Sweet Nothings...

Its that time of the week when you run out of ideas to have fun - a Saturday night. It was 10 pm. I was about to board my bus from Manchester back to Coventry via Birmingham. After two days of spending time with a bunch of cool friends, I was preparing to get back to University routine. Being bored at waiting for my bus, and tired of the music on my phone, decided to ring my friend for a 'chumma' talk.

"Hi Maya", I said sounding very excited.
"Hello, whats'up", she said.

Apparently there was another friend of ours she was talking to when I had called her. She brought him in through a conference call. I didn't complain. I had a little over 2 hours of travel in the bus, I could chat all the way long. After all, calls were free between the three of us and the UK phone networks are good through the route between the two big cities, Manchester and Birmingham.

"Hi people, what are we chatting about now?", Nikhil jumped in after the usual procedure of asking each other how we were doing and the like.

When there was nothing there to talk about and nothing else to do for the three of us being at three different places, the best thing to do was to talk random things and give each other company. We did just that.

"I am gonna miss the long serene drives, the lawns and the weather in the UK once I get back to India", I said looking out of the window when the sun was just about setting into the red sky at 10 pm.

"I miss having a boyfriend now", Maya replied to second me on the romantic ambience that the UK had on offer.

"Warwick is a perfect place for romance; the lakes in the campus, the chill evening winds, the greenery all around; Gosh! how much I am gonna miss it as well", Nikhil added.

All of us were talking this way given it was within 2 months to leave the campus and enter the real world. The care-free first 9 months of being together in the university made us so close as a group of friends; we shared every bit we had in us to each other.

"So go get a boyfriend, Maya", I rubbed it in to get her talking...

"I can't go fishing for one; it has to happen", Maya is more mature than her age,22, suggests.

"Hmm...see, it just happens like it did for me", Nikhil was showing off that he had a girlfriend.

"But I don't have her here now", Nikhil started lamenting like he has been doing for almost a month now as his girlfriend (another mutual friend of ours') was away, back home to India, on a vacation from her studies in Warwick.

"Atleast you have one", Maya sighed in regret.

"ah!, I just feel like enjoying all this being single. My arranged marriage will find me a girl soon". I said expecting a big debate on the cards.

"Please, don't get us started now...you and your arranged marriage concept; keep it to yourself", Maya crushed the topic.

"She has been on my mind all the time; 30 days is like 3 years", Nikhil went on like every lover boy would with his cliches.

"That's another thing..long-distance relationships, it is just so difficult", Maya took Nikhil's side.

"Distance in a relationship doesn't make any difference to it." I did my bit to differ as always.

All three of us were different in who we were, like normally the case between friends. That served well for us to have interesting fun debates all the time, yet not necessarily conclusive though.

"You need the girl nearby to keep it going; you never have been in a relationship; you could never know", Nikhil shot back.

"It means a lot when someone holds your hand and is by your side all the time", Maya backed Nikhil up. Maya had been through a relationship before. She spoke of experience too.

"Its a feeling; even if the person is not around, you could feel that way", I sounded like Aristotle.

"That's fine, but how long will the feeling sustain without the person really around?", Maya asked. Maya was a girl's perspective which all of us respected. She perhaps had a point.

"I just want her now; just don't care on what you guys are going on and on about", Nikhil went back to his usual self.

As the conversation kept going forward, the bus reached closer to Birmingham. I loved the murmuring I was doing, with everyone near me in the bus sleeping; one even snoring.  The ambience was so different from the usual conversations we used to be having. To talk your self out to two close friends, without the feeling of being judged, in such a lonely long 2 hour drive all by whispering, gazing out at the window every now and then, was something I started to cherish even while I was doing it.

"Do you like your partner to be possessive?", Maya thought of something to take the conversation forward.

"I want my girl to be possessive; she should own me; she needs to feel she has the right to tell me what to do and what not to", I sounded like I badly needed a girl.

"That's love at its best", I carried on.

"Whatever..., I just don't want such men; Being over-possessive kills love", Maya gave us the girl's angle again.

"I wouldn't feel good to be asked where I go and who I see? That doesn't show love, does it? It only shows lack of trust...", Maya went on. She was right as usual, I felt.

"But I am talking about the partner showing that she cares for me all the time; that doesn't have to mean a lack of trust in me necessarily. She could have a world of trust in me, while she still has to question me if she sees me talking to or looking at another girl; How cute would that be; to show she owns me, to prove I mean so much to her.", I thought I made a strong argument for my case.

And what was Nikhil doing while all this..,

"who cares, I just want my girl back...", Nikhil said to remind the two of us that he was still around in the conference call.

The bus neared Birmingham Airport and the clocked ticked 11.30 pm; I would reach my university in Coventry in a bit by 12.10 am.

"I thought our conversation will help me not think of her; but you guys are just making it worse", Nikhil said.
'Oh boy, it must be tough to be in love' , I told myself.

"Anyways, I need to go to Church; its Sunday tomorrow; I better go sleep now", Nikhil said so, more to skype with his girlfriend tomorrow early in the morning rather than worry about going to the Church.

"Seri da...I know why you have to go to bed now; You better sleep and get up on time tomorrow morning; or else you 've had it from her". I giggled.

"Alright, lets plan dinner for tomorrow together", Maya said.

"Yeah, we could do that. The football world cup final is happening tomorrow; we could all see it over the dinner. I ll batter chicken and grill it. We ll have it with chappattis at my place", Nikhil said.

"yeah, gr8. I am sure we'll all have a nice evening then!", I said.

Nikhil would argue he is the best cook amongst the group of us, but again I have agreed to disagree with him as always.

"Alright, see u both tomorrow then...Good night guys", Nikhil said and waited our replies before he could hang up.

"Sure...Good night", Maya and I said and all of us ended the 1 hour and 30 minute conference call.

All of us must have had such phone/texting conversations; nothing potentially great about them; not the most happening discussions in the planet; sometimes not the most interesting ones either; perhaps the world wouldn't have changed one bit if they didn't happen. Yet, they are among the most sweetest of events in life. We wouldn't even take a moment out to appreciate how much we enjoyed such cute conversations with friends, family and other dear ones. They may gradually fade with time, as life eventually does. I thought this read would help all of us savour such beautiful conversations that may not be be relevant down the many years to come.

At this point while you are reading if you are reminded of such a conversation you had once had, it would have made my day and time purposeful.

To the two of my friends mentioned in this blog conversation (they would know for themselves, though I 've not used their original names here) and a whole group of other friends in Warwick and elsewhere with whom I have had many such conversations over the years, I dedicate this blog to.

P.S. the grill chicken was absolutely delicious the next day. I give it to you...you have to be the best cook amongst us. Half the credit goes to your flatmate, who hosted the dinner with you that day.

With this I'm ending the phone call now,
Viggy!!!
    


    

The Warwick Days...

I am writing this blog post just after posting, "Didn't know life could be so much fun; feels like never before..." on Facebook. That still is an understatement to what life's been here at the university of Warwick. I thought I needed to pen this feeling down as I feel it, to savour it as well as I can. I am sure, all of you'll reading this would have had their share of such colourful days in life. As they say, 'God is equally kind and unkind to all human beings'. So when I write my Warwick days here, read as your pleasant days and relate to it as your diary. If you feel as I feel now, I would feel great.

So, here I go...

One day my dad came up to me and said, "Thambi, you should have an experience of studying abroad. I believe you would learn a lot and be a better person". It all started then..,

There my imagination went wild. No, (trust me) I wasn't fantasizing about all the fun elements that were on offer abroad. I just thought it would be a wonderful experience. Living a life in a foreign country doing every small thing by myself was something I was looking forward to.

So, all set for my masters in the UK, landed in London on the 21st of Sept, 2013. Oh, that's still a fresh memory. Flat 100.5 it was in the university accommodation. I remember dragging big suitcases totaling to 55 kgs into my room with all the strength I had. And boy, I needed every bit of it. Moving in here was such a hard time. Everything around me smelled foreign that day. Have you had the experience of going to a foreign place and/or meeting a foreigner whom you could barely relate to? That would somewhat explain how I felt that day. For a while, until I figured out the wi-fi settings and got a local sim-card, I virtually couldn't connect to anyone. The world seemed non-existent around me. I should confess, I thought I had no one for me for a small second. When I opened my suitcase, I opened to something emotional. My mother had packed pictures of God to carry with. I picked them up in my hands. Tears rolled down unconsciously. Thankfully as I look back now, they told me that I was not alone. I felt attached to almighty like never before. As dramatic as it may sound now, it actually was a moment of truth.

Then that evening got tricky, I had to cook to save me from starving. That is when I thought the one who invented Maggi noodles (or should I say the company) deserves a nobel prize. Slowly I learnt to cook, buy groceries and feed myself well enough. Did I then have a choice anyways? Now, honestly, I enjoy cooking. It is so much fun. especially to invite friends over, cook in their company and dine together. It is one of the experiences I totally cherish in Warwick.

As classes began, I started getting used to this country. Made friends; some wonderful ones too. As days went by, I found my space in here. My lifestyle changed for the better from what I had in Chennai. I could now feel confident to live in any corner of the world. I was set mentally for the long haul. And boy, didn't the UK treat me well from then on!!!

My idea of fun here was different from what you normally would think. I liked calling people over for coffee. A lot can happen over a coffee, you see; and that too in a freezing room temperature, imagine how a sip of hot coffee would feel like; heaven wouldn't feel as good. I enjoyed the cold weather in the night; something (or should I say the only thing) I didn't have in Chennai. Listening to melodic song numbers on your earphones during an evening stroll being hit by the chilly winds is an experience beyond what words can describe. That's when music and lyrics helped me understand what out-of-the-world actually was. During how many such times have I missed the girl of my life. Only because I have chosen to wait, as she would come by and show me that it was worth all the wait I did.

Pleasure is not about where you live, it is about how you live. Joy is not about the place you live in, it is about who you live with. When you have a family of friends, what can I say to justify what they mean to me? What is fun when without the people to enjoy it with. Some memories with them will never fade away. The trip to Leicester to celebrate Diwali'13, the trip to Liverpool, the new year night in London, the two days in Manchester, the weekend when a few of them from Manchester came down to Warwick and stayed over, the so many dinner outings we have had, the long dining table conversations we have had, all remain etched in the pages of my diary like a painting.

Then there was these odd night-outs to the clubs where I would enjoy socializing in the background of loud music. Gosh, you should see how people dress for these parties, sometimes it would make me think that was the epitome of beauty that I would get to see in a lifetime; some other times it would make me think they were simply better off in a simple shirt and a jean. I would feel easy to go in with the T-shirt I wore in the morning for class. That wouldn't surprise you if you know me well enough. I don't drink, perhaps that is why I find clubbing amusingly interesting. All said and done, clubbing is something you should never miss doing when with a big bunch of friends.

The way we celebrated birthdays here deserve a special mention; we would plan big surprises (atleast we thought they were so), cut the cake, feed each other and sit up the whole night chatting away. I remember going shopping for one's b'day all day; for another's b'day we made carrot halwa; things that I didn't see myself doing even remotely. I enjoyed celebrating a friend's b'day on a lawn with a picnic feel to it playing Frisbee. The birthday person in each case would then be warm in treating all of us in a nice restaurant.

I wasn't somebody who looked forward to a b'day; planning and celebrating it in a grand way wasn't my kind of a thing. I saw it to be just another day made special by wishes from dear ones. But these guys have shown me the way to how each b'day should be treasured.

Having said what I have, I would lie if I say I haven't had bitter experiences with some of the friends. In fact, some months during term 2 was very gloomy personally for reasons only known to me. But hey, that's what had made me the well-rounded person I guess I am now. Life has now come a full circle.

Another thing I had fun doing was play cricket in England. I would go for the net sessions in the university cricket club; with cricket crazy friends around, we would book an indoor hall and play tennis ball cricket. When would I get to do that again after here. I would also go play table tennis as well, my new found love; playing TT with very skillful Chinese and winning (although rarely) would make my day. Oh, and I should tell you about the badminton games within our friends group; they were fun and competitive too. Nowadays, we have decided to go jogging together. Let's see how that goes. The scenic beauty around should help us keep at it if not the idea for a workout.  

If you are wondering did I study here at all, I totally give it to you. I should have done a bit more of studying here, after all that's the reason I am here for. I enjoyed my classroom lectures and group works that I had; to interact and work with people of different cultures and befriend them was great. I could understand how different yet interconnected people in this world are. To appreciate differences and honour each of their uniqueness is the way forward. I remember exchanging wishes for each other's festivals. After all the Halloween, the spring festival and Diwali are just different names for the same happiness. We shared each others' happiness here. One thing I couldn't fully achieve, after trying, was to learn Mandarin here. If my Chinese friends are reading this, you have a serious job on your hands guys.

The most favourite time at Warwick so far has to be when my parents came here for a two week vacation.. It felt nice to plan and take them around the UK; made them meet my friends over snacks and coffee. I am sure they enjoyed their time here as much as I did.

Finally a word on the Britishers - they have been so welcoming; you wouldn't see anyone more courteous and gentle to me than them. My two British flatmates are there for a warm chat anytime. I should learn to be polite from some of the native people here. Apart from them, a big shout goes out to my other flatmates as well.

I should say it felt nice explaining what turmeric, mustard, and the like was, when you guys peeped in while I was cooking, as much as I felt interested in knowing your kind of food and lifestyle.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that all you people must have had such a time in a different context in your lives. I hope this read helped you pick on those times to put a smile on your face once again as it did on mine by recollecting all that I have been through over the last 8 months. With prayers and wishes for many more such times for all of us, I sign off.

With wonderful memories,
Viggy.

 

Yes or No???

குளிந்த  டிசம்பர் மாதம், அதிகாலை 7 மணி; அன்று  ஒரு முக்கியமான நாள்;  எனக்கு பெண் பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருந்தனர் என் வீட்டில்; பல பேரிடம் விசாரித்து பல பெண்களிலிருந்து ஒருவர்  என்று  முடிவு செய்யும் வேளை. அனைவருக்கும் இருப்பது போல் எனக்கும் ஆயிரம் கனவுகள், தலை கால் புரியாத நிலை.

அன்று தான் நான் எனக்கு பார்த்த ஒரு  பெண்ணை சந்தித்து, கலந்து பேசி, முடிவு செய்யும் தருணம்.  இரவில் தூக்கம் செரியாக வரவில்லை. அதே எதிர்பார்போடு விடிந்தது அந்த காலை.

Annanagar, Madras; Coffee Shop - 8:55 AM :-

எந்த meeting க்கும் செரியா ன நேரத்தில் போகாத நான் 5 நிமிடத்திற்கு முன்னால் சென்ற ஆச்சர்யம் அன்று .

அதோ அவள் வந்தாள்; சரியாக 9 மணி; இருக்கையில் இருந்து எழுந்தேன், வரவேற்றேன்; அமர்ந்தேன்; 

"Hello" என்றால் ஒரு சிறிய புன்னகையுடன் ...

"Hello, Thanks for coming. எப்டி இருக்கீங்க?" என்று வழக்கமாக தொடங்குவது போல் தொடங்கினேன்!

"Hmm நல்ல இருக்கேன்";

 "இந்த meeting எவ்ளோ நேரம் இருக்கும்?", என்று எதில்  தொடங்குவதென்று  தெரியாமல் கேட்டாள்.  

"நீங்கள் எப்போ வேன்னாலும் கை குலுக்கீட்டு கெலம்பலாம்; நமக்கு  15 minutes போதும்னு  நான் anticipate பன்றேன். நம்ம order  பண்ண coffee ய குடிச்சு முடிக்கறவரைக்கும் " 

நாங்கள் இருவரும் order பண்ண Coffee வந்தது;

"What do you know about me yet?" என்று பேச்சை ஆரம்பித்தாள் . I actually thought it was a good conversation starter.

" Hmm...உங்கள பத்தி???...

   உங்க பேரு மீனா னு தெரியும். 

   நீங்க ஒரு Architect;

   நம்ம ரெண்டு பேருக்கும் கல்யாணம் பேசுறாங்கன்னு தெரியும்

   So far so much" 

என்று சொன்னேன்.

"நீங்க என்ன இந்த கேள்வி கேக்கவே இல்லையே!" என்றாள் 

"சொல்லுங்களேன். Let me listen to you talk" என்று கையை கன்னத்தில் வைத்து கேக்க தயாரானேன்.

"Nothing; Just curious. That is why I am here to meet you today." இந்த girls ரொம்ப brilliant, தேவைக்கு அதிகமா ஒரு வார்த்த பேச மாட்டங்க. 

"True. I am very curious too...

'Meena' எனக்கு ரொம்ப புடிச்ச பேரு. 

அம்மா photo காமிச்சாங்க; என்னமோ சரி ன்னு பட்டுச்சு. மத்த photo க்கள் பாத்த போது ஏற்படாத feeling" என்றேன் என்  Coffee mug யில் ஒரு sip குடித்தபடி;  

அதை தொடர்ந்து ஒரு நொடி நிறைந்த மௌனம். இருவரும் பேசவில்லை. இருவர் கண்களும் ஒரு முறை சந்தித்தது முதல் முறையாக.

நான் எதாவது சொல்லணும் conversation னை நகர்த்தி செல்ல, "You seem to be a studious person" என்றேன் அசட்டுத்தனமாக.

"நீங்களும் தான்; உங்க Specs அப்படியே காமிச்சு  குடுதுருச்சு"

"என் கண்ணாடிய நம்பவே நம்பாதிங்க. நான் Engineering படிச்சேன்னு தான் பேரு ஆனா அத பத்தி எனக்கு ஒன்னுமே தெரியாது"

"உங்களுக்கு Cricket ரொம்ப பிடிக்குமாம்மே?"

"ரொம்ப ரொம்ப பிடிக்கும். நான் ஒரு Cricket பைத்தியம். In fact, Cricket is my first wife."

"Oh, அப்டியா...Why are you looking for another wife then? என்று கேட்டாள் ஒரு அசட்டுச் சிரிப்போடு.

"Perhaps to love me in return. Cricket என்னோட ஒரு தலை காதல்; Cricket என்ன திரும்பி love பண்ணவே மாட்டேன்குது...
Talking about first loves, உங்க first love என்ன?" என்று சாதுரியமாக வினவினேன்.

"Coffee!!! இந்த coffee க்கு Thanks to you."  என்றாள் புருவத்தை உயர்த்தியபடி சிரித்து கொண்டே சாமர்த்தியமாக . 

மறுபடியும் மௌனம் . நான் அவளை ஒரு நொடி கண் இமைக்காமல் பார்த்தேன். கவிதையாய் இருந்தது.

Marriage பற்றி  அவளின் opinion யை கேட்க வேண்டும் என்று தோன்றியது. சரியான சந்தர்பத்திற்கு கூட பொறுக்காமல், " What is marriage, உங்களை பொறுத்த வரையில்?" என்று கேட்டுவிட்டேன்.

"Living for each other" என்று பளிச்சென்று  பதிலளித்தல்; விழுந்தே விட்டேன்.

அவளின் அளந்த பேச்சும் அமைதியான அழகும் என்னை சாய்த்து விட்டது.

"BILL  Please",  என்று I called for the bill.

"எனக்கு நான் கொடுக்குறேன், நீங்க உங்களுக்கு கொடுங்க" என்று திட்டவட்டமாக கூறினாள்.

"ஏன்??? நான் கொடுக்ககுடாத?" என்று கோவித்தபடி கேட்டேன் .

"நீங்க ஏன் எனக்கு கொடுக்கணும்?"

"வீட்டுக்கு போன  அம்மா அப்பா கேப்பாங்க, சம்மதமானு...'பிடிச்சிருக்கு' னு சொல்ல போறேன்...இப்போ நான் உன் coffee க்கு pay பண்ணலாமா ?"

            

               அகண்ட கண்கள், ஒரு  நிறைந்த பார்வை, கீழ் உதட்டின் ஓரத்தில் சிறு புன்னகை; வேறொன்றும் இல்லை பேசுவதற்கு. அவளின் அந்த மௌனமே எனக்கு சம்மதம் தெரிவித்தது. 

எழுந்தாள், திரும்பினாள், நடந்து சென்றாள்.

இக்கற்பனை மீனாள் உண்மையாக வேண்டி,

விக்னேஷ் நாகப்பன், அண்ணாமலை           

        

Episode 3: ‘The fine line between to be and not’

Viji had Karthick’s image running on her head all day. More so then, as it was time for the bus trip back home. Perhaps that was why she ended up taking the seat that she took in the bus. Viji couldn't decide what Karthick meant to her by then. So, she let things be as they were. Time is the best judge, she thought.

Amid all these thoughts, Karthick just crossed her to take the seat in front of her. She couldn't believe what Karthick was doing. She turned nervous with him very nearby.

No matter how nervous girls are they manage to never show any signs of it. Viji began talking incessantly with Nithya, her friend sitting beside her on the two-seater. That is how girls usually react when consumed by the situation.

That was when Karthick decided to turn up with his introduction.

‘This is Karthick; Guess you have heard me alright’, Karthick repeated.

Viji was pleasantly taken aback and hadn’t reacted until Karthick spoke the second time.

‘Hi, it’s Viji. Nice to know you.’ Viji greeted in a mellow voice with a smile.

Karthick turned numb in joy for a second or two. He had actually heard her talk!

‘I am a third year student. I study Electrical & Electronics’ Karthick had to say something to fill the silence.

‘Oh good...I just joined today. Electronics and I are miles apart. I have taken textile technology’ Viji spoke little considering how much her eyes did.

‘Textile Technology, I understand, must be interesting.’ Karthick just wanted to keep the chat going.

‘Yes, far better than how interesting Electronics must be, I presume.’ Viji for the first time let her smile unveil her milky white teeth. Karthick just felt heaven in as close as inches away.

The next couple of seconds went by quiet. Karthick was visibly lost in the beam of light Viji’s smile let out.

He quickly had to cover up with a question.

‘So, how do you like our college?’ Karthick was playing his part as her senior.

‘I just hope it is good. I should be here for 4 years, now that I have made a choice.’ said Viji, putting back the strands of hair that fell on her face.

Nithya was left out amidst all this. She had to pitch in herself, ‘Hi...This is Nithya, Viji’s friend.’

‘Hello’ said Karthick and carried on his talk with Viji. Viji didn’t bother to drag Nithya into the conversation either.   

‘How badly I want a change of seat now’ Nithya murmured to herself.

‘I don’t think ragging should be an issue in our college; even if so I shall see to that you have no problem...’ actually the fact was Karthick was speaking non-sense just for the sake of talking something.

Karthick couldn't make out what Viji's thoughts were. He was just pleased Viji's replies weren't only one to two words, because that is usually a please-stop-this-non-sense sort of indicative from girls. 

Karthick gathered guts from Viji's demeanour, 'Actually I am beating around the bush here. I introduced myself to you just because I had one thing to say. And that is, you look beautiful!!!'

Viji was jumping up and down though she didn't actually move a muscle. Her eyes were totally engulfed in joy. She wished she heard that once again.

'Oh! Thank you.' Viji said very little given how much she felt elated. Girls normally are very good at playing down their emotions. 

Nithya regretted she had to sit through all this, 'Oh gosh! What more melodrama should I encounter for today?' she told herself. People who are out of that infatuating bubble would feel it all too exaggerated.

'In fact, did you notice me looking at you in the morning? If you didn't, you know that now.' Karthick emphatically declared.

'Actually, I did notice that. It was so obvious' chirped her reply with a shy face.

'Was it so obvious?!' grinned Karthick. 'I thought I did it secretly. I am...I am sorry had I disturbed you doing so.' 

'That's alright. But I never thought you would come up and talk to me today . Even if that happened, I never imagined you would confess to what happened in the morning.'

'That's me. I wanted to say what I felt. That can't be wrong, can it?' karthick said.

Nithya sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to take in anymore of this. She moved to a seat 2 rows back immediately after the seat was vacated.

Viji and Karthick thanked Nithya non-verbally nodding to each other with a sheepish look.

'I appreciate that. Not many would have been so genuine.' Viji couldn't hold back a compliment. 

Girls offer compliments only when pushed to their limits of admiration. If you manage to pull one out of them, you can be sure you deserve the compliment totally. Karthick very much did. Truth alone labels a person as good.

The bus was soon approaching Karthick's stop. His day was already made. He had said all that he wanted to. He had time for a few closing lines.

'So...I am so glad I got to know you. I wish you have a wonderful 4 years of college. And, this will be a day I remember.' Karthick ended. 
The last line on that being a day to remember implied more than what it actually meant, atleast to Viji.

Viji offered a smile in return, to go with a wave of the hand to mean bye. 

Its boys who let out such loose lines that give-away their exact feeling. Girls are so measured in what they talk. Hardly can others make out what is going through their minds from their talks. Girls teach us many things in life. This is one important lesson to be learnt from them.

On retrospection through his walk back home, Karthick couldn't read too much in-between the lines during his conversation with Viji. Karthick was left wondering what Viji's feeling for him was.  

Viji sat by the window on the bus after Karthick left and smirked on and off. She called up Nithya, made her sit beside her, apologised and made up with her. 

'So, you guys...what is going on?' Nithya asked.
'I don't quite know.' Viji giggled. 
'Smells like something is brewing!' Nithya said and stood up to leave. 


          -End of Episode 3-

Cheers,
nagappstheblogger!!!
    

Brewing up some Romance! - Episode 2

Episode 2: 'Seeing eye-to-eye'

It was a windy July morning in Coimbatore. One of the best things about Coimbatore is its mornings; pleasant, calm and serene.

Karthick, 22, had an eye for the beauty of the ambience around him. His residence was in a posh locality. He enjoyed his regular early morning dip in the swimming pool near his house. Though he was brought up in Chennai, Coimbatore was special to him because of all this.

He was in the 3rd year of his Engineering Course. He used to take the college bus for college daily. It was a 40 min drive from his residence to the college. He had to be waiting at his bus stop on or before 7. 40 am. Getting ready and being on time for his bus was the most difficult thing for him to achieve.

That day was no different.

His mother would drive their sky blue colour Santro to drop him from their house to the bus stop daily; It was 7. 42 am already and they hadn't started from home yet; he was terribly late that day. His mother now had to follow the bus, over take it and reach the next stop before the bus could arrive to make Karthick board the bus. She was used to doing that over the last three years and by then had become an expert at overtaking buses.

Karthick reached the bus after two stops than usual, got down from the car and ran for the bus to board it before it could move on. With his adrenaline pumping, he huffed and puffed into the bus as he waved bye to his mother.

The seating arrangement in college buses is very interesting generally. In some cases, boys are given the seats at back half and girls at the front half. In other cases, the vice versa applies. The professors and lecturers travelling form the middle of the sandwich usually.

In Karthick's college bus, it was the second case. Boys had to be near the front end, and girls were at the back end where the only door to the bus was. The logic, which Karthick understood later, was that boys when near the door could tease girls when they get in and get out of the bus. Wonder why the contrary didn't logically appeal to the world as much. Girls can be naughtier than boys as a matter of fact.

So Karthick walked through the girls section of seats and reached the boys area of the bus. He couldn't find any seats to sit down, thanks to his late coming . He found a pole for support and stood by. His hands searched the flap inside his bag and took out his headset. He tuned into songs that suited the weather that day.

There was some fresh colour in the bus. He couldn't help but turn his head around the girls section. Boys are boys.

At the last seat of the bus in the left extreme corner, there was this girl draped in an elegant white chudidhar. Her face was glowing against the beam of light falling in through the window. Her eyes were deep and sharp. Her hair was signing in tune with the breeze entering the moving bus. Her smile was in short spells, creating its own small audience leaving them spell bound.

Karthick couldn't do anything but keep his eyes on her. The music on his ears started to make no sense. She turned her head left; he did as well. She turned right; he did as well. Karthick had turned into a key operated toy by then.

Girls are girls; they notice guys glancing at them even from kilometres long, thanks to their special powers and gossipy friends.

Viji was no different. That was how she first took notice of Karthick. That was how Karthick and Viji saw eye-to-eye.

Viji liked the fact that she was getting attention. Any girl would be lying if they say otherwise. She found Karthick to be charming. His eager eyes, trimmed hair and dark eye brows were partly responsible for her pounding heart-beat then. The present-yet-absent moustache and beard combined well to give him a boyish-manly figure. His white wrist watch and white head-sets went well-noticed by Viji. Girls tend to notice apparels and add-ons first more than anything else. Karthick wore the customary boy dress, a rugged blue jean and quasi-formal shirt. There was nothing special in it, but Viji felt a strange sense of warmth about it.

Karthick wondered if Viji made out about him looking at her. Karthick questioned God why boys didn't have the privilege of super-sensory powers like girls did.

The college seemed to have moved a lot closer that day, as the bus journey turned very short for the two. But for others, the 40 min strenuous ride came to an end as the bus reached the college place.

Viji, had a look around the college she was to study in even as she kept one eye on Karthick as he began to move to his block. College was never the same again for Karthick. His previous two years in the college meant no sense, eversince the girl he saw on the bus.

8 long boring class hours went by; Karthick couldn't wait for the evening trip back home. Viji felt a connection with the college. She met new people and had a happening day in the classroom.

The bell rang at 4.30. That was all for the day. It was exciting times again.

Karthick picked up a cup of machine-made coffee from the cafeteria near the bus station. He sipped in with anxiety waiting for her to arrive. A few of his friends gave him company as they normally do but he tried to avoid them. Sometimes friends can be a pain.

Karthick recollected his morning bus journey. He very well knew that the feeling he had for the girl he saw was an age bound thing. It was just the pleasure of admiring beauty.

As mature as he was in deciphering that feeling, Karthick was a confident chap and a strong character. He treated women with great regard. His actions were definitive in most cases. He had a good sense of humour about his talk. He didn't want to be dogging behind the girl. That wasn't his nature. He believed in being direct. He wished to talk to her, get introduced and convey that she looked beautiful.

He had planned for all that to happen that evening in the bus!

It was time to get into the bus. Viji entered and took the seat right at the middle of the bus, which incidentally happened to be the first row of the seats allocated for girls just behind the last row allotted for boys. It was a two-seater. She had a friend sitting beside her. Karthick entered the bus. He had to seize the opportunity that Viji presented him by opting for the immediate row to the boys. Karthick rushed to take the seat right before Viji's row. Karthick thanked his lucky starts, for there were no lecturers in the vicinity that evening on the bus.

Karthick, given the confident person he is, turned fidgety. No matter how rigid a man is, a pleasant-looking girl can do wonders by actually doing nothing. He opened his window; and closed it. He opened his bag; and closed it. He ran his hand between his hairs; pushed his watch back and forth and fidgeted around;

He made his mind up, then opened his water bottle; had a sip; gasped; turned his head abruptly and said, 'Hi, this is Karthick. How about you', to Viji.


            - End of Episode 2 -

Cheers,
nagappstheblogger!!!

Brewing up some romance! - Episode 1

Preface:

It has been over 2 years since I started to write. From aimless amateurish writing to making it a serious hobby, it has been an interesting metamorphosis. One important pit stop in this journey is this attempt to write a story in a series of episodes. I had this thought as a distant plan once upon a time; I now believe I am all set for it with ample time in hand before I start my management masters later this year.

‘Brewing up some romance’ is intended to be a simple light-hearted love story; I wish to communicate the way I see love and romance; the way I would want to feel love in my life. I thought for a first attempt at writing stories this genre would be the ideal start given that all life I have been inspired by love in some form or the other. I know translating the feeling of love to words would not be a child’s play. I only have the honesty of thought to accomplish this precarious task. Let us see how it goes. Hope all of you like it.  

Episode 1: ‘The four-letter word’

 It was 8 in the evening. The family was in full attendance for dinner on the dinner table. It was a practice for the family to have food together. Cook Palani had everything ready in order to start.

‘Prayers first’, Balan said as he sat, before anyone could start.

‘Needless to say, dad! It has become a habit. I have done my prayers. God wants me to eat now’, 19 year old Vijayalakshmi (Viji), Balan’s only daughter replied.

‘So...Idlys and chapattis for today!’, cook Palani opened the dishes.

Ten minutes went by concentrating on food without a word uttered. Balan’s wife Geetha peeked at every plate other than hers’ to see to that Viji didn’t under eat and her husband didn’t over eat. Balan was irked with the attention his plate was getting. He decided to break the silence around the table so that he could get some respite from his over-caring wife.

‘Palani, how is your wife doing now?’, Balan floated a question. Knowing Palani and his chatty nature, his job to divert attention was done hands down.

‘She should be fine. She is not with me now. She has fled with her new found love, Nair. I wish she is happy now’, Palani replied with a touch of regret and lots of warmth for his wife.

‘That is nothing I should be disheartened about. She left me not because she didn’t like me; she left because she liked somebody else’, Palani was calm and collected.

Viji, just at the end of her teens, was all ears to Palani. She couldn’t miss noticing the sincerity of love in Palani’s eyes for his wife given what had happened.

‘Nair is a good man. He must be taking care of my wife very well’, Palani went on, his tone far from lamenting.

‘They were working together in a company. I think they should have fallen in love then’, Palani’s monologue seemed it had no end.

The thing about the characteristics of people who occupy a low profile in the society, who generally are without an audience, is that they speak their hearts and souls out in a hint of a chance offered to them. They search for affection in everyone. They move with no egos.

Palani was one such. His descriptive nature comes from his loneliness and the want for affection. Each of us has been a Palani at times. How often have we felt lonely even with so many relatives and friends around?

Viji was confused with the fact that Palani showed no hate for his wife after the incident. Balan couldn’t accept the fact either while Geetha was already in admiration for Palani’s resilience and purity of love.

‘Love can be blind sometimes. But not this time; Nair looks very smart; way better than I do. I have seen him once. It must be for his beauty that my wife fell for’, Palani even managed to smile when saying this.

Viji couldn’t find even an iota of frustration or anger in Palani, very much to her surprise. She rather found him to be happy for his wife.

‘Don’t you feel angry for what she did anna?’, Viji couldn’t refrain from asking.

‘Why should I? She chose the one she liked. How could that make me angry?’, Palani said as he moved to serve a chapatti to Balan.

‘This beauty thing is a trap. When you go behind it, you would end up bored of it one day. She will then come back one day’, he sounded a touch philosophical.

Geetha chipped in with the most obvious question, ‘Would you, in that case, take her back?’

‘Why not! What wrong has she done?’, Palani said dismissing the question as if it was a stupid one.

Viji was getting a lesson what the four-letter word actually meant. She, the teenager, influenced by movies and fictional stories couldn’t have understood love the right way. For movies, serials and drama do nothing more than exaggerate or trivialize love in equal measure.

She understood cinematic absurdities like cutting one’s veins or tattooing the name of the lover on the body can’t be the epitome of showing one’s love. She now knew love was not what she actually thought it was; or for that matter what most of us think it is.  

Balan could strike a chord with Palani now and was happy Viji was hearing all this right at the brink of her prospective love life.

Dinner was done. It was time for bed. Viji’s thoughts couldn’t move any further from Palani anna for that night.          

4 weeks later:

Viji had just joined college in her hometown Coimbatore. She was hoping college to be a dream time of 4 years for her. She was anxious and all set for her first day at college. Her home was 50 minutes away from college and preferred to use the college bus to commute between home and college. 

One fine morning on the college bus, Viji met Karthick.

-          End of Episode 1  -

  

 Credits- Episode1 : An Inspiration from K. Balachander’s Kai Alavu Manasu.  

Cheers,

nagappstheblogger!!!

I will remember this!

On Board the aircraft SpiceJet 282                                                      18^th June, 2013

                                I am writing this piece several thousand feet above the sea level. People say they are on cloud nine. A peep round the corner of my window reminds me that I am typing my mind to my laptop screen sitting on top of more clouds than nine. Nature’s beauty, in view now, is taking me to joy which know no bounds. So, what better time could I have to do what I really like doing. Here I am narrating what I am going through on this plane.

First let me tell you people where I am heading to from Chennai; it is to Ahmedabad for a 4 day seminar on entrepreneurial excellence for young entrepreneurs at IIM-A. I got this lucky opportunity through our business’ banker ICICI. This seminar is organised by them in a tie-up with the IIM faculty to explore and educate on tackling the challenges of entrepreneurship and businesses. ICICI gets to invite few from each zone to the conclave. I believe my father’s excellent rapport with the bank and their trust on him might have got me this chance. Enough said about why I am on this flight. There is far too much happening here, so why am I not moving onto the niceties around me right now.

I entered on board wondering if boredom would catch me like it often does while travelling alone; sat down on my seat 29A at the tail of the aircraft. This being a noon flight on a weekday, the flight wasn't full. The seats next to me went unoccupied. That perfectly suited the idea to blog with only loneliness around. The take off had just happened and I have typed the first few paragraphs since. The fully stretched view of marina’s shores from here is breathtaking. Chennai can be, indeed, so beautiful too. I am now looking down on the clouds. It is quite different from usually looking up to see them. I see its shadow falling down on the city from what they call a top view in engineering classes. Each shadow likened its respective cloud exactly in shape like a mirror image. I see that they are the only shades to save Chennai for the scorching sun.  

I am now allowed to take my seat beats off. I immediately rush to the lavatory to answer to nature’s call.

I am back. As sit down, I glance at the air-hostess as she brings water. Well, if anybody has the obvious question that I had, the answer is that no one looks good. SpiceJet it is; so, not much to expect. I am now reminded of being on Emirates for a family trip to Europe; they were how air-hostess should be indeed.

We are on cruise mode now. The crew start their food delivery. The food tray comes close to my seat.  I expect it to be complimentary and ask for what juice they have on offer. The hostess says lemon; I take it with a smile in reply to hers. She looks at me and says ‘30’. I had no option but to dish out 30 from my wallet though I didn't need the drink because I would have else looked so dumb. ‘oh no, 30 for two sips of lime water?!!’, I questioned myself. ‘Budget Airline’, I answered my question too.    

The best part of conservative Indian families is, they never lose an opportunity to cut the odd extra expense. I had chapattis packed for lunch as rolls. I now take a break from typing to eat it. It is 1 hour into the flight time of 2 hours and 20 minutes.

10 minutes has passed by since, and all the chapattis are into my stomach. I have felt this feeling and it has been proved by science too. Every time after hunger’s quest is answered, mind takes its break too and dozes off.  What better example than our memories of attending classes after lunch in school and college.  So, I am wondering what I type now.

My mind takes it time and goes to Ahmedabad. It feels uncomfortable of the fact that it has to wage a battle with its supposedly powerful IIM counterparts. Lack of confidence is not something to feel bad of. Everybody goes through that feeling on and off. Although we try to keep it up always, it rocks to the bottom for no apparent reason or the reason of a false fear. I talk my mind through it and say it will do fine there. It doesn't agree and keeps questioning me. I then cast my mind back to the pleasant experiences it has had. It smiles in return and says, ’bring it on’.

By this time, I have lost my ability to hear partially. My wondering thoughts bring me close to the time for descending to Ahmedabad. I am asked to switch off all my electronic devices and open up my window sheet. I am saving this now. I will get back to complete the story.

IIM-A campus Management Development Centre      Room No. 57           22^nd June, 2013  

Four days have gone by since, and it has been an amazing time. The programme had people from diverse businesses; all fresh from starting their own or taking over from their fathers'. I was thrilled to be part of it all. The networking we had was very important and good. Listening from IIM professors, the lessons on management was nothing short of an overwhelming experience. With no real management experience, I was pleasantly surprised to see myself being so participative in the class to the questions of the professors. It sure gave me confidence for my career ahead. At least, it gave me a feeling that I belonged to that coveted group of the best.

A campus tour around IIM-A left me in awe given the beauty of it all. To think this is where India’s top minds come from made my presence unbelievable. I leave this place fully knowing I have had one of the best experiences of my life in the last four days.

I am not sure what I intended to convey through this write-up, maybe the happenings of an air-travel initially; but at the end of it all, the very feeling of living a dream made me finish the way I did to savour the experience for a long professional career ahead; hopefully one that will end successful, satisfied and peaceful.  

Wish me luck,

nagapps-the-entrepreneur