Wednesday, February 17, 2010
J D SALINGER - THE CATCHER IN THE RYE
Monday, February 15, 2010
SHARM EL SHEIKH - A HOLIDAY DESTINATION FOR THE LAZY
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
MY BEST BIRTHDAY
- I always had a birthday party and all of us would have a blast at home.
- It was especially joyous during the olden days as this was one day I was assured of getting a new set of clothes. Not that we were in tatters for the remaining part of the year but getting a good set of shirt-pant was always special.
- A lot of gifts.
- Becoming the centre of attraction
My best birthday was when I was in Class IX:
I have fond memories of this birthday. Our gang of around 12 guys from a class of about 30 decided to make it extra special by bunking school. We had bunked class in small groups before, but all of us failed to realize that if 40% of the class is missing the absence is too conspicous. We had gathered at the school gates, making a big show of our intentions before cooly walking away, right under the gaze of our teachers, when the morning assembly got started.
Once out of School we were bereft of ideas and ended up spending almost half the day competeing against each other in all kinds of races at the sports field a mile away from school. The Ishapore Gun Factory staff who saw us thought we were practicing for some special sports event and I am sure word got back to school as well.
Then when we got tired of the running around we sat under the shade of tree opened our tiffins and had our lunch.
At 1:30 we were at the cinema watching 'Teesri Manzil'. I still believe that this is the best movie I have ever seen. What songs, romance, dances and suspense! But the most special memory is the gay abandon of adoloscence. I had not a care in the world and I had my friends around me. Such bliss! I can never remember of any other day in life that gave me more joy.
The evening started with the party at home and guys and girls from the neighbourhood all collected to make a huge happy crowd. Pankaj, another friend from school, who did not bunk that day, had also joined us with his guitar and we had a wonderful evening of song, dance and games. I had by then developed my own style of crazy dancing and most probably it was the first time I displayed it in public. It awed my audience and some steps became so popular that other guys would try and copy it at other occasions.
Next day the excitement continued and all of us (school bunkers) got called into the Principal's office where we gave different explanations for our absence from school. Mrs. Reba Basu (my favorite School Principal) could not help but smile at the ingenious excuses we invented. Finally she asked us all to go home and get letters from our parents explaining the absence. We once again gathered at the sports ground sat under the tree and contemplated on how to handle the situation. I succeeded in copying the signatures of the fathers of a few guys, Susmit, Lalit and Rakesh. I don't remember but most probably Vinod, Siddharth and Ravindra did their own dirty job while I also made a trip home and woke up my Uncle from his afternoon siesta and got his signature on my leave application before he realized what hit him.
Finally, our applications in order we trooped back to the Principal's office. Mrs. Basu, looked at the applications and said "Although I know that a few fathers are present here as well I will not talk to them and let you go back into your class". I promise you she was smiling all thorugh this sentence. "Twisting my ears she told me "Do you think I can not make out your hand writing."
I loved her then. She was beautiful! Pan stained teeth, a few missing, slightly bald, a little on the fatter side, manly voice, heart of gold. She knew that we had spend almost the entire day exercising our thigh muscles in the sports field. I am sure nobody told her about 'Teesri Manzil'.
Anyway all in all now even after 30 years I still remember every moment of that day and the memories become too bright on birthdays.
How I pray to have another birthday like that.
BEREFT BY ROBERT FROST
Where had I heard this wind before
Change like this to a deeper roar?
What would it take my standing there for,
Holding open a restive door,
Looking down hill to a frothy shore?
Summer was past and the day was past.
Sombre clouds in the west were massed.
Out on the porch's sagging floor,
Leaves got up in a coil and hissed,
Blindly struck at my knee and missed.
Something sinister in the tone
Told me my secret must be known:
Word I was in the house alone
Somehow must have gotten abroad,
Word I was in my life alone,
Word I had no one left but God.