Need For Speed

I wont get into the specifics of how the bhaang plan popped up,but only that 4 out of us 7 OK'ed it.Though,it was a first-time for all of us.One claimed he knew,how a bhaang-thandai was prepared and he took charge to prepare it.Another round of holi-hai in the balcony,sipping the vicious thandai.No effect,all fine.
We then settled down after a short session of gaana-bajaana.Someone shouted,"More thandai left,without bhaang.Anybody?"All had a glass each of it.That,I was later told,was the fatal blow;it's advisable to keep off sweet stuff,once on bhaang.As the thandai glasses went empty,the world turned upside-down,literally.

Suddenly,it began to seem as if things had slowed down terribly.I could locate every facial muscle of mine move,as I spoke. It seemed impossible to finish even a single sentence without laughing,or at least it appeared so.I had begun to stammer,or at least I thought so.I asked,if I was stammering,to the other,sane guy.And I kept asking it every 2 minutes(At least I thought I was doing it that frequently).I was told that I was not.

We suddenly realised that we were hungry;very hungry indeed;needed to go to a restaurant nearby.It took people around 2 hours to get ready.The clock however suggested it took 5 mins.

"I can't drive",I declared.I realized,people drive very rash on holi.Vehicles overtaking us were being dangerously close to us.I cautioned my un-bhaang'ed room-mate who was driving to be careful and he simply laughed.He thought it was funny.
It took way too longer for us to cover the usually 5-minute drive.I tried recalling the time when we started from the flat,and I couldn't.It really must have took us very long.

Once,at the restaurant,someone placed order and we waited for food to arrive.The hunger was kiling.Some voice from the above suggested that tasting somthing like a pickle would immediately let go the effect.Two of us attacked the achaar bowl and had finishd it in about a minute.I tried recalling if someone had placed order but could not.I was told the order had been placed and I should relax.Everyone's working terribly slow today,I concluded.

Finally food arrived and we threw ourselves on it.The clutter of spoons and forks coming from the other table had grown unbearbly loud.I thought of complaining,but was too hungry to afford a break from eating.

I asked for a jug of water to be passed from the other end of the table but no one listened.I looked expectedly at the guy next to me and he nodded;somehow no one could listen to me.But he did listen.
Managed to finish lunch and drove back.The bill for a lunch of 7 was what otherwise should have been for 14,we were later told.I did start driving but somehow by the time we reached the apartment,I was at the pillion seat,or was it the other way round.
As all returned and settled down,I started having a feeling but I was too unsure how to say.I was feeling hungry.Again.I fell to bed and immediately dozed off.

Holi'er than thou

I'm usually not a great holi enthusiast;not the types who run in and around the house,only to be caught later and soaked and choked with powder/liquid colur but yes,i'm not part of the hunting party either.

Last Saturday was one heck of a day,it was holi. While,i expected it,to be a usual saturday, a coloured soul shows up and declared that we needed to 'get a life'!! That was it.
Its been quie some time that I PLAYED holi.Prior to this, I have either been at home or working on holi.This year it bound to be different,Holi being on a Saturday.Aware,that Holi is contagious;someone who has been coloured,will be cursed by his soul untill he picks on someone yet-to-be-coloured,I didn't try attempting any resistance and got myself gulal'ed peacefully.

This was my 1st Holi that I 'celebrated' 70-feet above the ground, on the sixth floor.Holi before this had all been a down-to-earth affair.Had to have a high this time.And high we got!!

Insomnia

"There's some courier for you",my room-mate yelled,as I entered the flat,late-night,after
doing a 2nd shift.
"What is it?", I asked while removing my shoes,still weary from the day's work.
"Dont know",he said,not taking his eyes-off the TV."Have placed it on your bed.Had your
dinner?",he asked.
"Ya",I replied."Thnx,someone is bothered",I think,"That's the best part of having college-time buddies as roomies".

Immersed in these thoughts I went to my room and picked the bright-coloured envelope addressed to me."A marriage-invitation card?",i wondered.As I read the name of the
to-be-bride,my already broken heart shattered again.It was my college-time-crush turned
just-a-good-friend.Like all college-time-crushes,everyone in the college,except her,knew
that I had feelings for her.I knew that she was getting married and flying to Sydney;She was
the one who had called and chuckled,"You wont believe how happy I am...".


I was so caught-up in her that the sudden,chorus of Dil Chahta Hai's "Tanhayee..." almost swept me off my feet.It was the bunch of my 3 roomies,standing behind me."Stop it guyz", I shouted,sounding irritated and they burst out laughing.

"That's the problem when you have college-buddies as roomies",I murmured.My thoughts drift back to her,"Those hazel eyes!!I could have proposed her in college itself.Sid was right,I
would realise some day".Jaded and weary,I collapsed on the bed.Sid??Who was Sid?.."



2 yrs later....
I wake up in this hotel room.All travel yestrday made for a good night's sleep.It's been a year now,I am here in Australia.Though today's my first day at Sydney,Melbourne has been good to me in the last year.I admit,I miss my place at Pune at times.And those roomies.Lets see what Sydney has in store.

I need to report in the Sydney office today and meet some Mr. Steve."It was Steve,right?"Something tells me he would be an Indian!! Rubbish!!

After the first day's work at the Sydney office,I am already bugged.I get out of the office
and head to the tube-station.It has gone pretty late.The station is deserted;not a single
soul to be seen on the platform.I take a look at my watch,"Still 10 mins" and head to the
wash-room.

As I get out,I almost bump into this short,white guy,shabbily dressed,his breath stinking
cheap liquor.The bump almost knocked him down.I help him up.He moves his sights to my
sides,trying to look over me.I turn around and find a nicely-dressed,young lady,sitting on
the benches.She's trying hard to look in the other direction,nervously fidgeting the ring on
her finger.I can't see her face but going by the curly,black hair,I guess she's an Indian(???).I
get the matter.I turn to this drunk and look him straight in the eyes."She's with me.",I
declare.Amazed with what I just uttered,I ask "You know her?".He seems taken aback.So,am
I."No.No,...,I was....",he backs off and disappears."Phew!!!",I sigh."I have seen this all tube-station thing somewhere",I say to myself.

I go and seat myself next to her.She's still sitting crouched on the seat.Wait a minute,she
had curly hairs a couple of minutes back.It's all straight now!!How come?Man,there's
something weird here!!

"Relax.He's gone",I try to talk."Are you allright?",I ask.

Nodding in a YES,she looks up and I see the face.The eyes!!Those hazel eyes.It's her!!

"YOU",I scream.I feel my feet cold."How come you here,.......,i mean,yes,you were going to
Sydney,you told but here,........., and I never thought,I mean,this way,.... ".I kept
fumbling yet talking.
"Will you shut up??",she giggled,"Or you wanna miss the train?".
"So,how's Rohit doing?",I ask her as we settle down in our seats on the train."Rohit??""Yeah,your hubby,Rohit!!",I say,maintaining a smile."I actually dont want to know anything about that guy".'Your hubby',that hurts.
"You mean Ashish?",she asks.
"Ya,that"."How could I forget that name??I had been staring blankly at that
invitation-card,for like,2 weeks,after I received it.But why Rohit of all the names??Rohit??"
"He's fine",she says with a sigh and turns her face the other way.Something tells me all's
not fine.
"Where do you get down?",I ask,assuming she had a fight with Rohit,in the morning and I
should change topic.
"I get down at the next station",she tells."There's an Uncle of mine living nearby there.Am staying there".Somethings definitely wrong,I find my insides twisting.
"Uncle??And he's a photographer?",I ask."What made me say that??"
"No",she gives a Weirdo-you look."He's a doctor,retired.Why did you say a photographer?"
"I dont know.I think you had told me at the airport","what the hell am I saying???"
"At the airport??You need some wine.",she giggles again."There comes my station",she
reminds."Here",she hands over a business-card."Do give a call tomorrow."
She gets out and waves.I wave back and the train starts moving.I can't belive what's going on.Is it plain luck?destiny?meant to be toghether?Bullshit,I almost yell."And what was that photographer-uncle crap about?Airport??Gosh !!"



It's been 2 months since we met on that tube-station.And we are pretty much in an affair
now.As for her and Rohit,"Things din't work out between us",was all she offered in
explanation.And neither was I intersted in hearing anything about Rohit.(I can't help but
it's always Rohit rather than Ashish).

She's asked me to come to this coffee-shop.She said she 'needed to talk'.I discover,her parents have asked her to return to India and they are pestering her with marriage offers.She's going back to India tomorrow and once she's home,our story is nailed.
She asked me,if I would marry her.I say,"Of course".She says she meant "NOW?".I say to myself,"This is all happening too quick".

We go a local Krishna temple and put varmala on each other.There are a couple of friends of her photographer-uncle to stand witness for the legal acceptance of the marriage.Being still new in Sydney,I couldn't get someone to stand for me."Oh,I miss my ex-roomies,my friends so much at this moment. "
She needs to go to her Uncle's place;her flight to India is early in the morning;while I go
back to mine."Boy,this is all so unreal!!",I think,"but who's complaining!!".
If your love is true,it will find its way."The day you are in true love,you will realise this",Sid was right.Dreamy eyed,I collapse to bed."When did Sid say that?Sid??WHO IS SID??"



"Good morning,Sire.Have you quit work,after you are love-bitten?",I hear my pune-wala-roomie!!

This can't be happening,i mean,yes,i wanted these guyz to be around here but,how come.....;Alright,SHE must have informed them,quietly,to plan a surprise for me !! She had probably noticed that I was a bit upset for not having anyone around !! She is so caring.

I get the familiar aroma of Red-Label tea on the gas-stove.Oh God,I have been missing Tea so
badly.Smiling and still sleepy,I prefer not to open my eyes,and ask this guy,"What the hell are
you guyz doing here in Sydney?"
"SYDNEY??GUYS.....",he yelled,"You heard that??". He fell on the floor laughing.

"What the hell!!"I jerk my head and clasp my face in my palms.

Another one emerged from the other room.Another blast of laughter and there
were now 2 on the floor curling.
It all fits together now.I had watched Dil Chahta Hai,my favourite movie,for the umteenth time a couple of days back.All those Who-Sid,Sydney,an Indian with name Steve(Satyadev Mehta),the heroine with curly-hair,the photographer-uncle,Rohit and the scene at tube-station......
As I let-me-go the other guys,I hear the 3rd one humming from the kitchen,"Pyaar bekaar ki musibat hai....".More laughs.I go inside the bathroom and slam the door behind me.