People Watching II....

• You miss the bus

Have you ever rushed in the last few minutes to catch a bus? A daily activity for the author since time immemorial, I noticed a woman having the run of her life for nearly 4 minutes to finally catch the bus. She was all smiles and her happiness was comparable to winning the Olympic gold for a 400 m dash. Then there is the other set of people, which finds great pleasure in being seated in the bus for a boring 10-15 min, before the actual departure time. This can be extended to trains and airplanes. It merits mention that the author doesn't discriminate between any of the forms of public transport.

• Hairstyles

I happened to glance at the hairstyles of 20 people around me in one of the bus rides. I was surprised to find that no two ones were similar. Both men and women, sport a totally unique hairstyle that adds to their personal recognition, charm, appeal or whatever. This reminds me of the temple at Belur, Karnataka, India where 2000+ hairstyles are vividly sculpted as one of the greatest memorial to the beauty in women. Not to forget the string of jasmine flowers on the long braids of Indian women.

• Victoria's Secret

While I am at it, let me write about this too. There happens to be a Victoria's Secret "show"room in the Mall of America, supposedly the biggest mall in the US. Fat ladies eye the models on display with 100% admiration, mostly bordering on envy though. Then, there are these young 17+ couples, so excited for obvious reasons. One universal phenomenon, is the unbounded lust in the men, of all ages and all types. How the same concept of a lingerie showroom, can evoke different moods and reactions in people, is astounding.

• Feminine colors

Then, there is the choice of certain colors of clothing and accessories that could be called "cute", using the girlish expression. Cyan, pink, lemon yellow, light orange, you name it. I happened to watch a family of four, with the dad sporting a different color, clearly outnumbered by the female species of his family that was proudly endorsing pink. And barring Govinda, an Indian "actor", any guy sporting colors such as these would be branded gay. What makes these colors so feminine?

• Sadness and grief

How does it feel to look at a stranger'e eye, and find that person totally lost in prolonged spells of sadness and pain? I happened to see a lady staring outside the window on the train, and I sensed her sadness and grief. She didn't notice me. All of us have those spells of sadness, suffering and pain. The unavoidable embraces all of us, at different points of time in our lives. But then, we are all veritably alone. Can anyone share our pain? No, right?

Ignorance... Revisited.

This is the first time, that I am quoting something from verbatim out here. Kindly excuse.

"While I am still confused and uncertain, it is on a much higher plane, d'you see, and atleast I know I'm bewildered about the really important and fundamental facts of the universe." Treatle nodded, I hadn't looked at it like that," he said, "But you are absolutely right. He's really pushed back the limits of ignorance".

They both savored the strange warm glow of being much more ignorant than ordinary people, who were ignorant of only ordinary things.

- Terry Pratchet, Equal Rites.

Paperboats...

This post is dedicated to the spirit of innocence and enthusiasm in a child.

An Experiment with Truth - 1.

(a) Try to make a paperboat.
(b) If you could, then you have convinced yourself .

(c) For people like me who tried and failed, this comes in useful.
(d) For people who think this is below their dignity, do ignore this.

Minnehaha....

Minnehaha creek runs through Minneapolis and merges with R. Mississippi around 2-3 miles from my home. The legend of Hiawatha, of "The Song of Hiawatha" fame by H W Longfellow, fell in love with this Dakota beauty, noted for her enthusiasm, bubbling spirit and laughter. By a twist of fate and fortune, I stay very close to the Minnehaha creek, the Minnehaha Falls, the Minnehaha Park, the R. Mississippi, the L. Nokomis (a motherly figure of Hiawatha), and the L. Hiawatha. Yes, this post is dedicated to the love of Hiawatha and Minnehaha.

Today, the author was in for a big wonderful surprise. There was a Fiji fest going on at the park. A garage band, gave a free concert, and entertained a meager crowd of 15-20 with jazz, rock and roll, country, and what not. The highlight of the concert, were the three lovely ladies, aged any where between 2-4, dancing and swaying to the tunes with all smiles. There were two guys dancing alone too. One of them remarked to a bewildered lady, "I am not gay. But I do like the lead guy (presumably for his vocals and guitar)".

The music was different. The very fact that people were enjoying the music, and the musicians themselves enjoying the concert despite the low turnout drove home the point of the sheer power of music. Despite not having a deep spiritual impact, it cheered the people around. Six unknown musicians, not high profile ones, who had come together, courtesy their love for music, sure did give me an invaluable lesson. Never ever discriminate between the various forms of music. It is like preferring the heart to the lungs.

There were a few couples all around the park, savoring the company of each other in silence, with the concert tunes as the background. Love was in the air. No wonder, the legendary love between Hiawatha and Minnehaha seems to have an effect at this place. It merits mention that the couples were of various ages (hmm, an obvious statement!). While there were couples who looked beautiful together (in the physical sense), the best were those old couples, who were contented being with each other (having come this far in their journey called life).

I just happened to take the stairs to watch the falls. The majestic splendor of the Falls was something so pristinely beautiful. Then the rapids in the creek, meandering across the forest, on its journey towards meeting the R. Mississippi, reminded me of this saying, "Even the weariest river ends up in the sea". The same creek, 1-2 miles westward, looks so serene and peaceful. Almost, without a ripple. One does get a lot of lessons from the water.

(PS: In short, a beautiful surprise. The only dampener was when I found a father, of two children, carrying a toddler of 4-6 months, and shamelessly puffing away on his way to a dark glory : blowing the smoke and fumes over the baby.)

PS2: Guess, the chronicles of the author of how a Friday evening was spent. An unexpected entry as a post out here.

Pilani.....

New Delhi, ISBT, Sarai Rohilla, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Loharu, Pilani, Nutan, Panchavati, Harijan Gate, VFAST Guest House, Swimming Club, Gym, A4, Ram Bhawan, RBM Mess, Malviya Bhawan, Dualites, Psenti Sem, Thesis, Wardens, Orientation, Ragging, Freshers Period, "Hey! Fresh!", Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Choms, Gults, Elads, Wings, Friends, SKY, ANC, IC, Co'not, Blue Moon, MNB, Butter Onion Masala Dosa, ANC Chai, Veg Patty, Pappu, Back Sky, Psenti Couples, Psenti, PTM, Kairali, Kannada Vedike, ELAS, EPC, HPC, Music Nite, Music Club, Dance Club, ARBITS, Soundz, Lights, Booze, Fag, Theka, OASIS, Shiv G, Hanuman Temple, Saraswati Mandir, G D Birla, Winters, Razai, Immersion Rods, Alarm Clocks, Breakfast, Bread Pakoda, Matri, Jilebi, Open Book Tests, Tutes, Crushes, MB, Interface, APOGEE, SBBJ, UCO Bank, Redi, Nagarji, Jamun Rabri, Nite-outs, Common Rooms, Simran, Midnight Masala, Pondy, EWLYP, Bunking classes, "Attendance is not compulsory", Crash, Slangs, New Ghalis, NSS, Jhankaar, Ref Li, Cen Li, Stubs, S-9, FD-III, Workshop, PCP, Kusu, GenB, DNA, RAF, SUB, Politics, Prez, GenSec, NVSec, VSec, Stuccan, Costaan, BOSM, Outstis, LSR, Girl's Basketball matches, Bosoms, Babes, BHS, CEERI Bakery, Black Forest, BEP, SPIC-MACAY, Sweeper's Colony, Adult Education, Construction Workers, Anganwadi, T-Wing, Jaipur, Jantar Mantar, CAT, GRE, Jobs, Grades, CGPA, Transfer, Dual, BSL, Kachori, Cherry man, Kashmiri Pulao, French Fries, Cornetto, Ice-creams, Extras, Mess Bill, Scholarships, Merit-cum-need, Merit, Top Ten, Honours Board, Movies, VCDs, Piracy, Wingie's Computer, Backstreet Boys Millenium, Boyzone, MLTR, Bryan Adams, Geeta Dutt, Hemant Kumar, Lata, Rafi, Talat, Asha, Kishore, Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein Aaye, Fears, Apprehensions, Matters of the heart, Finances, Loans, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Nirvana, GNR, Rock shows, Razzmatazz, Dancing, Psenti Nite, Diro, Inaugs, Plays, PTM Play, EDC Play, 247, 269, 206, 156, RM, BG, RP, MechSol, Adcal, B, Pullups, 10P's, BUS, RepWri, Complex, CDCs, CAS, uP, EDIC, Tyagi, LKM, EEE, A3, Unix, CSD, Java, C, C++, CEERI, IC Design Lab, Analog, Electronics, Latcha, Psenti Sem, UCO Redi, Friends for life, Apping, Safe Univs, PA, Recos, PS-II, PS-I, Movies, Movies, Movies, Latcha, Latcha, Latcha, Batch Snap, Farewells, Assoc Dinners, Diro's Tea Party, BITSAA, T-shirts, Manali, Kulu, Sterling Resorts, Shimla, Nainital, Corbett National Park, Mathura, Agra, Diwali, Holi, Dassehra, Burning of Ravana's effigy, CEERI Temple, Sat Sri Kal, Ragamalika, Sangam, ....... B.E. (Hons.).

In short, 4 magical years.

My Dear.....

Dearest Deepti,

Where are you, my dearest friend? We were the greatest of friends, to the envy, of your elder sister and her friends and our other friends. A boy and a girl in one of the purest relationships. Our worlds were thankfully innocent then. The world became a wonderful place to live in. You made it even more wonderful for me. We were there for each other, no matter what. You sided with me even when it meant getting bullied by your elder sister of 7 evil years. How we both used to hate her? We used to have dinner twice a day. Once, at your house and then, again, at my house or vice-versa; so that we could still be together.

Now, I don't even know where you are and how you are doing. I haven't met you at all after that tearful day, 18 years ago, when we had promised each other to always be in touch, no matter what. You must be the same age as mine. Now, you must be a beautiful woman (well, you will always be beautiful, no matter what). You, like me, would be experiencing the greatest experience known as life, in all its shades. You would have other wonderful friends too. You, like me, would be wondering about your dearest friend, me. For all I know, you might be married and might be the mother of a son. Who knows, that son of yours might have a "girlfriend", and their friendship might serve as a constant reminder of ours to you.

Beautifully converge only to diverge. Sigh!!! one of the biggest ironies in life.

Well, I hope we meet someday. My best wishes and love to you. I would always pray for your well-being and happiness. May all your dreams come true.

Regards and Love,
Vivek.

PS: An attempt at fiction? My response to ammani's call for open letters to anyone. A special thanks to ammani for making me finally weave this letter.