Snatch!

I finally watched the movie Snatch. I've been searching for a copy of that movie for about 8 months now and yesterday I finally found one with my cousin. No no, I wasn't looking for it to watch Brad Pitt (I couldn't care less about him), I was rather interested in watching a 'Guy Ritchie' movie. Once I got hang of the British accent, I completely enjoyed his other movie 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'.

Snatch runs on pretty much the same story line, with different kinds of characters, different loot, same casting, same interlocking scenarios. But it's just as good as 'Lock stock'...I managed to figure out the English accent, but this time my problem was following the Gypsy talk. Come on, even those Brits couldn't figure out what they were saying.

Expression of Happiness

I am very thrilled by the response I am getting. Its exhilarating :D Thank you Divi and Gerry for your compliments, it will definitely keep me going. I am coming to realize that the readership is wider than just my immediate circle of friends.

Gerry, I really didn't think you'd be reading my blog. O yes, we've had hearty laughs seeing you run. It’s not bad, it’s just funny. Thank God I didn’t comment on your farewell party attire (I was tempted to). Don’t get me wrong, the bells were really impressive and what was more impressive was the fact that you fitted into your dad’s wedding suit [that’s what was rumored]. Once again, don’t get me wrong, you were one of the best-dressed guys that afternoon…and didn’t you win the Mr. Adarsha title that evening??

I still can’t get over the compliments – ‘impeccable’. Wow! After all, the copious amount of books I’ve read and reread have to have some impact. But call it modesty or not, I believe I’m just mediocre. I am really impressed by Nijaz’s talent for words. He has a way with words, just as good as his way with gurlz. If he hadn’t a lot of projects in his plate at any given time, we’d have seen more of his work in his blog.

Oops! I got carried away...I guess I am very happy today. What more, I got to drive all the way from Burjuman Centre up to my place in Sharjah. Of course, dad was there beside me, but the fact that he's letting me drive almost every alternate day is in itself encouraging. We are going visiting in Ajman this evening, let me try my luck :D

Kuch Kuch Hota Hain

Listening to ‘Tum pass aye’ from the movie KKHH…This song brings back memories, very precious memories, not strong, but something thats very dear to me...

I saw this movie…No, WE saw this movie during our Annual Hostel Outing (sponsored by Mr. Vasudevan Pillai) when we were in our 12th. I can even remember the day & date, 7th November 1998, a Saturday; we were having Maths special class at school, which we hostellers got special permission to attend just the first half. Jenny Miss was our teacher, a sweet lady. When she dismissed us girls to go for our outing, Nidhi all relieved, mistook it for the end of session for the whole class, and we hostel girls had a good laugh over it.Thinking of it amuses me even now.

We - Raji, Divya and myself were a gang. We were a great trio at school, hostel and the much-famed Mess Hall. Our gang didn’t have fancy names like ‘The Bubbles’ or anything, we were good enough as we were, adventurous, fun loving, fun seeking, mischievous.

We were all so excited to go out together, watch the movie together, the hit diwali movie of the year, a Shah Rukh-Kajol movie, one with a totally new outlook, one about friends. Yes, that was the highlight of the movie.

While this song was playing in the movie, we were holding hands and wishing that our friendship should last forever and for always, for we were best friends among each other and were about to part ways in a few months.

The movie had a love triangle. It’s ironic to think that back then, with the Raji-tug between Divya and me (a friendship triangle), the more obvious ties didn’t last in the long run with me now having virtually no contact with Raji (!!!!!) while I do exchange an occasional mail with Divya once every few months. Despite the differences of opinion I have with Raji, she will always have a special place in my heart, my first real friend, my best friend for years. And Divya, though more than once while in school I had thought I probably wouldn’t correspond with her much after school, both of us grew beyond our age and the few times I met up with her were really memorable. I know she's very dear to me.

Funny that while in school we used to squabble over who would get to wish ‘happy birthday’ first to the other, and whose greeting card would be read first, whose friendship band would remain longer. Now even though their birthdays are etched in my memory, we don’t send birthday cards, new year greetings, not even the very impersonal e-cards. Frankly, those days aren’t special anymore, at least not as sacred as they used to be. But regardless of all that, whenever (not often, but not never) I think of them, I am surrounded by a hundred fond memories.

Our mess hall events (countless events), our ’99 New Year celebrations amid model exam preps, lots of incidents revolving football (Anoop, Nidhi, Gerry’s funny running, and many more of ‘em), Our farewell preps for our seniors, our juniors giving us a farewell party, the preps for that- the dresses, the guys' attire, Juniors singing ‘Mustafa Mustafa’ in the end, our photo session upstairs after the party, our almost failed attempt at semi-ragging Divya Ravindran (Nidhi’s pyare sis :D ) which reminds me of ‘Phoolon ka taaron ka’, Savitha’s ‘Don’t ask me’ Medicine, Biji Miss, Our old (read senile) Warden, the thousand Wondercakes Raji bought weekly which we’ve all consumed, her 1-pound ‘Thirunelvelli Halwas’, Divya’ Mint chocolate (8 o’clock) – I liked it but the other 2 didn't, Our Fanta drinking adventure which I sponsored after the Inter–School Football Tourney, Our thermos flasks and our tea breaks which finally ended with Divya’s flask breaking, which further initiated her Greeting card business, Divya introducing me to the wonderful world of fiction Novels- Daniel Steele, Sidney Sheldon, Robin Cook. Anybody remember 'Akiko'? Divya giving us Classified info she reads from books, parting Autograph/Slam-book writings…….there are just too many of those ….Sometimes painful coz reminiscing those I realize all those will never be recreated, I can never live it again. As I always claim, I was very lucky to get great friends for a sound foundation, for now I have built a wonderful set of friends. Though the base (mainly Raji and Divya) is not visible in the periphery, their influence has been nothing short of excellent.

Divya, Raji, this one’s for you, to let you know you guys still mean a lot to me.

License to 'Houlahoo'

Yup, I finally started going for driving classes in the beginning of
March, after waiting almost 2 and a half years. And I passed the final road test on 9th April. I'll get my drivers' license tomorrow hopefully. But what now? Why do I feel it all so meaningless , just as meaningless as the word 'houlahoo'?

Now that the initial excitement's wore off, I am coming to realize that this achievement is only good to frame in my showcase, just like my engineering degree. I won't get a chance to use it, not in this country as long as I stay with my parents or bro. I realized that I am going to face the exact situation as when I got my Indian license (IL). Its more than 5 years since I got my IL, and I must have driven 400 metres, mind you its metres, not kilometres. Yes yes I could sense that my bro n my dad were just as happy as my mom when I told them I passed the test, but I can already sense their reluctance to let me sit behind the wheel. They'll let me drive only in their presence, and that too maybe for a maximum of half an hour. But that's not why I took the license.

Deja Vu...if I don't get to drive, the whole point of waiting for 2.5 years here is itself lost. I waited so long so that my utter disappointment & hopelessness of not getting a chance to drive in India would wear off.

I hope its just the imagination of an overly tired mind. I hope this means loosening of one more noose around my crippled life here. Road to partial freedom??