terrifying moments of my planet. From the zenith, when you come down, it feels like a free fall, with the body lifted slightly up from your seat, you doesn’t sense any seat-belt or any cover handle .oh god, it’s real terrifying and when you rise up, it still feels the same.. I could hear cries of fear, exuberance, fun, delight around me with my voice also a part of it.As the speed subsided, I heaved a sigh of relief that I am alive and vowed never to take such ride again. Soon ZZ and I parted ways..he went for another topsy-turvy ride and I went for my favourite ride of the whole park, which is :





In that moment I got this realization that there are certain things you can’t do. And for the things that you can’t do, blame it on your genes;) Yes, I think my father is also a bit paranoid of adventure rides and heights.;)

Hey, do you ever have any such experience?
Pic courtesy: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2017/2205999855_bfec32dff1_m.jpg
http://audreyandthane.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/dscf0593.jpg

old man & the sea