museman

They say, a lot can happen over a cup of coffee.  Yes, a lot did happen over a cup of coffee. I split with my girl friend, well, over a cup of coffee. And here I sit, on the pavement, overlooking the coffee shop. For fourteen nights now.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

There is no fancy explanation for why I split with her. It was quite simple, she never liked me in the first place. I was some kind of a backup, while she sized up some other guy she was interested in. And as their relationship came through, ours was dwindling away. The pretext for breakup? Aaagghh....this is interesting. I was apparently ogling a girl, two chairs away, while sipping Irish coffee. The fact that Irish coffee was the cheapest one in the menu didn

Three things that i learnt recently

1) Saw 'Sweet November' yesterday on a friends laptop. Learnt two things-

    i)Some english movies can be as pathetic as telugu movies
    ii)Its not a very good idea to watch movies in a laptop. The picture 
      quality is  too bad. But if the idea is to watch the movie with in negatives , then you 
      can bet on a laptop and watch the movie from a certain tilted angle.
2) Thou shalt not put all thy eggs in one basket. This enlightment because of following reasons-
    i)My lifes savings are depreciating big time  in Reliance Petroleum and in Reliance Petrolium alone.
   ii)I almost lost my wallet which contains my debit/credit/PAN cards and the leftover money to live-out this month.

3) I don't intend to buy a laptop anymore!

Long long ago, the snake said to Eve, don't eat the apple. And Eve, well, she HAD to eat the apple. Cut to present, traditions say, woman are not allowed into the temple. And the feminists, they HAVE TO go to the temple. And adding condiment (masala? ) to the story is the age old pot boiler of equality of sexes!< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Neither am I an MCP nor am I a feminist. I mean....I am not an extremist. Moderate to the core. But I am a stickler to traditions. To traditions which cause no harm. Say for instance, sticking to the simple tradition that woman, alright, woman in between the age of 10 and 55 are not allowed in to the sabarimala temple. Why should we question that? Wouldn't it be easier if we just let it be? A tradition thousand years old, need we break that?

Is it necessary to complicate matters thereon? To bring question of equality of sexes into picture?  Is menstrual cycle dirty? Does god differentiate between men and women? Can't women be chaste and celibate? Should we discreminate woman? Phew

It's been quite a long time since i wrote serious/political stuff. I mean, its been quite a long time since i have blogged at all but...i have assiduously stayed away from writing any sorts of burning issue commentry. Too many things have been happening around. I am not sure if it is wrong or right but...wht the heck...lemme continue neverthless.

The 'Rude Mumbai' issue for instance. It has been great reading about the views of all the people. I somehow don't seem to have an opinion on it. I used to love reading RD. Been quite a long time since i touched it. . There is one awesome article that i have read though. By Suketu in India Today. The issue with LN Mittal on the cover. Read it. It is interesting.

As far me, i have lived in three towns/cities of India. And i have loved them all equally. As i said, no place is good or bad. It is just different.

Moving on, has it ever happened to you  that you are in an auto or  a bus...or anywhere at all, and you listen to a beautiful song. A song that you believe is the song of the millenium? (Atleast for that moment)You have no idea which album/movie it is from? You hum it for a day or two, try hard to trace its origins but can't?

Hmm....happens to me all time. The latest was a song called 'chain aapko mila' sung by SP and Asha Bhosle. That was an year ago. I listened to it again two days back. This was a remix version wiht shaan and sadhana sargam. The movie was Hungama. I was able to trace the original. And guess what? The song is from a movie called 'Footpath', starring...well...hmm...no idea. Aftab Shivdasani maybe. Music is by Nadeem Shravan. Listen to it. I guess it is grossliestly underrated song of the millenium.

Tailpiece: None appropriate,none written.

Tomorrow is a holyday, atleast for me! And you might be wondering why? Tomorrow is the annual ratha yatra in Puri. And as such, we get a public holiday in Orissa. : - ) To justify the holiday, I will be a part of  the yatra again.

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 The fluttering flags on the top of the three chariots are still fresh in my mind. It rained that day. The three colorful chariots in the backdrop of clouded sky looked majestic. I will relive the experience tomorrow. The event also commemorates my one years stay at < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Bhubaneswar. One year of staying away from Hydie. And I have understood one thing-No place is good or bad.

Each place is just different. And if you enjoy something different, be a vagabond and make the world your home. Me preaching? Gawd! I will stop now.

Tailpiece: The worlds focus will be on Puri tomorrow. Four-Five lakh people will throng the holy town. I will be there to watch the spectacle. The yatra is in the morn. You don

We live in a society of prejudices. What comes to mind when you think of a long tedious train journey? A beautiful stranger who ends up being your new soul mate. Of exchanged phone numbers and a lifetime of friendship/love?  Most are not so lucky or so I thought when I scanned the reservation chart. No girl in her twenties in a distance of 20 meters. With a 'why does it only happen to me' kind of thoughts, I got into the train.  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

An old couple was sitting near the door. The woman looked very fragile and wrinkled with a heavily tatooed forehead and a pierced nose/ears with heavy jewellery hanging from her nose, onto her lips. If she had been 16 instead of being sixty, she would have been the heppest girl around. The old man, was wearing the famous gangman khaki bermudas. Don't worry if you have never heard about them. I have just coined the term.  I am talking about the RSS kind of chaddiss that railway gangman wear.

I was sitting in my berth. There were too many people. Ten or thereabouts. They assured me that they would get down in the next station. Trains are one place where you get lots of unsolicited information. I smiled and got engrossed in a novel. They spoke about a lot of things...interesting things. I listened silently. When the next stop came, all of them got down. 

The old couple came and sat before me. I noticed a cigar in the old mans ear. The eyes were listless. Years of hardwork on the railway tracks had robbed his eyes of any life whatsoever. He never told me he works with the railways. But I somehow knew. You can always make out. At least I can always make out. The old woman was lost in her own world. Beside her was a plastic bag made out of chocolate wrappers. The bag looked cute.

There were no talks for almost two hours. The couple never spoke to each other. The old man kept staring into in the window. I got buried into my book. What could I have talked with an old couple? I guess our lives twines never meet that we could have something in common to talk about.

Where are you going sir?

aahh....me? I am going to < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Hyderabad.

Ok.

That bag beside you....is that made of chocolate wrappers?

Yes, my wife made it. Isn't it cute? She is very creative you know.

Yes.....it is very very cute.

For the first time, the old lady smiled. Just a hint of a smile actually. And she went back to her brooding.

And then....we were silent for another hour. Three hours into the journey...the regular visitors of every train in India, the eunuchs, entered the train. I hurriedly searched for some change and instinctively put my cell phone in my back pocket, no idea why I did that.

I gave them a five rupee coin. The old man refused to give anything. Made a comment, which I believe was an obscene joke and laughed at it himself. When they left, he said something to me and laughed again. It wasn't clear what he said, but i smiled too...out of politeness.

And then our conversation took off. I understood, in spite of his age, he was a normal guy with his share of youthful brashness. Bryan Adams would have been proud.  While all this was going on...the old woman was still staring into nothingness, unconcerned about the whole world around her.

I work in the railways.

Oh!! I see.

I am a gangman.

When will this train reach Hyderabad?

This? Hahaha...let me tell you, nobody knows. It all depends on the mood of the driver. 10 am tomorrow  and you may as well find yourself in Warangal or in Hyderabad. One never knows.

Hmm....

How old are you sir?

I am 22.

You remind me of my grandson, He must be around your age. Very intelligent. Runs his own grocery shop in my village.

Oh! Good. Please call me Sriram. You are my grandfather

This day last Year!< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

My blog turns one year old!

Somedays back, I had written a post titled

The world of Raja< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

I like familiarity. Probably that explains why my Hair stylist, alright...barber, hasn't changed for the last 10 years. Probably that also explains why I used to go all the way to the rest house to give my laundry long after I had left the Guest house.

I guess I will have to tell you everything from the beginning. My first job brought me to this < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />new city. The charms of a guest house always fascinated me. Maybe it had to do with all the literature that I have read. Of living in a house and not in a home. Of relationships and meetings with interesting characters in rest houses.

The days were routine and same. I used to get up at 6 am. Thanks to the sweeper boy. He was quite unapologetic of the intrusion. Used to bang the door until I opened it. The moment I opened it, he would completely ignore me and go about his work. I would get back to sleep after opening the door to be woken up again at 6:20. Again by the sweeper boy.

Saab, mein jaa raha hun. Darwaaza band kar lena.

Teek hai. Par yaar, tum aise roj roj mujhe jagao mat. Jab jaana hai to chale jao. Muje phir se uthane kii zaroorat nahi hai.

Kya baat karte hai saab. Haalat teek nahi hai. Agar kuch chori ho gaya tho iljaam tho mujhpe aayegaa naa.

He had a point there. I gave up. He wouldn

Museman has suprisingly been busy for the last ten days or so.:-( .I just wanted  to post the opening paragraph of a fiction piece that i have been itching to pen. Should come out in a weeks time or so.

What kind of a guy was I? Hmm...I am the kind of a guy who would go unnoticed in a crowd of two. And what kind of a girl was she? Well....if she was in  a crowd of thousand, the crowd would go unnoticed. And i am not exagerrating. You will concur if you see her. Did I stand a chance? The odds are against me I will have to admit...

Tailpiece: If you are calorie conscious, don't even step foot in Chennai. Its a south indian foodies paradise. God bless Saravana Bhavan. Amen.And yes, museman is currently in chennai. :-)

Ok. This is my first listing blog. What i am going to do is make a list of three of my favourite repeat value movies. I mean...these are the movies i can watch any number of times without getting bored. Now, what i am hinting at is....I may like a movie very much but it may not have much of a repeat value. Say for instance, 'Shawshank Redemption, The patriot, The ten commandments, Citizen Kane'. I may watch them in parts repeatedly but not from start-to-finish. Its not that they are boring.But they are too heavy. This top three list is of movies which can be watched repeatedly from start to finish. They never bore me. Here i go(In order of preference)
1)Casablanca
2)Roman Holiday
3)My fair Lady

How about leaving your list as comments?

Tailpiece: And yes, i may as well add 'The Matrix' to the list for a different reason. I had to watch it repeatedly to make out what it really is about! :-)

Ramesh diaries-

I know Raghav like i know my receding hair line. I was afraid this was going to happen. I knew it. Stuff like love is not meant for people like Raghav. He just can' t handle a breakup. I guess you have no right to fall in love if you are not capable of handling a breakup. Agreed Gayatri is a sensible girl. But girls do become irrational when it comes to matters of love and heart. Why, look at Sophiya for instance. She was as much a sensible girl as Gayatri. But didn't she ditch Raghav?< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Mutual funds do exist. Now, there are umpteen of them. But mutual break ups just don't(exist). Imagine this-

Listen.... I wanted to tell you something.

Me too...i have been waiting to tell you something myself. What is it?

Ughh....aagh....please don't feel bad...i don't know how to say this....but...i think our relationship is going nowhere.

Oh wow! Wow, this is amazing. You stole my words. I wanted to tell you the same thing. This is so convenient!

Really?

You too wanted a breakup?

Yes. I have been wanting it for a month now. Thank you so much. I love you. I mean, i love you for wanting a breakup. You see, i don't love you. You get what i mean to say, don't you?

Yes, yes. Lets not waste any more time. My new girl friend is waiting for me.

Me too. I have a date with my new boy friend in in an hours time. I will have to leave now.

Yeah sure. Bye forever! Take care.

You too! Bye forever.

And then, the boy and girl part ways and live happily ever after. This can happen only in an imagined story. Reality is usally different.What happens in reality? One of the two starts ignoring the other. This continues for a month or two.  The other notices it from the second day itself but gives him/herself all kinds of explanations and blissfully assumes that everything is alright. When no more rational or irrational explanation is possible,the day of the confrontation comes, the beans is spilled. One of them has already moved on, the other will experience hell for a long time to come.

I remember the conversation i had with Raghav after he had split up with sophiya. No, lets be factually correct, after Sophiya had split up with him. It was almost four months since they had split. There was no formal announcement or anything. But the whole of college did know that they had split. Both 'love' and 'breakup' spread like wildfire. No one ever mentioned it with Raghav but we  knew that he was going through a traumatic phase. I was his confession mate.He never discussed the break up with me. I never thought it appropriate to broach the subject. We have heard dire straits a thousand times, that day, i saw him in dire straits.It was in those turbulent times that i spoke to Raghav.

Abbe chal, NBK kaa naya picture  release hua hai. Mast mazaa aayegaa. Chal jayenge.

No, you go. I wont come. Got some work.

Kyaa phaltoo baatien karta hai. Kitne din maatam manayega? Get out of it now.

No, i am not interested.Seriously.

The movie is a problem? Alright then,  i will make a sacrifice for you. Lets go to Shalimar and watch Demi Moore. Special rerun of strip tease. Uncut.

No Ramesh, you carry on. Take Vignesh along. He will watch any movie anyday.

Raghav! Don't be a silly sissy. What do you think, Sophiya will come back to you? Or worse still, that she too is enacting Devdas's female version somewhere?

Don't you dare talk to me like that.

And don't you dare talk to me like that either. You think i have no other work to do than to try and lift your lousy spirits? 

I am sorry.

mention not.

( It is amazing how habits of school never leave you. Even now, whenever i listen to Jana gana mana, at the end, i somehow utter, 'school disperse/jai hind'. When i said 'mention not' i was in a funny state of mind. I don't know why but it did feel silly to have said 'mention not'. I also felt bad for my friend. Having said that, i will have to admit that a smile did escape my lips at that moment. It had to do with me saying 'mention not' than anything else. Thankfully, the smile eased the atmosphere instead of aggravating Raghav's frustrated state. He smiled. I laughed. He laughed. That's why i treasure school friends so much. They know us inside out.)

Listen Raghav, i don't have to say this but, if at all you have to talk about anything at all, i will always be there for you.

Thanx Ramesh. I know i can count on you. Trust me, I am alright.

Yeah, I know how alright you have been for the last four months. It  is so very visible  you see.

You won't give up, will you?

How can I? I am your best friend. Get her out of your system Raghav. There is a whole life waiting for you.

Its not like i am not trying Ramesh.  I never realised i liked her so much. Now that she is not there, all i can think about is her.

The best way to get out of a heartbreak is to get involved with some one else. Why don't you go on a 'potti patao' drive?

I have tried that. It has only worsened my situation. I seem to search for her in every girl only to realise that she was THE one for me. And i spoiled it all. I havent come across any other girl who is as much intelligent, graceful and beautiful.

Don't give me that cinematic crap Raghav. I can show you a hundered girls who are ten times more  beautiful and intelligent than Sophiya.

Hmm...yes, you don't have to tackle with memories. I am haunted by memories of the great times that we had together. I end up thinking about her all the time.

An empty brain is a devils workshop.

Its not about the empty brain. Its about the lovestruck heart.

I can't believe it. Don't tell me you think of nothing else.

I don't. Anything and everything reminds me of some or another aspect of Sophiya. I look at some girl and i end up thinking, she has a similar hair style as Sophiyas.

I look at Telnets advertisement and i am reminded that Sophiya too uses telnet. I watch promos of Saif's latest movie and i am reminded of how we had a hearty laugh after watching DCH. Everytime some one rings me up...i wish so much that it is Sophiya, and when it turns out to be someone else, i get so frustrated, i feel like banging the phone back. I am losing friends Ramesh. I don't  feel like talking to anybody else anymore. Her smile, its a constant sight for me. I am not able to get over it. I see her everywhere.

Man, you are scaring me. I never knew the situation was so bad. You like her so much? I never knew it.

Neither did I. Untill we broke up.

Why did she ditch you? I am sorry, I mean, why did you break up?

I don't want to get into it. Lets not discuss that.

It will do a lot of good for you to talk  it out of your system.

You may view it that way, but it will be hell revisited for me. Lets not discuss it.

As you wish. I thought you had split amicably.

Haha. Crap. No split is amicable. She just walked out on me.

You believe all fault was hers?

No. I guess i was the culprit. I took her for granted. I guess she was the only one in the world that i took for granted. Never did anything special for her. I thought she was all mine. Didn't even buy her a gift on her birthday. I felt so comfortable in her presence that....the need never arose that i go out of my way to do something special for her. My whole philosophy was wrong. I thought, if you love someone, you can be yourself with that person. No reason to try and and be someone else. Pch...aah...do we have to talk about it. Lets leave it Ramesh. No point mulling over it. All is lost.

You never tried to patch up with her?

I did. I did everything i could do. I made umpteen phone calls, tried to be as polite as possible. She treats me like a roadside Romeo. I call her up and she responds by saying, "hmm..what is it now?".

I don't get this Raghav. How could you think of a girl who is so very rude to you. If some one is as rude to me, i think i would just cut off relations and never think about that fellow for a life's time.

You know what the problem is, the image that i carry of her is not that of a girl who banged the phone on me but of  a girl who used to laugh heartily over my silly jokes.

Why don't you meet her in person and resolve the whole problem.

I don't know. I have such conflicting thoughts. I want to meet her so much and  i want to stay away from her as much. I don't know whether i will smile or slap if at all i meet her.

You want her back?

No. She is not the person i thought she was. I was in love with an illusion. I just want to be able to forget her. Sometimes i wish i had never met her in my life.

I think you are being unreasonable Raghav. Love is an exagerrated concept. If you want to, you can forget her easily.

Oh yes, when you are the third person, every love story is a crappy exagerrated nonsense. You will know if it happens to you. I wouldnt want the worst of my enemies to go through a break-up. Its a torture. Take my word for this.

Phew,, that was my conversation with Raghav. I never truly appreciated what he said untill i met Deepthi. Untill i found true love. Its almost been a month since i met Deepthi in Somu bar. Tomorrow, Raghav is going to meet Gayatri. And i know he is moderately interested in her. He took ages to come out of the Sophiya episode. Hope he has learnt his lesson. Falling in love is easy. Just that being equiped to handle a breakup always comes in handy. Having said that, i only hope Deepti never walks out on me. For one, i love her like heaven. For two, i have no idea how to handle a breakup!

Why did I take to drinking? Because I like the taste of alcohol. No, I was just kidding. No sane man would ever admit that he likes the taste of alcohol. Maybe over a period of time you may grow to like it but the first time, it does taste like shit. Ok

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I will have to admit I am not a true blood hyderabadi. Came here only four and a half years back. To persue engineering. At the same time, I would like to reinstate that I have grown to love < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Hyderabad. Has provided me with a second home. The route to college went through Langar House. But never visited Golkonda until now. Pchh