Fortunately Fortunate
After landing in India at 4:00 am, we didn't expect anyone to pick us up from the airport, and no one did show up. So we took a taxi - a 1979 Fiat, which, with great effort, could only hit the 40km/hr mark. We were talking to the taxi driver - an oldish man, say about 60 years old, very naive looking, humble and innocent. To earn a fee of Rs. 250, he had waited in the taxi line for a whole of 18 hours! Yes let it sink, 18 hours, and believe it or not, it was one of his busy days. An off-season day would take him about 30 hours to get a passenger. Yes for the whole of 30 hours, he sat, slept, ate, drank tea and dreamt of better fortune in his jalopy. He still manages to sustain his life, probably other members of his family also contribute to the total house earning, but it is definitely a struggle. This is not the case of this man only; there are probably hundreds like him.
Yes fortune is not totally responsible for his state, but hell, it is a major reason for his condition. We on the other hand are fortunately fortunate. Let's thank God for that, that is, obviously, if He truly exists. It made me think, made me feel blessed, made me feel lucky, made me respect everything I have, made me thank my parents and everyone around me, it made me feel very fortunate, because I could have been that taxi driver.
Off To India!
For all us NRI 'Desis', going to India, once a year, or at least once in two years, is a must. And as we have left half our lives their, going to India means meeting everyone we know and everyone our parents know. So obviously, due to our Indian culture, we cannot go empty handed. So begins this quest to fulfill the needs of every single friend/relative. And obviously, we kids don't get involved; we leave it to our parents. Then it starts! A week before our due departure, the biggest possible bags are lowered from the topmost shelf. These bags, wrapped in rolls of plastic sheets, are then removed and laid down to be filled with chocolates, not clothes. So obviously before all this, our mothers make a trip to the mall and purchase a bagful, no sorry, bagfuls of chocolates and other possible gifts that our humble Indian friends will be fascinated by. Along with the chocolates, all the 'give-away' gifts we receive are added to the pile to well, give away. Then the sorting process begins, and bags are made for each relative and friend. The gifts are then distributed equally amongst our beloved friends. Remember, this is all a week before we are actually supposed to leave. So basically, what I am trying to tell you is that don't enter our house one week before we leave for India, because it literally turns upside down. Clothes, chocolates, suitcases and plastic bags are lying everywhere. Ultimately, when these 'necessities' are carefully placed in the bags, we NRIs realize that traveling with 6 large bags, and 4 overfilled hand bags, is going to be pretty tough. But we somehow manage, and the whole journey is like a workout, we feel good about ourselves. The elation on the faces of our loved ones when they meet us makes it all worthwhile. The gifts we give them does satisfy them, but it's the pleasure of our company that they all seek. And we realize just how humble and fun they, and we remember why India is our home, away from home.
After the memorable stay, the journey back home is quite like a cake walk. Three out of the six bags are empty and the other three are pretty light too. Our worn out souls finally receive some rest from the sheer energy and excitement of India.
Well, I haven't reached India yet, but I am sure we are going to have a blast there. After all, Indian family marriages, which are more like family 'get-togethers', are the most exciting.
Arsenal Are Back - With The Biggest Possible Bang!
7-0! Arsenal - the only team to win by 7 goals twice in the space of just 8 months! Yes, Arsenal 7, Boro 0! A sublime Henry hat-trick, a Pires beauty, finally one from Gilberto, a Senderos header (marking the conversion of his international form to domestic football) and a tap-in from Hleb - 7 goals, which could have easily even been 12! Arsenal played with flair, and showed us what football is all about. Their football was Brazilian-like flamboyant - passing that rhymed like poetry and finishing that was like gunshots to the head! They had 24 shots on goal, out of which 17 were on target, and this was against a team that beat Manchester United 4-1!
And, talking about the Red Devils, Manchester City got the better off them in the derby, which basically told the Devils to go back to hell, and boy, we Gunners were just enjoying.
And to top that, the signing of potentially-better-than-Viera player, Diaby and the tall, lanky, Drogbaish Adebayor has got us Gunners quite excited. Watch out Europe, Arsenal might just take you by storm!
All in all it has been a great few days for us - the Arsenal fans, and let's just hope it gets better.
P.S - Bharath, the 'bang' in my title doesn't mean what you think it does!
Spleak!
All you jobless MSN loafers, as in those like me, here is something you can try. Add this...well...'person' to your MSN list - spleak@hotmail.com. Talk to her! She is quite interesting and extremely fascinating. She also has some difficulty in understanding some of our coarse slang, so be a little patient. I would like to thank Harrendra for introducing me to her, who, by the way, heard about her through Ishika.
And for you presumptuous people, she has nothing to do with my earlier post.
She is...
respectable, down-to-earth, loving, adorable, bloody smart, passionate, pragmatic, genuine, mature, sociable, caring, strong, responsible, outgoing, impassive, artistic, special and beautiful - and that's why I adore her!
10/10/06: But everything ends, and then you breathe new life...
Euphoric
Only a few days ago, my favourite guitarist, Mohd. Ali Yar Khan, told me to watch/hear this wonderful piece of music. - It is a must see/hear! - for any guitarist, any guitar enthusiast or any Bon Jovi fan!