Things and their prominence

From my childhood, I was always attached more to inanimate objects than people. I used to play with things, sometimes it gets broken and I try to repair it and eventually get scolded for it. Also I could not get the heart to throw them away as trash which the adults deem it to be useless and broken. At a very young age I thought each thing has a purpose and can be utilized if we put our creativity and imagination into it. I still do. Whenever I visit shops as a kid, I always get tempted to touch every thing decked on the shelves. I get so fascinated and curious to know what each product can do and how. I wish such enthusiastic curiosity was still alive in many of us who moved on from our true innocent self that we possessed when we were kids. We used to be brave enough to explore and exploit everything we saw. Eventually life happened, we leveled up and unlocked new challenges.

For me each thing I own has a great significant meaning behind it and I believe everyone has one special thing with them that is so close to them too. Certain things reminds us of a memory, certain things makes us feel happy, certain things helps us cope with life or even a part of our life and reasons for the things we own can be a long list. For me one of such thing is my laptop. We are inseparable duo. Actually, I like my laptop better when there is good wifi signal. But still I learnt how much it means to me only when it got broken recently. I kept it on the chair and went to college. When I came back home, I took out my laptop out of it's bag, saw a crack on the screen and when I turned it on it gave me a plain blank white light all over the display. The torture of seeing your laptop not working anymore is horrific to know. 

When it happened, I was not in my sane self. My routine got crashed and I could not submit any College assignments properly which is a big deal for me. I consider myself an Introvert and I tend to be scared to ask help from friends. Even a midget amount of help makes me feel like I am taking advantage of that person who is helping me. I could never be satisfied by a work that was not done by me which was related or referred to me. So, I got sick with cold for a while. Whenever something happens to something so much dear to me, I tend to fall sick and depressed. I felt like a warrior at a war whose weapon got broken. My weapon to survive my life was my laptop. So, it took me a long while to sink in the thought that my laptop got broken and I really need to get it repaired. 

After many days and few powerful inputs from my mom I prepared to get it repaired. Usually for any small malfunctions we used to go to the shop which sold us this laptop I own. But they treated us like some nomadic people rather than customers and that place is situated far away from my home. My mom suggested she saw a laptop service center near my home and I was doubtful about her memory. I asked her whether she saw mobile shop or really a shop which services laptops. She was determined and that's how the journey of my laptop began. We walked together. Passed through a heavily crowded temple where the devotees are so dedicated they don't want to enter the temple premises but to block the footpath present in the temple entrance. How devotional and considerate of them. So, we passed through this and arrived at the shop my mom mentioned. I could interpret it was a mobile sales shop but my mom was persistent.

We entered and asked whether they service laptops. Turns out they don't and guess what they do. They sell mobiles. But the shopkeeper mentioned there is a laptop service center in the basement of the building. It turns out to be the shop which I frequently visit to get xerox, print out and spiral binding. So, I gave him my laptop and I was not having the courage or knowledge to describe the exact problem. So, He checks it out and tells us that it can be repaired. We were so happy until he said that would cost us around 4000 rupees. We came back home. Also there is demonetization happening in India which made my case even worse. To get money from banks and ATM there is a huge queue and hell lot of waiting time. My mom saw me suffering without laptop and she did went out to get money from the bank the next day. Mothers are the best and I am so gifted to have her in my life. The next day, we went again and gave the laptop for servicing and left in a rush. I can't bear the thought of leaving my laptop in the hands of anyone other than me. It means a lot to to me.

After that day I was informed that my Laptop got repaired. I dressed up, took cash from mom and rushed as soon as possible. My brother accompanied me this time. I saw my laptop and asked him did he put a new screen and he replied yes ma'am with a judgmental look. It was like as if my laptop has recovered and discharged from it's ICU. We paid him 4300 rupees and I demanded  for a bill. He made us wait to get a bill which he was making from scratch. But it was worth it. It took me a day to use it again. As if it was some sort of fragile piece of art. My laptop is the best thing that happened to my life so far and it remains to be my best buddy till date. Some things are valuable to us and people realize it when they are on the verge of losing it. It's nice to have that something in our life that rejuvenates us to live. 

Men's formal wear shopping!

My brother is currently writing his 12th public exam and I am also in my final year of my college which means double pressure on my parents to join us into a good college. As somewhat experienced into women's college environment for 3 years I knew what to expect and what not to expect from an educational institute. But my brother who is normally least bothered about anything in the world showed same attitude towards his studies. The choosing duty of his career path went to my parents who finalised it is computer engineering. My father with the help of his friend went to the engineering institution for admission where his son is studying. My brother also tagged along with them while I was at my college writing my final last semester exams.

It seems the college is very strict where they give an entry slip to go inside, complete security check, entry not allowed if the person is not wearing formals. Jeans, t-shirt and a list of things which are prohibited even for parents and visitors it seems. Whoa! Well colleges like that exist. So, my brother was not allowed to enter the campus as he was wearing jeans and waited in a room while my dad and his friend went inside the campus. They enquired about admission details, rules, regulations, and many more and ate chicken biryani while my brother the poor fellow who got stuck near the reception because of not wearing a formal wears. Again regarding admission for my brother my father planned to visit the campus tomorrow along with me, my mom and my brother to see the extravagant campus which treats people like refugees. Well hope it was not as horrible as my brother described it.

Today, we went for shopping to get formal wear for my brother. I was hesitant as I felt what I would do in a men's section while my brother is deciding which one to buy? But Indian parents are very talented and skilled at how to drag their children into things which are irrelevant. So, that's how I ended up at a tall building consisting seven floors at T.nagar for shopping. We went inside and saw too much crowd near the lift. So, we decided to climb the stairs. So many stairs and so little energy left in me; I got exhausted. Trust me Sunday evening at T.nagar for shopping that too in a store which offers low price rates means a pool of crowds. We went to men's section. As I said even if apocalypse occurs, my brother is least bothered. Likewise, he wasn't even bothered to know his garment preferences.

The sales person took a measuring tape and said a particular size while my dad was looking at himself in the mirror and blabbering to himself that he is becoming fat. Then, suddenly my dad added two more inches to the size mentioned by the salesman and laughed that my brother will also become fat like him in future. Well if it was me I would be showing embarrassed look up to the extent where I would have picked random some dress, purchased it and left the venue. But it was my brother he was cool as a cucumber. My dad suddenly got too excited and asked us to look into the shirt sizes he directed us to look upon. He also made it mandatory for us to select 2 shirts for my brother. I was already getting awkward vibes being in the men's garment section. To top the weirdness my parents were battling to prove that their selected shirt was the best. And me stuck there forced to pick 2 shirts of my own choice which I won't be wearing. Later, my brother picked three shirts from the provided options from us.

Whew! Finally can go home and enjoy my Sunday! Nope fate had another plan. My dad was like "Now let's go get your brother some pants." Hell! Selecting pants are pure hell! The formal pants section basically had the colour palette of black and white movies. And here I am stuck again forced to pick two pants which has no usage to me. I gave up and waited. My brother went to trial room and showed up the fitting of the pant to my dad while I was stuck up with my mom in men's pants section. My mom was explaining (criticizing) about the way our new tenants behaving, dad's financial loss, Chennai floods, politics, and many more topics which I dreaded hard not to know about. Yet who does our parent can talk to other than their beloved children.

Finally, the selection of formal wear got over and we purchased it. Now, they got remembered about buying a belt. (Face palm) They must have realized how I felt or I must have looked like a zombie they asked me to wait in a corner while they search and buy a perfect belt for my brother. I sat in a chair while they got vanished into the crowd who are on a shopping spree. A toddler was sitting beside me. The kid was too active she drooled, ran in circles and kept on hitting her head towards her mother's knee. It was kind of hilarious to watch. I missed the kid in me. The kid who used to be crazy, who cooked using torn newspaper pieces, who took a chalk piece and felt like Picasso, who took mom's dupatta and felt like a elite woman, who took a notepad and felt like supervisor, who took two drumsticks and felt like a musician, who thought the backdoor of the house was a secret pathway to spies, who was innocent, curious and enthusiastic in the name of passing time. After a while my dad said "Boo!" and I got a sudden stimuli. They arrived and at last we reached home. That's how my shopping experience for the day ended.

Friends for life!

The evening of Feb 5, 2016, my last college sports day happened. My department were participating in the march past. The uniform was navy blue pant and sky blue shirt with a Cap, black shoes and a belt. The attire looked like a Navy uniform. I gave my best wishes to the participants. I was assigned to the duty of sitting throughout the event as audience. I was also unofficially assigned to the duty of being an in-charge for bags of my best friends who marched. A video about sports achievements by my college students was played. I was awestruck by the range of talents our Indian women are capable of achieving. Then the march past by all the departments in the college began. When my department’s turn to march in front of the Chief Guest came I clapped like anything to cheer them up. 

Afterwards, prize distribution happened for a long time which made my back to ache. Finally! They announced the results for the march past for which my department won. The people who marched were so elated after hearing they won. Some hugged each other, some high-fived and some screamed in joy. I felt immensely proud and at the same time sad about missing all these marvellous people who made three years of my life worth living. So, I stood up from my seat, picked all the bags and went to congratulate them. Before I started congratulating, they hugged me with their tawny appearances. All of them started to take Selfies and photos. I hesitated to join them during their victorious photograph session and took a step back. But my dear friends insisted I come in their photos because this is final year anything can happen so we all need memories for a happy ending, so I also joined them on their request. These small gestures make me feel included and makes my life complete. 

After the event got was over, I was thinking how to catch a bus and my close friends offered me to drop me at my house. At first I thought of saying no but the place was getting darker and I have no idea which bus stop to take so I went along with them. They thought of taking an auto to the Chetpet railway station. But all the autos were booked and filled with passengers. So, we decided to walk till Chetpet railway station. My friend asked directions from a person. We walked, talked and giggled to our silly jokes. Then, I saw a dog sleeping on the porch of the house we were walking by. I showed it to my friends but the dog got alert, started to bark and I thought the gate was open and screamed “Gate-u thorandhu iruku” (the gate is open in Tamil) and my friend became alert and about to hit the dog if it pounces on us. The hilarious thing was the gate was locked and I panicked for nothing. The people around us must have thought we were bunch of weirdoes. But we laughed about it throughout our journey to reach the station.

I have never seen so many turns in a road to reach prime location like Chetpet Railway station. It turned out to be a shortcut taken by the local people to reach the place. It leads us to the tracks instead to the platform of the station. So, we crossed the railway tracks and climbed the stairs to the platform. My friend took the tickets and we entered the ladies compartment of the train. We spoke and laughed and I felt a pang of melancholy of missing these moments in the future. Then we reached Guindy and I struggled my way to get out of the compartment. I thought of taking a bus but they gave the stare like don’t you dare go alone. So, I tagged along with them. We reached my friend’s house and waited for the other friend’s mom to arrive and pick us up. I was given coffee and murruku (Indian snack) in the meanwhile. 

My friend’s mom came along with her little sister. Her little sister was excited about the big place outside the house to play around. She started roaming and skipping outside. Meanwhile, all the elders sat, spoke and somehow the discussion ended up with their daughter’s (My friends) future education. I always try as much as possible to neglect whatever serious discussions done by elders unfortunately I had to listen as I am a guest. I was a bit jealous that my friend’s sister is happily skipping outside while I am stuck here listening to boring stuff. So, after a long exhausting education and career related debate we all said our good-byes and entered my friend’s car. 

We drove and when I was close to reaching my home my dear friend remembered to buy me a shawarma. I felt guilty for not buying her anything, so I wanted to say no thanks or escape or do something but too late. They stopped at the authentic Arabian cuisine restaurant nearby to my home. Aunt went to the restaurant to buy shawarmas. I spoke to her sister for a while. Kids are one pure joy to talk with. They are straight-forward, adorable and up to the point. They left me safe and sound at my home. I cut the shawarma into three pieces for me, for my brother and for my mom. The pieces looked more like a murder scene. The stuffing were came out of the flat bread. I am horrible at dividing food pieces. I took the first bite and didn’t get the yummy taste. I discovered that I like more Indianised or indo-fusion foods. The shawarma I had during my childhood had spicy marinated and cooked tandoor chicken and lots of mayonnaise as filling. But the one I ate consisted of well prepared bland chicken pieces. The fault was not in the shawarma it was in my taste buds. 

For most of the people I know visit beaches, multiplex, movie theatres, shopping malls, window shopping, long drive, cafes, and any places of their interest as a hangout. But for me having a simple walk with a person whom we admire and takes good care of us is the best hangout. And, I felt many glimpses of it that day. Will miss these moments but will never regret or forget it. Thanks to those people who make my and a person’s life better.