Wish

The buzz of the conversation flew all around her, but Nisha was not saying much. She looked down at her plate of salads and at him. He knew she loved to hear him talk and talk he did. Talked to every one at the table. Glancing at her every now and then to see her smile. He loved to talk and she loved watching him. He also loved the way she looked at him with out staring. Her quite smiles, her soft words, her beautiful face. The more she looked the more he talked. He looked all around the lunch table to look at everyone -friends and colleagues hanging on to his words. He looked back at Nisha to smile at her.

The topic was the last premier league match. He was a die hard Man U fan and he was talking about Rooney's late entry to the game, that it was the blunder that allowed another Liverpool victory at Antfield. He knew that the comment would draw a few words from the Stevie G fan who was watching him. He liked to see the passion for football in her eyes, perhaps more for 'Captain Fantastic'. But it could only elicit another smile from her. Then he saw a flash of panic , he looked around to see her nemesis carrying her lunch to join them. He was amused. For a kind soul, Nisha couldn't find it in her to forget the barbs that the dragon lady approaching them had thrown at her a few months ago. He watched Nisha to see if she would leave. She didn't. The conversation had moved on to the weekend plans.

He suggested a trip to the beach. Nisha's eyes were back at him, excited. He didn't look at her though. He sought the attention of the guys in the group alone. The dragon lady was going at it again. Regaling tales of all the lakes that she has seen in the various continents. He continued his conversation with the other guys. He heard a tiny scrape of the chair. He looked around to Watch Nisha get up. He waited until she looked at him, the smile gone, murmuring a bye at everyone, refusing to meet his eyes and then she was gone. He smiled at her vanishing back, knowing she would be back tomorrow,just as she has been all these months....

He looked down at the small mirror on the table....and smiled... he looked good.. didn't he?

Frenemy

Had a lovely evening with someone I do not even consider to be close... A lovely long walk in the evening along a cananl, wathed the kids feed swans in the water. Italian food and wine and then finally sat outside the restaurent just on the banks of the canal and it iwas a full moon night. It was a lovely lovely night. The conversation flowed from bitching about common friends to work to home and Indian joint family system. And to to think that I do not get along with the this lady, not really. But looks liek she enjoyed my comnpany too... One evening wonder ? Only time would tell. But I guess it just adds weight to the saying - Never say Never....

Lone Wolf in the City

The end of a party is like a ravaged city after a storm... Literally and figuratively..More so after a good party..Suddenly the walls seem to talk all at once..

Loneliness. That is the only word I can think of. But I am not sure, the feeling wouldn't exist even if I wasn't living alone.. Guess it's a bitter pill that just needs to be swallowed...just like falling and getting the knees skinned while learning to walk..

And somehow writing about this helps...:)....

When you've had enough
when you've got it bad enough
and you can't let go
when it comes to blows
and you start to overflow
but you can't get home
it's a subtle kind of cruel
it taps my spine
here I'm drawing a line
I'm asking you please
don't you wanna be
happy with me?
don't you wanna be
happy with me?

Candyman

Who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream,

Separate the sorrow and collect the cream,

The candyman can, the candy man can,

the candyman can, 'cause he mixes it with love

and makes the world taste good...

-Roald Dahl

Love those lines, I would say this would apply to icecream man too. These men are mythical creatures placed strategically on this planet to spread some much needed cheer. Last Sunday was a classic example - was limping back home from a trip, blistered feet and a prissy mood. And lo and behold an icecream man.. A raspberry - vanila cone and a lovely smile later, I was practically skipping down the road, injured feet and the whole world forgotten... Well, it did help that the icecream man was cute...

I met him out for dinner on a Friday night
He really got me working up an appetite
He had tattoos up and down his arm
There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm

- Christina Aguilera 'Candyman'

The magic numbah!

The sojourn in Chennai was god sent. A glance of an old home, college so and so forth and at the same time, reinforced my love for the city for reasons unknown... But, before I get into the dejavu mode, some tit bits on the trip

=> Stayed with S and 11 (? I lost count I will take S's word for it) other people. The joint families are extinct no longer. They exist and if S 's home is an example, they thrive.

=> Saw S's grand mama who has written a cook book after she became a grand mama!

=> Met a couz of S who has 13 degrees! ( tops my list of interesting people that I have bumped into ever)

=> Saravana bhavan - Veggies delight!

=> T nagar - shoppers turned paupers paradise

=> Chennaite hospitality - World class!

=> The best puliogare is Cehnnai born.. And if someone suggests otherwise, be ready to be clubbed.. grr.

=> Chennai - Three cheers!!!

Shakespeare for lunch

Heard someone talk about going for BA literature. Well, the someone is not battling paranoia of a midlife crisis but is a focussed young thing. But the choice of course caught my fancy. When it was my turn to choose a course, well, there was no choice really. (Or I was blind), The choices were - study and learn to chop your fellow beings or study and learn to make cool programs (hello world .. remember? That was the coolest one so far!)...

Of course the cool person that I am, chose the later and well, now I enjoy 'hello world' like hell.

( language.. language tsk tsk!). In fact I would say that was the trend with most focussed young things of my time ( I sound antique.. ).. But come to think of it, literature would have been a great option. Imagine reading Emma / Shakespeare for work ... Or participating in a discussion about the Renaissance with the students. Or research on what makes a hotshot writer tick....

Or would have been cribbing about empty pockets, lack of onsite. Or having to read the 16 century by product of a demented guys ramblings year after year. Or having to bear the short attention span of Gen Y..

Case of grass on the other side being greener.. Now back to Hello world ....

Austerity

.. is something I can do without. But looks like its been named the word of the year. Not surprising since the recession monster was dancing in our midst. It may be the most searched word, but its certainly not the most used one. Actioned up on yes, but used verbally ? No! What do I hear the most? A lot of 'whatever', plenty of 'awesomes' , 'like this' and 'like thats'. Then there is the 'nike', 'ipad', 'cricket', 'world cup', 'sachin tendulkar' , 'cwg', 'kalamadi' and 'Rajnikanth'. All this is casual talk ..

Waht happens once you step inside the office ? 'Scale up', 'rationalization', 'Pareto', 'top/ bottom 20,' , 'deviation' and of course' screwed up' and 'Rajnikanth; (yeah he is every where isn't he?)

Now what are the words that I would like to hear ? Books (Duh!), travel, bonus, free, subsidy, petrol, onions, efficient, beautiful, Salman Khan, holidays, break, Salman Khan, growth, did I mention Salman Khan? :-))

No mention of austerity anywhere eh ? :-)