regret...

For years now you have embraced me every single day. I actually regret the day I encouraged you, that evening when I let you in, to spend some time with me. I thought you were a guest. If only I knew your designs to trap me, your yearning to grow on me; I would have thrown you out my life and perhaps would have been a different person. I know others warned me, but I guess I was under your spell. And then there were others, because of them I came closer to you. And what an opportunist you are…

And now when I want to break away from you, you won’t let me go. You have assumed I get some delight seeing you every evening. I don’t. Every day I decide to tell you how much I hate you, just hate it when you rush out and embrace me. I hate you more when you nag me early mornings or just walk with me wherever I go…

I just regret the day I let you into my life!

a line lifted from Rina's blog...

"Sometimes people say when the end of a story is known, it holds no mystery. Look at us, we all know what the end of each life is, yet we live as if we are here for ever!"

25 things about me

PK tagged me first. Then I read 25 things about 3 people. RA also sent her 25 things about her. And now KB has tagged me. No, no, not under pressure from my boss, I am writing 25 things about myself out of sheer joy of recollecting and sharing things about myself...

1. I prefer sea over hills.
2. I like the summer season.
3. The best cities in India are Chennai and Delhi.
4. If not in Chennai or Pondicherry, I would like to retire and live in a small house in Prithviraj Road, Delhi.
5. In Chennai my favorite weekend/weekday haunt is Thiruvanmiyur beach.
6. In Delhi my favorite weekend haunt was SDA’s Aurobindo market and the Midland book store.
7. Before I die, I want to witness an opera show in Venice, and visit Budapest as a tourist.
8. The only thing I like in winter is to grill stuff over coal fire in angethi.
9. I have tasted snake meat and octopus. Shrimps are one of my favorites, minus the smell.
10. I get pleasure from driving.
11. In Delhi, I avoid driving through the IIT road.
12. I love traveling, and prefer exploring places alone.
13. I enjoy clicking pictures of people and monuments.
14. I enjoy the company of people who have a good sense of humor. Though I prefer the serious non-philosophical, no nonsense types.
15. When I was in class 8, I wished if by magic I gained physical appearance like that of John Travolta, I would then sport his hairstyle and sing songs for my Olivia Newton John! I even memorized two songs.
16. I had an OCD for cleanliness. I am glad I am normal now.
17. I like to read and blog – my favorite authors are Ruskin Bond and Thomas Hardy. And my favorite book is the Mayor of Casterbridge.
18. The best movies ever made are Love Story and Life is Beautiful. The others that I like are Miracle, Aandhi, most of Julia Roberts’, The Gods Must Be Crazy, The Great Dictator, and The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly.
19. I enjoy listening to Beatles [Love Me Do], Jim Reeves [Each Beat of My Heart], and Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Mera Saya.’ Asha Bhosle has the sexiest voice.
20. My favorite cartoon characters are Tom and Jerry. I also love watching Charlie Chaplin. The Lucy Show was my favorite once upon a time.
21. Facts about my best boy & girl friends – both are:
    >>Instructional Designers
    >>From South India
    >>Followers of Christ
    >>My ex team members
    >>Bloggers
22. While in school, my aim was to join the artillery unit of the Indian Army. In the Forces Request Program I used to send my requests to fictitious friends marked as, ‘From 2/Lt Vishal Thakur’. And I changed my rank to that of a Lieutenant after two years.
23. After I was rejected by the Army Medical Board and exhausted my chances of appearing for selection, I ensured I was invited to the Passing Out Parade for the next three years that I was in Dehra Doon.
24. The only army general I have liked was General K Sundarji who had written a book – ‘Blind men of Hindoostan.’ I like the names of Pakistani Generals, they carry some weight – ‘Gen Mirza Aslam Baig’, ‘General Jehagir Karamat’, ‘General Ayub Khan’, and ‘General Zia-Ul-Haq.’
25. I just hate:
    >>box beds
    >>songs which have too much use of synthesizers and organs
    >>haryali tea advertisement

on a rainy day...

It had started to drizzle when I thought of surprising you by coming over to your office to pick you. I walked out of my office, went across the road to pickup your favorite flower – just one stick. Back in our car, fished out a CD and pushed the fwd button to start the 5th track – and to listen to our favorite track from Cascades - ‘Rhythm of the falling rain…’

In 15 minutes I was nearing your office and the drizzle changed to a light downpour. It was an awesome weather: rain, little fog, less traffic, you in my thoughts, and of course the lovely number at that point - John Denver’s ‘you fill up my senses…’

As I approached your office, I spotted you standing at the entrance, in that lovely blue bandini suit - waiting for your transport - chit-chatting with your colleagues. You weren’t smiling, but Jim Reeves singing Mona Lisa seemed right for the moment!

I honked to grab your attention, and in that process got few annoying looks from your colleagues who had no idea who was the honk targeted at! The third honk brought success. And as you opened the rear door, and neatly placed your stuff at the back seat, Mona Lisa died replacing ‘can't help falling in love…’ Thanks Elvis for singing that!

I noticed you weren’t surprised when I took a U turn instead of driving straight. Perhaps you already know in these so many years what craziness can come over me at times. And rains make me like ‘everything’ on planet earth I guessJ.

Traffic was annoying, but a couple of numbers by Cliff Richard made it tolerableJ.

Let me confess, I was not listening to you at all - all that small-little-sweet animated things you were telling me. It’s only when you switched on FM1 with ‘Yaadein…’ on air that the reverie broke!

Finding a parking slot in CP wasn’t difficult at all.

Inside Bercose, the food, the music, the ambience, and our discussions were engrossing. Even the impending issue of changing to a new rented accommodation did not spoil the spellJ. And while we were out taking a post-early-dinner round of the inner circle, we talked about the past and the present. And then suddenly you thrilled me by starting to hum our favorite, ‘jaltay hai jiskay liyay…’ At that moment, I wanted to tell you how much I have loved you. Of how much I love you. But I didn’t want to distract you from your humming!

On our way back, after we had covered almost half the distance, mostly in silence, listening to the sound of the downpour, I switched on the CD player, heard a few numbers associated with which are few significant moments that we have shared. I don’t know if you think of those moments when you listen to those tracks, but I certainly do. They bring smile and cheer in life!

I thought the moment to be apt for holding your hand, and saying thanks for being there. And as I held your hand and looked at you, with a smile on your face, it appeared as if you acknowledged my unspoken thoughts. I don’t remember what song played in the background. I was focused on you.

We reached home; I picked up the stuff from the seat. I picked up the yellow chrysanthemum too, and called you, but as always, you were already gone.

Imaginations - It’s rare for them to be true! But still, as my friend PK says, Life is beautiful!