Never Despair

Thane, even though it's right next door, never ceases to confuse me. It's a gargantuan, noisy, complicated (what with the new skywalk and human walk and rickshaw stands and even the damn railway station confounds me) metropolis that amazes and disgusts me in equal proportions. But lately I've been throwing myself right OUT of my comfort zone- and I was determined to reach a particular building someway, somehow. Asking strangers is no biggie... but there was a female elephant on the street today. Yea, I had seen her during lunch and I was hoping I wouldn't see her again but surprise!(of course not) she was right there 3-1/2 hours later. And there is something about elephants in a gargantuan, noisy, complicated metropolis that scares me. No wait, there is something about a female elephant ( probably in or just out of her mussth) in a gargantuan, noisy, complicated metropolis at peak rush hour near the railway station that scares the living daylights out of me. Ever since I saw some really scary videos of raging elephants on youtube (I can't bear horror movies, but gory reality glues me to the screen) I've been scared of meeting them on the road. They are gentle creatures sure, but putting them in a city with noises, lights, humans, dogs, sirens... are we having a little endurance test here? **Let's see ellie, what'll push you to breaking point?**

So today I was in a hurry ot get out of the way of the elephant before something happens. I was scurrying around like a mouse trying to put as much distance as possible between me and the elephant and trying to get into a building (the building I was looking for), as if that'll save me in case the elephant blows off. Who am I kidding...that totally won't. :D. Anyway, I managed to overwhelm a petite lady with my massive frame (I feel I'm sooo bloody huge when I see such a doll of a lady) and mumbled my question. "How do I get to Siddharth Academy? The one where they teach CA??" And while she boredly told me to go off in the same direction I came from... a young guy walked past us. He was wearing headphones (obviously rocking to the latest Munni or Sheila song) but he caught the word 'CA'. And he waited for a couple of seconds until I thanked the lady for her dummy information and then said "You want to go to CA classes? Well, Mahesh Tutorials has CA and its right down the road... this way..." Between my nerves about the elephant and the mild shock that someone who had headphones on heard my question and deigned to help me out, I did'nt give much thought to the helpful nature of that young fellow until after he had gone away and I was walking alone down the street. He looked like he would be a 11th or 12th standard and it really was very very nice of him to help someone out like that. Especially when I did'nt ask him... he just heard someone asking for directions and thought to help me out. That does'nt happen much in Mumbai... where everyone is so caught up in their own world. Who would go out of their way to give someone directions when you could rather blast music through your ears and bitchface the world!

Why don't have more people like him in my life? Why can't I be friends with him?? Come on... wanting to be friends with him just because he gave you directions? It's NOT the fact that he gave me directions... it's his nature... going out of his way to help someone who did'nt even ask him in the first place! That's the factor! But... well... there is something in what you say after all... He is after all one of those many people who suddenly float into our lives like a bubble. They grab your eyeballs, make you smile! But if we reach out to stop them, make them stay with us for a little longer... they burst, the fantasy ends... and that would be just heart-breaking, it's better that never happens. So just let them be... let them float away on their merry path... smile at the memory and move on......

A perfect Moment

Went for my violin class today morning.

A student my Madam was expecting arrived when class was half-way through. My Madam had described her as a girl, actually 'ponnu' which means a young girl... so I was surprised to see she was actually a married lady with a pretty grown up kid (gauged from listening to their conversation...don't narrow your eyes they weren't discussing anything personal!). And she took the grandchild of my Miss and played with him. But he was really hungry... just moments before the 'ponnu' had entered he was crying badly and his mom had just taken him to feed him. So you know how it is... all the people of the house feel bad if a small child is crying in the arms of a visitor! So my Miss just took him and started bouncing him and singing a child's ditty... roughly translated it goes "Don't climb on the coconut tree... don't pluck the coconut... *2 more verses which I'm not able to remember*... shall I put you in the river or the well?!!" It's totally meaningless... but it always makes the kids laugh! I know because my mom does that to the neighborhood kids all the time and they love it ;). And love it the kid did! He had this big gleeful tooth-less smile and the way he was crying 2 seconds ago as if his intestines are being squeezed was forgotten!

But what was really wonderful was that one (perfect+ glorious+ touching in the way that it makes you laugh out loud) moment of bonding between grandmother and grandchild. I know that my teacher is a really loving grandmother because either her small 3 month old grandson or her nursery going grand-daughter are always around the house and it's clear how much she loves them and how much they love her. But I had never seen this side of her- spontaneous to the point of being even a little goofy but it captured my heart! Because it gave me that feeling... when you've known someone for a long time and all of a sudden you get a glimpse of something you've never seen before. Part of you is stunned and part of you is mesmerized by what you are seeing... a moment which like a drop of water falling into a still pool... creating ripples, echoing, spreading out its essence in all the directions. It was a perfect moment.

It took me back to my own childhood holidays spent at my grandparents' place... those lovely, beautiful memories which are like mute short films. You don't remember any profound conversations ('cause at that age you really couldn't have had one!!) but just a silent visions... sitting in a dusty kirana shop while grandmother shopped because she couldn't handle 2 naughty kids and manage to shop also! Playing with your brother, falling down, getting hurt so bad your whole knee was bloody and having grandmother put Nycil powder on the knee! As soon as I arrive at the my grandparents' place running into the house to find where my cute little cousin is so that I can play with her ASAP! After searching the entire house finding out she's playing at the water tap right at the entrance! Knitting a shapeless sheet of wool as long as the length of the knitting needle and grandfather praising me for being so good with my hands! All those wonderful years and such few memories... but instead of feeling bad about it I feel happy that I'm able to remember at least this much! I'm remembering many many more of those beautiful moments but I'll need a lot more space to explain them all! So for now... will leave you with these but will surely try to update! In the meantime why don't you also enter the lake of your lovely childhood memories... those wonderful times spent with a grandparent or grandparents, aunts, uncles, that one special cousin you always used to have fun with! It's bitter-sweet that they 'may' not be a part of your life or your priorities today but still they once did hold a special place in our hearts. And they'll always hold a special place in your memories... do make that special place even more beautiful, inspiring and glorious by visiting it often!