True friends are hard to come by!

It’s amazing how you can speak right to my heart… Oh, that’s a song.  Not how I meant to start this. 😀

But well, it’s amazing alright. How the best of people always have the best of friends 😉 Like how Calvin has Hobbes; Asterix has Obelix; Tintin has Snowy; the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. have each other; and well, Boban has Moli. 😀

I think the best of the lot is Calvin and Hobbes.

And if I be Calvin, I’ve found my Hobbes 😉 [Or vice-versa, if my ‘Hobbes’ doesn’t like being a tiger 😀 *But for now, you’ll have to make do with being Hobbes. The other option would be to make you Richard Parker, who coincidentally is again a tiger. I think Hobbes is much cuter, nicer and definitely more fun to be with*]

I’m very, very, VERY choosy when it comes to friends—especially the kind that can be ‘Hobbes’. And this one was, well, totally unexpected. Someone I definitely did not see myself ever getting so close to or being such great friends with!

The time I first met Hobbes, I never thought we’d ever strike a chord. Hobbes seemed a very serious, withdrawn person. The kind that is so withdrawn, they barely look up at you when you’re being introduced to them and quickly nod before going back to their work. Uh uh…definitely not the kind who would be friends with someone goofy like me 😀 So well, I maintained a distance, and was always just courteous and polite.

I liked Hobbes, but that was about it. In the meantime, I also heard bits of conversation here and there of Hobbes being this serious person; people seemed to be quite scared of Hobbes, and I saw very few people being comfortable and carefree around Hobbes—cementing my impression of Hobbes as someone who could not easily be “friended”. Well, that impression lasted about a week.

Till I first heard Hobbes laugh. It was a loud, clear, right-from-the heart guffaw. Yes, a guffaw. You have to hear it to know what I mean 😀 Despite not knowing what the joke was or who it was shared with, I found myself looking up and smiling at Hobbes. Well, to be precise, at the back of Hobbes’ head! 😀 And that was when I figured Hobbes out: in an instant. And I liked Hobbes a lot more then 🙂

Only someone that’s completely genuine, sincere, adorable and so full of humour can ever laugh like that. Seriously. Laughter—especially the kind that emanated from Hobbes that day, and many, many times after that—is something that will give away a person’s character immediately: it can tell you who is fake, who is real 🙂 Hobbes was definitely very, very real! I figured I could be myself, goofy and well, just me. The only question was if Hobbes wanted that. Hehe.

You need to know the nuances of laughter to be able to figure people out 😀 When I shared that piece of insight once, Hobbes said “I refuse to laugh like that from now on!” 😀 Well, the damage was done already, my dear 😀 Hobbes once told me “Not everyone retorts to me the way you do. You picked my sense of humour too fast. And I’m not like this to everyone either. I appear serious, proud and very quiet. It’s a facade…kind of a protection that I put around myself.” Well, I’m glad I broke through the facade, and damaged your “aura” (which I still insist on never having noticed :P). I now have a friend for life—and an awesome one at that 😉

When I look back now, I still cannot believe Hobbes and I became friends. I would never have believed it if someone had told me then that Hobbes and I would become such friends someday. I would’ve scoffed, I suppose 😉 But well, we did become friends…though very, very, very gradually.

With Jaya, my best friend—an alter ego, maybe I should say—it took just about 5 minutes for us to bond and become friends for life. Was I not so choosy then, you ask? Well, is it tough to like yourself in 5 minutes? 😉 Anyway, I thought a friend as valuable as that would never come by a second time. I was wrong. I guess 2 really is a good number for me 🙂

Hobbes is perhaps one other person who is equally choosy about friends. I guess we have both had enough experiences that hold us back, make us take our time to fully understand another person before going from ‘just friends’ to ‘great friends’. And now, I can say without a moment’s hesitation that Hobbes is a “great” friend to have.

I’ve seen Hobbes in good times and bad—and I have immeasurable respect for the way Hobbes wades through it all.

Hobbes’ sense of humour and quick wit, for one. It can leave you laughing uncontrollably till you end up gasping for air at times…OR leave you so stunned, you wouldn’t know whether to laugh or just gawk. Spontaneity at its best. Certain conclusions and one-liners Hobbes comes up with are…well…bloody hilarious. Something you just do not expect from a person who appears “serious, proud and very quiet”.

There are times when Hobbes gets washed over by a wave of depression…and I pretend not to understand that and keep insisting that Hobbes smile at least “half a smile” 😀 *Hobbes, I really do understand when you’re in the dumps, but there is nothing I can do to help you at such times. Apart from telling you to smile! Apart from listening and saying “Hmmm”*

There are times when I am pissed off with something and I go crib to Hobbes—knowing very well that my problems are nothing compared to Hobbes’. But well, me being me, I still crib 😀 I could go on and on and on and on, and Hobbes would patiently listen. There would be nothing Hobbes will have to say, to help me, but listen Hobbes will. No questions asked, no judgements made. And all this, while I am just making a mountain out of a miniscule mole hill. 🙂

When it comes to a fault, Hobbes does not see if there’s friendship or enmity. If Hobbes has to blast, Hobbes will blast. Despite being such close friends, I’ve been blasted too (which surprised a few people because we were supposed to be ‘friends’; now who blasts friends, huh?). Well, I do. Hobbes does, too. What are friends for, if they can’t correct you when you’re wrong? If there’s credit to be given, Hobbes gives it generously—again, irrespective of friendship or enmity. I think that’s a fabulous quality: to be able to separate life from work 🙂

If you are a friend, Hobbes will perhaps die for you. Well, not literally, of course. But if you want Hobbes to do something for you, Hobbes will do it, despite perhaps not liking it at all. It always surprises me, because I would never do that! I’ve kidded about certain things, and Hobbes always agreed to do it, even after admitting it may not be the best thing to do. Maybe one should NOT be so fiercely loyal to friends. You never know how loyal your ‘friend’ is to you. *Note the point, Hobbes :)*

There are times when Hobbes deserves a kick—for judging people wrongly, for making the wrong ‘friends’, for trusting the wrong people (repeatedly, at that), for helping the ones who do not deserve to be helped…and in all this process, getting hurt. But well, can’t be helped…because Hobbes is Hobbes. I like that 🙂 *No matter what the other person is or does, you have to be you, Hobbes :)*.

Yes, now that I think about it, I really like that! People come and go, some even walk over Hobbes, leaving bruises…but the next time they need help, Hobbes does not think twice before helping (and most probably getting hurt again). Though I’ve blasted Hobbes for that many times, I think that’s amazing. *Remain so, just stop expecting any gratitude, whatsoever. And I still will blast you the next time you do that :D* In Hobbes’ own words, “You fool me once – you are clever; You fool me twice – I am stupid; Hobbes is not stupid; wow, I like that line”.  I do too 😀 😀

Of course, Hobbes has faults. Well, who doesn’t (except me!), right? Hobbes frets too much about the past; is too perfect and orderly (yes, that’s a fault!); goes into a shell and refuses to talk about it if something upsets Hobbes; does not appreciate telegrams (!); is not a great fan of Calvin & Hobbes despite being christened Hobbes (!!); thinks an i10 is better than a Punto (bah); aaaaaand walks way too fast 😀 😀 Saddest of all, Hobbes does not forgive the mistakes made by self (if they can be called ‘mistakes’, which I personally don’t think is what those are; I think everything is a lesson, a learning, an experience…it makes you one bit stronger, one bit wiser). *You need to get over them, Hobbes. I know it is easier said than done, but you have to. Otherwise, you won’t really get time to make new mistakes 🙂 What’s life without mistakes, to crib over and learn from?*

There are times Hobbes can be absolutely morbid, absolutely mind-numbing and absolutely shocking. I have fallen off my chair quite often at certain things Hobbes said. I’ve laughed sooooo much that I’ve gone so red in the face, making Hobbes all alarmed that something might happen to me. 😀

I’ve also gaped in awe at certain other things. Like the courage, the perseverance, the patience, the sense, the logic. Most importantly, the pure will to survive and succeed.

The most amazing thing, however, is the way Hobbes can get up or down to any age level 😀 Right from 5 to 50 😉 We are capable of being two kids fighting over who is better than the other…and can, in the blink of an eye, be two very mature adults, having a serious discussion on life’s complexities 😀

We have long conversations and longer spells of comfortable silences. I read somewhere “The best kind of friend is one with whom you sit on a bench, saying nothing and when you get up and go, you feel as if you had the best conversation of your life!” Oh, I believe that to the last word now 🙂

*Hobbes, I’m immensely grateful to you for the companionship you gave during some real bad times; for listening to all my cribbing like it was the most important thing at that moment; for guiding me on when I needed directions; for the many, many coffee breaks and walks; for the many deals; for some real impressive pep talks; for the umpteen laughs; for all the mentorship; for cheering me up when I was depressed; for making September 2011 a bearable ordeal; for correcting me when I was wrong; for being a true friend all the time. And most importantly, for being the delight that you are…for being you.* 🙂

Friendship is a rather strange thing. It is not about going out together and ‘having fun’ all the time; it’s not about having weekend trips together; it is not about lavishing gifts on them; it’s not about sitting around a table together and secretly wondering if you have everything your friend has. Most importantly, it’s NOT about being supportive even when your ‘friend’ is obviously wrong: that’s being the goody-goody, I’m-there-for-you-whatever-you-do Samaritan. Friends don’t let each other tread the wrong path.

Friendship is definitely about being there for each other, through good times and bad. But more importantly, it’s about being a critic and a guide. Goof around, have fun, call each other names, pull each other’s legs, land a surprise, lend a shoulder. But when your friend is wrong, have the courage to point it out, help the person correct the wrong and get back into the right. Be an unconditional friend, but be a valuable one first. That’s when you’re a true friend.

Which is why…

Guess with Hobbes, I just got damn lucky 🙂

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P.S.: Hobbes, here’s wishing you a fantastic new beginning that remains fantastic till the end. What you leave behind, is definitely something that is best left behind 🙂

P.S. of P.S.: I’m not to be held responsible if being known as “Hobbes” does further damage to your “aura” 😀 😀

P.S. of P.S. of P.S.: I still insist: there is no aura 😀 😛

this and that…and some more.

More random stuff, after this and that. I feel safe posting this, since people actually commented they loved reading random posts 😀 So, Yay!

1. Blogging seems to be taking a back seat these days. Having Internet restrictions is, I think, better than having full time access to it, and not able to blog! 😦  Work is such an overload these days, can’t find blogging time at work at all 😀 And at home, have Pumbaa, the husband and parents to spend time with. And somehow, the boss never understands why I blog at work 😀 😀 😀 And I always get in trouble ‘coz of the way Shail‘s posts like this make me literally LOL/ROFL — that too, just as the boss walks by 😀
2. I wish I’d win a 10 Crore lottery. Sigh! I know a million others wish the same — but seriously. If only the corrupt politicians would come clean, am sure we wont have to pay any tax — on ANYTHING we buy or earn in this country– for the next 50 years! Damn you all, you morons!
3. Pumbaa always gives company while we have our meals. He waits patiently till we’re all completely done. He doesn’t make a sound till then, but after that, he knows he’ll definitely get a few crispy curry leaves from my plate — and till he gets it, he makes enough ruckus to bring the ceiling down! Sigh!
4. The brother took a post graduation in space craft engineering (after mechanical engineering)…and now, because is too “overqualified”, companies keep turning him down. And he’s going mad. So, rule of thumb: do not study any of the more specialized courses: do either a normal engg or medicine?? Bah!
5. I had the yummiest mangoes just now. Bought all the way from kerala. Kottukonam mangoes. Slurrrrp. Gotta bribe the friend more, and get him to bring more soon 😉 Pumbaa tasted it too — and went berserk! 😀
6. I rarely spend any time gardening these days. The minute Pumbaa spots me with a spade and a hose, he begins prancing around, and doesn’t let me do anything productive. I think he’s just jealous of the plants — coz’ they never get scolded, never get tied up with a leash when visitors come, never gets said “No” to anything they do, and always get to play freely in water! Yea, am sure he’s jealous 😀
7. I am desperate for a cheesecake. Yes, the first time I even came to know something like that existed, was through F.R.I.E.N.D.S., when Rachel and Chandler steal a box of cheesecake from someone’s doorstep and binge on it. I saw that some 7 years ago. Recently, I got myself the all the 10 seasons of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and saw it again. I want cheese cake. I want cheesecake. I WANT CHEESECAKE! 😦  😦   😦  I wish there was a Mamma’s Lil’ Bakery in Bangalore too.
8. While we’re on the food topic, I recently realised that the ONLY food type that I crave for (from an eat-out; and non-homemade) are Pizzas, Mushroom Pasta in white sauce and Caeser salads — and ONLY from Pizza Hut. I think Pizza Hut is THE best place for pizzas! Everything else, I’ve realised, is makeable at home, with much better taste and flavour quotients. Seriously! Btw, can I take this space to once again whine for CHEESECAKE!?
9. I love the Vodafone Zoozoo 3G ads — all of them with the “super” theme. Absolutely adore them. Such creativity, such effort, such appeal, such cuteness. And I equally, if not 10 times more, HATE the 3G Idea ads. The morons sitting in some smug ad agency someplace, coming out with these bloody lame “bus bus bus bus bus“; “run run run run run“, “loading loading loading” ads need a reality check. Can’t you see you’re already done enough damage to the brand? ‘Coz of Idea, people can no longer say “i’ve no idea”, for fear of being responded with a “Get idea”. And on top of that, you bring us Abhishek Bachchan triplets and connect 3G with the digit 3? Seriously, when exactly did you lose your brains?!
10. If any of you’re planning to buy books/movies/most things you get in Landmark/Crossword, just go to Flipkart.com. Oh, I think I owe a whole post for that! 🙂  I love Flipkart now. Totally! 🙂 Flipkart Ki Jai! 🙂

this and that…

Some random stuff (for lack one of one sigle thought, and a vent for the million others crisscrossing through my mind)…

1. Life’s not all that great these days. Fed up of Bangalore (nothing new, I know! :D) The weather doesn’t seem to agree much with me, and I’ve had a bad cough since last Friday!! Over a whole week now — and gets esp worse at night. I think I’m causing more cacophony at night that all the stray dogs together! 😀
2. Read two book the past 3 books and feel soooo good. The last book I read was over 3 months back! 😦  And now that both the books are done with, I’m feeling all pissed off. Yes, that happens every time I finish a story — esp when it’s one that I’m thoroughly engrossed in. When it’s over, I can’t take that the story s over and I cant read on; that I’ll have to find a good book asap.
3. Pumbaa is such a sweetheart. When he sees you first thing in the morning, you get a royal welcome. Go tot the loo, come back and see him after a minute again, he’ll give you world-class treatment again. And then he scrams, picks up his toy and comes for a round of tug-and-war and fetch-and-drop. And then, when he tires out, he lays at your feet and licks your feet. Awwww. Chakkara!
4. I read Sophie Kinsella’s Confessoins of a Shopaholic and Mini Shopaholic. So, I’ve now officially read the entire Shopaholic series — and I must admit. I’ve ALWAYS enjoy reading them. I am neither rich like Becky, nor a shopaholic. But the series has an uncanny ability to put me at ease. I read at someone else’s blog that this is such a dumb series, and she couldn’t understand how anyone (Becky) could be so dumb, careless and irresponsible. Well, I really don’t agree! I think Becky’s got an innocence, a completely different perspective on things, and a passion for things she believe in! I think it’s fabulous — not at all the “classic” category, I agree. But it definitely is entertaining — esp in troubled times like this 🙂
5. I don’t think I’ll ever comment for anyone’s Thursday Challenges, Friday Fotos or Wordless Wednesdays anymore. All your pics are awesome all the time, and I always end up juggling between “Fabulous”, “Splendid” and “Amazing/Awesome”. So here’s a collective comment for all your FF, TT, WW and such posts from now on:  Fabulous, splendid and amazingly awesome! 🙂
6. Pumbaa is extremely naughty! Of course, he isn’t Marley (yet!!), but his mischief is ALWAYS, much to my chagrin, targeted at my poor and lovely plants! Any chance he gets, he massacres my plants. Waaah! 😦 And the minute I scream at him and decide to spank him, he starts wagging his tail furiously and licks me all over. Sigh! Now, how can anyone expect me to remain angry with him after that?
7. I wish the clothes in the laundry bag would just move their bums, get into the washing machine, wash themselves up and hang out to dry. Bah! Laundry is like a never-ending tedious process. By the time you’re done with laundry, you’re all sweaty, you decide to take a bath. And voila! There’s more laundry! Sigh.
8. 24 hours seem too less a time frame to accomplish anything, these days. I need more time in a day. At least 24 more hours. Seriously!
9. Mosquitoes are by far the worst insects in the world. Bloody &$#^&&^&^(*^&*(. I think they’re the ones who need to be annihilated asap! And Goodknight is not very brave or capable; and All Out really goes all out of power in front of these stupid blood suckers! Grrrr.
10. Pumbaa is extremely intelligent 😉 he understands every single thing we say. Say “chaya/bikket” and he’ll go straight to his plate and searches for it. Ask him where his “toy” is, and he’ll search everywhere, find it and ready himself for a round of game.

it’s that time of the year again…

…when a few crazy long-ago college mates start a mail thread to “meet up”. The mail thread has crossed 150, and we’re all waiting impatiently for May 14 and 15 🙂

This is part of a tradition we set up last year 😉 Last year, we went to Munnar. After that, we’d decided to take our meet up international: and go to Malaysia 😉 But well, some people went out of control and are now parents 😀 😀 😀 So, there are 3 babies in the group now, so we had to keep ourselvs close to home. So, this time, it’s destination is Alappuzha! Yay! 🙂

This time, there’s one couple from Bangalore, one couple from Kochi, one couple from Dubai, another couple from Kochi, one couple from Mumbai and one couple from Kuwait (we all hope they can make it). And three babies 🙂 A one yr old and 2 2-month olds 🙂

Beach theme, beach wear, beach fun, beach umbrella, beach chairs 😉 And of course: Uno, Pictionary, Monopoly and the legendary Ludo 😀

Can’t wait for May. Come, May, come soon!

Thank You for being there…

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Wish you all a very happy day today 🙂

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Special mention to four of my bestest friends: Achan, Amma, Chettan and Suraj 🙂

And to all my friends. You’ve all given me a lot. Thanks for being there. For being F.R.I.E.N.D.S. 🙂

Best people off to one of the best travel destinations ;)

We had planned this once in 2008…but, like all Plan As, it didn’t work. And we didn’t have a Plan B then 😀  So, in 2010, we directly named it Plan B. And it’s working! 😀

Started off when one person just took the initiative and sent mails to everyone saying “We need to meet!” 😀 Guess time’s not just a healer, it also makes people sensible 😉 Because, this time, we quickly invested money and made bookings: so, now, no one plans to opt out.

On the 12th and 13th of June, 10 of us are going to be at Munnar 🙂 At the Elysium Garden Resort. And we’ve already set the mood through a Facebook page we created for this. It’s brought a lot of memories and forgotten pics back to life!!!

This is our Facebook Page’s description: Before the group began we mapped out three primary goals: 1) to see and meet every year 2) to make our bonds and relationships stronger and 3) to love each other more every year. Brilliant words, Lee!

The mail has already run into threads that crossed 100. A couple from Dufaai Dubai, a couple from Bangalore, a couple from Kochi. A girl from Bangalore, a guy from Aluva, another from Kochi and yet another from Dufaai Dubai again—we’re all discussing this, making fun of one another, making back up plans, deciding colour combos for the photo-shoot 😀 😀 😀 (so that a few years later, we won’t look like a bunch of something the cat brought in!)

We’ve arranged a tempo traveler. We’ve booked the rooms. We’ve asked for campfire and music. And we’ve planned to have a night out…to relive our college days…to refresh those memories.

People say it might rain there. So, we even have back up plans:

1. A big umbrella and one adoring husband to hold it for his ‘paavam merlin’ and all her friends who’ll huddle beneath it ;))
2. Uno Cards
3. Pictionary
4. Ludo 😀 [we used to hold championships at college; it’s part of our team’s existence ;)]
5. Photo shoots (the gang’s favourite past time; guess we did more of that than any studying at college ;))

It’s amazing how friends always catch up like there hasn’t been a day of gap. None of us ever call each other every day (or week, even!), most of us don’t mail to/chat with each other…and yet, when the trip plan popped up, we’re all in, high on enthusiasm and spirit…and memories come flooding 🙂

The last time we all had a trip was when we were in college. 16 of us went off to Thekkady-Kodaikanal. We still have very good memories of it. Thankfully, time has erased the not-so-good ones, which were few! 😉

This time, we’re hoping it’ll be a brilliant one…and that time won’t have to linger around with the eraser 😀

Just 10 more days to gooooooo. Yippeeeeee 😀

Munnar…here we come 🙂

Technorati, list my friend!

A friend wanted to know what Technorati was…and how she could get her blog linked in there! Apparently, everytime she tried, she got an error message.

Well, how would I know? So, I went ahead, researched it, figured out how to claim a blog on Technorati, followed every step and finally got to doit.

Only, now they want me to paste this code here: 7VBURM8BWT3B, so they can come verify that I’m the real author of this blog. Sigh!

So, here you go, Technorati. Now, could you please help my friend put up her blog in your database too!? 🙂

“I’m an open blog…er er…open book”

It sometimes surprises me how much of an open ‘book’ we all are through our blogs. I’m sure if I meet most of the people in my blog roll, there’s at least one thing I know about them which does not fall into categories like “Where’s his native place”, “Where’s she working”, “Is she from Delhi”, “Is he married”, and so on.

There’s so much that’s shared on a blog: in the form of tags (am sure they were invented by a stalker ;)), memories, feelings, incidents, rants, and what not!

I remember an age when we were asked not to put up our pics on the Internet (for fear of misuse); not to put up personal info about ourselves (now, personal info is just bank account number and the like); not to trust people you see online (20/F/Delhi may very well be 75/M/Uganda); not to correspond with people who write personal mails to you, if you don’t really know them personally. All bleh!

I guess, especially for bloggers, there’s no fear of being open about themselves. When you blog, you’re being yourselves. Your readers have different opinions, perspectives, ideas; they may not always agree with you, and they are open about that too!

When we read something about a person on a blog, like a tag on his/her fav 10 eatables, 3 fav dresses, or 5 fav movies/songs, we just tend to believe it and relate those things with that person. We don’t question it, or doubt its
authenticity. Somehow, hypocrisy seems to hit a firewall when a blog is opened 😀

Just the other day, I got a mail from Uma, based on a comment I had put in her blog. She wanted to know a few details about taking up literature (for her daughter’s higher edu). One mail turned into a thread of 5 or 6..and finally she said “the speed of thought is so much more. we can talk in person” and we exchanged mobile numbers!! (Damn! That reminds me, I haven’t called her up yet. I will, Uma; today, for sure ;))

I will not sit and wonder if this “Uma, mother of two girls” is actually a 50-year old stalker looking forward to whisper indecencies over the phone! 😀 In fact, if anything, we both felt real good to be actually writing long mails to each other, like we’ve known each other for the past 300 years! 😀

Apart from letting us be our true self (and not worry what others will think), blogging does a lot to all of us: though we don’t realise it much. It tells us a lot about perspectives, cultures, current affairs (and people’s views on them), likes, dislikes, trends, cities, beliefs, and what not!
What do you all feel? Is there an inherent danger in being so open to the world? Do you think some disaster could come out of it? Do you think someone could take advantage of you after figuring out the kind of person you are? Do you think it’s not the best thing to be such an “open book”?

I, let me admit, don’t. Here’s to all the lovely bloggers…and their even lovelier blogs! You all make life much more fun 😀

Three’s never a crowd!

After quite a long time (4 and a half months, for sure), I called up one of my closest friends — to know that she was 4 months pregnant!! So much for being “close friends”!!! 😛

And after the inital whats and whaats and whaaats, I let out one string of abuses her way for not letting me know. And with that ever cheeky that-don’t-impress-me-much tone, she tells me, “Oh! I thought I’ll just give you all a surprise!” Apparently, in all that excitement and tests and waiting-for-the-confirmation delays, she forgot to call us. Then she thought about it a month later…by then she was sure she’d get killed for not having told us friends. And then, she thought ‘what the heck, let the baby come out…and i’ll let them know”. The ass! Hehe…she was quite sure then, that we wouldn’t be meeting till the baby’s out 😛

I’ve been friends with this mad girl since my 9th grade…and it’s always been the ‘heights of fun’ when the two of us, along with the third musketeer, joined together! All 3 of us are “younger sister” to some super brothers…and while we both have 1, she has 3!! Which explains her escalated level of madness!

We’ve stayed cooped up in her smelly bedroom from morn till night, pretending to study…while all we ever did was read novels and eat and make endless phone calls and eat and sleep and eat and gossip and eat and…oh, you get the picture, right? We’ve walked from her house, all the way to mine (some good 8-9kms) in the scorching sun, chattering away on about everything. We’ve spent hours together discussing loves, crushes and heartbreaks.

We’ve travelled all over Trivandrum for no reason at all (as a result of talking animatedly and boarding any damn bus without looking at the name board!!)…in fact, once we sat right in front of the conductor’s seat in the bus and refused to take a ticket 😀 Just before getting off the bus, when the conductor asked us for the ticket, she actually told him “Oh, innu ticket edukkan oru moodilla” (Oh, we didn’t have the mood to get a ticket today!) 😛

We’ve bunked our classes to join a third class’ PT hour {two of us were in the same class n this mad one was in another; so, while the every class had just one PT hour a week, we had one everyday…almost ;)}and play in the hot sun (guess we were the only 3 girls the PT master didn’t hate :D)! We’ve always wanted to be in the same class (precisely why the teachers conspired and always made sure at least one among us was separated from the gang during class hours) that she’s hidden under our bench, only to be discovered and thrown out by the teacher!

Edited to add this after this memory suddenly came back: We’ve lurked around after school hours, waiting for all the teachers to leave, then gone behind the school building and tried to understand what’s the ‘cool’ factor about smoking 😉 After a puff each and volleys of coughing fits and teary eyes, we ran off into the girls’ loo when we heard our PT master demanding who the smoker was (he saw smoke, apparently!) A poor 7th grade boy got caught and interrogated [they did the spell smell-check on him, but he came off clean :D], but no one ever figured out!

We’ve bunked school to attend the “La Fest” (an inter-school fest conducted by Loyola School in Trivandrum, every year), in spite of being warned against it by our class teacher–and then disappointed her by bringing her leave letters signed by our parents that actually said “Was unable to attend class since I wanted to attend La Fest”, instead of a cooked up “fever” story 😀

Long story short, we’ve been the perfect ‘undisciplined gang of girls’ at school (and SO NOT proud about it now 😦 ) By the time we passed out of school, we ‘grew up’ and vowed we’ll become better people. All that took to make us better people was to get the 3 of us going in 3 different ways 😀

We still get back to being the ‘undisciplined gang of girls’ whenever we meet (though we pretend to be civilised). All of us were mad enough on the other’s wedding and instead of gifts, presented the ‘bridegroom’ with condolence messages (through the bride of course! who wants to give away the disaster that’s in store :D)!?

I can’t believe she’s going to be a mom! I can only pity the poor baby that’s on its way (am done pitying the husband by now 😉 ). Love you girl! Can’t wait to see you!

was it your birthday or mine?

Were they your dreams or mine?
Were they your wishes or mine?
Were they your smiles or mine?
Were they your hopes or mine?
Were they your moments or mine?

I wonder if you remember these words…they were on a birthday card you sent me all the way from Mumbai on my 16th birthday. Guess that was my first birthday following your departure to Mumbai (well, b4 that, I had had only one birthday after we became friends…but still). That was one card I really really loved… and I could only smile, thinking to myself “I wonder how we manage to find a card that says just what we both feel.” 😉

Years have passed since; dozens of cards, letters and phone calls have travelled to-and-fro…then we upgraded from “writing” to e-mailing. And then, just as suddenly as your dad got transferred to Mumbai, he was transferred back. But alas! you never came; instead, you called me over — and i gleefully agreed. We again set off on a train together…having decided to stay together, study together…and never separate again.

Years have passed. You’re married, I’m married. We’re living our separate lives. So much of our time’s taken away by life: that we seldom talk to, write to or think of one another. A chat yesterday, a call today, a mail tomorrow… That’s all that remains of our relation now. We had some of the best times of our lives: discussing crushes and loves and heartbreakes; exchanging books, movies and songs; terrorising a certain math teacher and walking out of her class; getting cursed by another and succeeding, in spite of everything; driving a few people mad and some others up trees…

Years have passed, situations have changed…our lives have turned on its own different wheels…but i guess the one thing that’s never changed over the past 12 years is our relationship…a certain feeling of ‘being there’, no matter the gaps in talks and memories.

I hope you have a sexy birthday, get drowned amidst gifts, happiness and love…and write a totally moving piece for (and about) me on my special day 😀 😀

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY WOMAN!
They say time and tide waits for none; but girl, time always stands still for a woman of thirty! (Ooops, did I just say it out loud? :D)