White - The Lab who caught the biscuit

It was a rainy night in July 2001. I'd just entered 5th grade, and school was in the morning at 7. When you're 10, in order to wake up at 6, you must be out cold by 11, or you'll sleep in school, especially if you consider the amount of sleep I need. Anyways, I was woken up by the moans of a dog in the middle of the night. I could see the hall light switched on, and I saw my mom peering out the window.

She said, "The dog's giving birth. You go and sleep. We'll go to see the puppies day after." Now, my mom loves animals, and so do I. and when you're 10 and the younger child, you're just excited to see someone smaller than you. And when we went there, I gasped. 4 of the most beautiful puppies I'd ever seen were sleeping beside their mother. Upon closer observation, my mom noticed that each had 20 toes instead of the usual 18, and according to my mom, that means they're a good breed(I don't know if that information's authentic). But the rain and ants were making life hell for them. My mom suggested moving them to a dryer place, and we took hold of the 4 and put them near the compound hall.

From then on, we started giving them a bowl of milk and Parle-G each night when they were old enough to drink that. they eagerly lapped it all up, and were soon fattened up. As days passed by and they learnt to walk and run, we had a difficult time returning home. Whenever we left, they'd start running behind us. Each time we pushed them back, they wagged their tails and followed us again. They were cute as hell, and we loved them

  Before I go any further, I'd like you to know, that my society is filled with ridiculously idiotic dog haters and people who fear dogs. They dont fear God as much as they fear dogs, which is funny, because they're just the same word rearranged. A little more time passed by, and one day, a pup vanished. We were worried, and my mom was almost positive that it was the work of the society. A few days later, the next one did. and at last, the only one left was White, named so because he was pure white, not even cream. We brought him home each night for a few days, and the effort paid off. He survived, and how!

  My mom and me absolutely doted on him whenever we went down to gave him food, and he was obedient. Very obedient. As soon as the lift started its humming sound, he'd be near the lift when we got to the ground floor. We'd trained him to always sit down first before eating food, and he had a knack of catching biscuits. Throw one in the air, and he'd catch it. Every time. Unfailingly. Before long, he learned to climb the stairs, and began sitting outside the house. He was our guard. He was trained, obedient and cute. We used to give him occasional showers, and end up getting wet when he shook himself dry. Time flew as he grew up to be a strapping Lab, and he was also the patriarch of the stray dogs in our building. He played with us a lot, and whenever I felt stressed, I just went out, pampered him a bit, and I'd feel better.

He was 5 years old when tragedy struck. Common cold is harmless to us humans, but not for canines. He started sneezing, and lost his appetite. We were very worried. The vet saved him, but barely. He was just recovering, when our hatred filled society decided to play Angel of Death to him. A sweeper struck him with an iron rod near his belly, and that injured his kidney, the vet said. He used to wobble a lot, and never drink more than a few sips of milk.

It was October, and we found him lying on the ground. He was alive, but just. Tears rolled out of my eyes. I just wanted him to run again, to play with me. I patted his head a bit, and he moaned in agony. That did it, and I burst into tears... My mom led me away, trying to calm me. I could see he was watching us, and being helpless was something I did not handle well. The next day, he was gone. I wanted to give him a proper funeral, but damn my society. I couldnt shake off his last moan to me for a long time.

Its been 5 years since he died, but whenever I see a Lab on the road, I'm reminded of White. and whenever I see Marley and Me, I cry remembering him. Many dogs have since been born, lived and died, but apart from a dog who's named Lazy, no one even came close. White was my sibling. White was our family's baby. He loved us, and we loved him. To this day, I vividly remember his ability to catch biscuits.

Life goes on, yes, and memories help you move on, but I still miss him.

I'd like to end with Marley and Me's quote:

"A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart, and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not."

Straight from the horse's mouth

"Which branch do you want??"

"Computer", I replied, my voice quivering.

I was trying hard to contain my excitement. After the debacle by MSBTE which resulted in me losing 20 marks for no fault of mine, I was thrilled to be offered this choice in one of the leading engineering colleges of Mumbai.

I'm talking about the direct second year admissions for diploma students. The process tends to be long and draining and the anticipation takes a lot out of you. Stepping out of the admission hall did it. I broke into an impromptu jig to celebrate. I was celebrating my emancipation from the bureaucracy so that I could be a teen again and just go to college. Of course, I was definitely not going to attend the same day.

 The next day, I along with my friends gingerly stepped in the class to the different looks of the students. Some were suprised, some smiling, some indifferent, and some had looks like CIA agents checking out potential foreign spies. The experience was similar to the 'first day in college' situation, and yet it was different. We were newcomers, but everyone else knew each other. A few good samaritans approached us, asked us about our path to engineering. But it wasn't long before I realised that the bonds were already formed, and that we'd have to work to get them to accept us as part of SE COMPS B. Each day was a new experience, as we tried to connect with our comrades. Games, of course were one way, but reading's my thing, and i was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few readers in the class. For me, there's something immensely calming about an intellectual conversation that nothing else possesses. As we got used to the atmosphere, lectures and days went by in a flurry as we leveraged our (very)late entry to get extended deadlines for submissions. My initial inhibitions also started to fade away as we became part of SE COMPS B, rather than be known as the diploma people.

 As our first techfest neared, one could sense the eagerness. The atmosphere was electric, the enthusiasm, infectious. The day of the fest arrived, and i could see many people from both our and other colleges. The inaguration involved a great contraption prepared by the students which declared the fest open. I'd participated in a few events, and enjoyed a lot. And it was also a lucky day for me, as I won the LAN gaming event for racing. First techfest, and I'd won. That, was awesome! Once the techfest ended, it was once again back to studies and submissions. Pandemonium ensued every day, as people rushed to complete any and all assignments that they were left with. November brought in the chill, exams. The 2 month long affair, including all practicals, preparatory leave and the main event was very much like time spent in slow periodic torture. Prepare like you never had for some days, and then go through 3 hours of head-scratching, pen-scribbling torture.

 The good thing was that we had the last day of the year to ourselves. But the relief was short-lived. Results come sooner or later, yes, but this time, they decided sooner. Amid the rush for Symphony. It was a bit of a dampener, if you ask me. Some moods were sombre, some ecstatic. But Symphony was coming, and no one could afford to agonize over the results. The time was to stand up, dust oneself off, and go on. Symphony was a great success, even bigger than the techfest. Being in diploma, we didn't have fests, we had "Annual Days", as if we were in school. Being a part of something this big was new, and I must say, thoroughly entertaining. Returning back to college the coming Monday was kind of difficult, as most of them had the Symphony hangover. But, life goes on.

 To end this, The journey has been smooth till now, with a few of my friends even trying, albeit unsuccessfully, to coax me into asking a girl out on V-Day. Thank God I survived that. My fellow SE COMPS B students have also been wonderfully accomodating, and slowly, the tag of diploma has faded into the bigger brand of KJSCE COMPS. I'm thankful to all my friends who welcomed me even though I was more than a bit apprehensive. I hope to enjoy my remaining years here as much as I can.

Turning 20

On the 26th of June 2011, The number 2 got attached to my age for a decade...

I want to thank my family, who've always been there beside me, always knowing when i needed a little push, or when i needed to be brought down to earth. I guess they're called family for a reason. I want to thank my extended family as well, consisting of my uncles, aunts and cousins. I'd also like to thank the 3 girls in my life who filled the void of not having a younger sibling. Aditi Thakkar, Devika Gharge and Pankti Shah. I can't help but be overly protective of these 3 girls whom I consider my sisters.

I have mixed feelings about turning 20. Its been a pretty long time, although i'm only through one third or one fourth of my life... I step out of my teens, and realize, that the time for fun may be well and truly, over. Its time to get serious with life, accept more responsibilities and to evolve from a boy to a man. There are a lot of things I must do in the coming decade, some which I wanted to do in my teenage but couldn't, and some which I realise I must do as I grow older in order to live the good life.

1. Accumulate material wealth.

I've never been deprived of anything, but i've never had the luxury of extravagance either. In the next decade, I want to earn, and I want to splurge. I want to buy a top of the end gadget, i want to buy a car for the family, jewellery for my mom, the love of my life (whoever she turns out to be),my sisters,a Rolex for my brother, anything to show my family that i care. I want my family to be happier than they've ever been, and I'm willing to work for that.

2. Read

As much as i like to read, I haven't been able to as much as i can. Sometimes its been my fault. Some other times, not. But i want to change that. I grew up reading Harry Potter, and its helped build my vocabulary a lot. My innate need to use English in its original form(not the inane, short one) also stems from my interest in reading. That and the fact that a purist friend of mine suggested I do so helped me in my decision to drop SMS-lingo from my daily usage. I've read a few other books as well, and all the books have helped shape my outlook on life and my attitude in general, but I feel that I can be a much better person than I am right now, and where else to look for than books? So I want to join a library which is extensive, and read as much as is possible.

3. Show my support.

I follow a few sports. Football, Tennis, F1. I want to get something that will show who I support. Last year, I was supposed to get a United wallet, but I didn't. This year, I want to fulfil that. And in the following years, more merchandise to show that I support United, Federer and Ferrari. It may seem trivial, but I've always been an easy-going guy. For once, i want to be fanatic about the teams and sportspersons I support. I want to splurge and buy a United/Roger Federer/Ferrari T-shirt/jersey. Its time I was more vocal.

4. Go Green

My parents may not have had any specific reason in mind when they gave me a word that means Nature in many languages for a name, but its only fair that I do my bit. Even if global warming or climate change may not be a reality, its a fact that fossil fuels are being used at an alarmingly high rate. Its imperative that we preserve whatever resources that are left for our future generations. I want to reduce my carbon footprint. Within the next decade, I wish to either use renewable sources of energy myself, or support organisations that do so.

5. Learn a musical instrument

Music has always calmed me down. Its given me inner peace when in times of turmoil, and I want to learn to play something. I've always been a fan of the piano, and I wish i could learn. The piano, for me, has always been an instrument of peace, joy and happiness. Not to mention the regal aura that a piano exudes. I want to learn the piano and play the symphonies. Mozart, Bach, Beethoven. I know it will take a lot of work, but yeah, i want to do it.

6. Fall in love.

This may seem cheesy, and I know I'll get a lot of ribbing over the coming weeks for this, but there's a reason for this. My cousins are getting hitched one after the other, and believe me when I say that their spouses are perfect for them. A lot of my friends are also couples, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel left out at times. Sure, I have single friends to hang out with, and geeks to go crazy over gadgets, books, etc. but I get the feeling that my friends would gladly give up going ga-ga over gadgets to be with their girlfriend any day of the week. I want to experience that. I want to experience the change in priorities. I want to know how it feels to have a person other than your family, alongwith your family, as the centre of your universe. I want to be wrapped around the finger of the love of my life, and to treat my love like a Queen.

Some stereotypes and their exceptions

There's a certain topic that has been nagging me for quite a few days, and today, after giving it some thought, I decided to write about it.

I had an interesting conversation with a friend a few nights ago. It started with a forward I'd sent. The details are unimportant, but her parting words stuck with me. "Its futile trying to understand the stereotypical woman. The unusual one is hard to find. And stick to." I've had the pleasure of coming across quite a few stereotypes and unusual ones both.

Its common to find a girl who loves shopping, but I was pleasantly surprised, when, after making a joke about shopping, a girl replied, "No way! I dont understand whats the fuss about it". According to her, when you go shopping, try something you like. If it fits, buy it. Don't waste time ogling at things you can't buy, or money buying things of which you already have a dozen, and which will inevitably go into a pile to wear once in a blue moon.

Its common to find a girl who cringes when someone curses, or hears someone uttering profanities. But I know a girl who makes me blush when she curses. Debra Morgan, I call her.

I've often seen girls mope around after a break-up, or when their crush is seen with someone else. Imagine my shock, when a girl said, "Kya rota hai. Girls are stupid. They can't handle their feelings" when I was going through a rough patch with my sister.

One would be tempted to think, that boys are more interested, for lack of a better word, in eating junk food. A girl from college used to eat out whenever she got the chance, and without any worries of getting sick. Now that, I like. Eat what you want to. If you get sick, fine. Don't eat there again. But don't be afraid of eating out anywhere.

If you've heard of Russell Peters, you know how he can be. Sometimes, you may feel uncomfortable if you have company. I was pleasantly surprised, when, after I narrated a particular scene from his show, it was a girl who was laughing the hardest. Now it was pretty embarassing when she actually caught my shocked look.

A few years ago, I would've been willing to bet that not a single girl that I knew would be able to recognise any popular TV show, save for Friends. Sure, they religiously followed saas-bahu soaps from the fat b***h(Tusshar Kapoor's sister, for the uninitiated) but they wouldn't know Two and a Half Men or That 70s Show or How I Met Your Mother. Now, I'd never bet on that.

Many of you know that I like watching documentaries, and often switch to Discovery, NatGeo, or Animal Planet if I have nothing else to do. I knew girls who watched those kind of thing, but I think the increased number speaks volumes about the changing culture of India.

Those who have chatted with me, or have read my writing, know that I'm conscious about English. I almost always use English in its original form. And I know perhaps 5 people(4 of which are boys, and the girl is the one whose words prompted me to write this) who are also very particular about English. In these times, when an increasing number of people resort to sms lingo, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to decode what people write, I was much more than pleasantly surprised, when I found another girl with a fondness for English and T9. Another point, while I am on the topic of English, is few can tell the difference between sarcasm, irony and paradox. I myself get confused a lot of the times between the latter 2. And I was shocked, to say the least, when the same girl used these 3 perfectly.

I like reading a lot. Its a different matter, that, for lack of resources, I cannot read as much as would like to, but yea, I've read a few books. After the advent of Twilight(shudder) I've come across a lot of girls who state reading as their hobby. When I ask what books they've read, the reply I get is Twilight and Chetan Bhagat. Now, pardon my use of smileys, but at that time, I can't help but go :|

Ayn Rand, Mario Puzo, Tolkien, Hemingway, Orhan Pamuk, George Orwell are authors that are worth reading. Not Chetan Bhagat(except the first, his books are ordinary). and definitely not Twilight. Therefore, I was very happy to come across a girl who has read The Fountainhead(I mention this particular book because its close to me), and actually understood what it stands for.

There are many more steretypes, some of which evade my mind as I write this, and many more exceptions to them.

And if you're lucky, you'll find a girl with all these exceptions rolled into one. Dont let her go. She's worth it.

I understand, that while reading this, some of you might have thought that I hold unfair prejudices against women. No, that is not the case. Seeing these exceptions, I feel proud, for it means that India is finally progressing when it comes to women. There are a lot of social restrictions on women, and a lot of misconceptions. To see women finally being able to stand up on their own feet, without being held back by apprehensions about what society will think makes me happy.

I won't end this, for there are lot more exceptions to stereotypes that I have to discover. I hope that soon, these labels will cease to exist, and that we all can live as human beings, without being discriminated upon based on our gender, caste or race.

Experiences from a trip

So, I'm back to putting down my observations, having decided, for now, that fiction is not my cup of tea.

 I just returned from a week long trip to my native place. Being away from the city tends to make you realise a lot of things if you take out time to introspect. The first thing that struck me was the weather. In winter, the mercury dips to 14 degrees and there's a slight nip in the air, which, in all honesty, feels wonderfully different from the warm winter of Mumbai. Granted, the summer is more severe, but in winter, its cool enough to make you want to snuggle up in a blanket, but not so cold that you'd shiver even after 3 layers of clothing.

I'd taken a few books with me to pass the time in the trip, and I'd like to summarise them before going any further. Revolution 2020. Typical Chetan Bhagat. Filled with sterotypical comparisons, a weak love story, and descriptions about the dressing sense of the female protagonist are aplenty. The title is completely misleading. Open, the autobiography of Andre Agassi. Amazing. Very well written. His life story is very different from public perception, and he has been completely honest. I'll leave it to you to read and form your own opinion. Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. The 2nd book starring Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter, suffice to say that you will be shaken to the core after you read it. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. A story which won the Nobel Prize for literature. Perhaps I didn't understand what it truly conveys, but its quite intriguing.

Now, on to my experiences on the trip...

 As I took a bus to get to my nani's place, I gazed as we passed lush green fields, the population of a billion dissolving to nothing, and I felt a feeling of peace wash over me. Someday, when I'm done with my duties as a son, husband and father, I'd like to settle in a town and live in equanimity. Build a home, but with a palatial feel, and of course, environment-friendly. There's something about a big house, complete with a backyard that gives me a sense of home. Climb upstairs, sit in the gallery, enjoy the peace and quiet that only a town can give you. And if you have a little dog who loves playing with you, what else do you want?

 Incidentally, they were showing 'Hey Baby' in the bus. Before I proceed, I've always considered myself to be a family guy, you know, marry early, have kids, live the good life. When the 3 guys fall in love with the little girl, it was then that it hit me. Was it an epiphany? Was it a moment of truth? I don't know. But in that moment, I felt an overwhelming feeling of affection surge through me. In that moment, I was ready to do whatever it took for that. To love my wife, have kids, provide for them, love them, protect them. But was it just a flash in the pan? Will I be able to shake off my inherent laziness to achieve that? Will I be able to cross any and all hurdles that come in the way? Will I be able to keep my priorities straight, and not lose focus of what is important in the pursuit of materialistic wealth? I hope so, but I don't know. Sometimes I need a swift kick in the arse as a reminder. I hope I don't need it here.

 Moving on, I'd gone for dinner with my cousins. We were chatting about all the topics under the sun, but a particular snippet of the conversation stayed with me. My bhabhi said, "For that, I did consider marrying him(my cousin) early"

I'm sorry? Didn't quite catch that. She repeated, and she was literally blushing as she did. In that instance, she was the most beautiful woman in the world, gushing about her husband-to-be. I wanted to go 'Awww' but decided against it, managing with a chuckle instead. And my cousin, ever the loving fiance, has been perfect, despite me teasing him mercilessly about being a perfect gentleman. I like to observe people and their behaviour. It didn't take me much time to discern he's wrapped around her finger, and it won't be long before he's completely whipped. But in this case, I don't think its a bad thing. Oh, to be young and in love! 'Tis a wonderful feeling, innit?

 I bid farewell the next day, to return to Mumbai. I don't know how the week snuck by. Perhaps I lost track of time on the swing in the backyard at my nani's place. In the evening chill that a town offers. In playing with the cute little pup as it licked my fingers. In the meals we had together sitting on the floor. I don't know. What I do know, is that I have tears in my eyes as I write this, wishing I had stayed another day, another week.