Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sweeter than chocolate, softer than butter..

We sat in that rusty pie shop,the first time we shared an evening. The one on the 4th cross street, just two blocks away from where I lived. I have always been here, ever since I got to know pies and cakes. He was shy and that was nice. It was a first time, for me with a boy and for him in that pie shop. I waited for him to choose his favorite. “What do you like”, he asked me.

“ Umm, I have already placed my order and you?”

“An apple pie, with some melted yellow cheese and a coffee”, he winked at me and smiled at the waitress.

That made me smirk, rather sheepishly but I pretended to be such a cool person.
He had been my neighbor for four years and sure he would know what nuts I was made of or he didn’t care. But I knew his; bike lover, jogger, weekend smoker, shoe lover, sexy stubbles, black hair, clean nails, cute smile, well, pretty much of my kind, except for the smoking part.

I liked him and every one in my life knew that. Why didn’t I tell him? Because he had someone else in his life. Why am I here today then? Because we both were at the pie shop, in two different tables, alone and didn’t know what to do when our eyes and smiles exchanged greetings.
The table looked so clean and round that it was like a painted canvas when it was filled with our pies and coffee. My Coconut cream cake did to me what water does to lungs after an exhaustive jog. I wanted something bar my slobber to stroke my throat. It’s ok, I felt better and asked

“How come you alone here?”

“Why not?”, he replied with his pie and a smile and yet managed to keep his mouth half closed.

“What happened to you girlfriend?”

“What?” Alright. Those days, it wasn’t so easy or cool to be talking about love affairs, you see.

I munched on my pie and went, “your girlfriend, I have seen you here with her”.
He waited for the pie to be patiently swallowed and said “We are not together now” and gently smiled.

It was like how you felt when a plane you are in, takes off. Suddenly, the coconut cream pie and the raspberry sauce on top of it was the most exotic thing to eat in the whole world.

“Hmm, it’s wonderful, you should try it sometime”. The cheese neatly dripped and fell in place on top of his apple pie. Ohh yea, it must be. “The coffee goes well with it”, he said, sipping.
Nodding was the only thing I found sensible to do.

“I may be moving out of this town soon, will miss all these”. Smile intact, voice cool, he said that to put out a moment of joy that was gushing inside my veins. Yea, best things in life are free and come in small packages.

Fifteen minutes and a few heavy heart beats later, I decided I should leave. There was no point sitting with a guy who seemed to have his life all sorted out. I knew he didn’t feel the way I did for him.

I paid though he insisted that I let him.

I picked my bag, smiled at him and got up “Listen, there’s something I want to tell you. I have always liked you. I have known you for some time. And I think you are..” I didn’t have a word to complete it but went on “Anyways, I think it doesn’t make any sense now. If you ever think you like me, just give a call. I smiled like I would to a friend. “Bye and have a good life”, and walked off.

He called me from where he was.

“Hmmm ?” I didn’t know how he felt but I was pretty cool to just move on.

“I don’t have your number”

“Why do you need?”

“To tell you I like you”. He still sat there with a paper napkin in his hand. The only other thing I
could see in the entire world was nothing. Taking one sip of coffee as if to feed some reality, he smiled, yet again.

The usual chaos went on in the cafĂ©’ with laughter and the clatter of coffee mugs, my heart tickled and that moment seemed just bloody perfect.

A year later.

The waitress passed on a warm smile saying, ”Apple pie with melted yellow cheese and two coffees?”

And we replied in unison “Yes, Please”.

Monday, March 9, 2009

One is not born a woman, one becomes one.

--Simone de Beauvoir:
A popular foward, I customised in my own thoughts and then words.



EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
Read a few great books which changed her thinking, taught her how the earth moved and kept her company during lonely times


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
A handful of friends outside her family, whom she can trust any day


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
Travelled alone


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
Had a career for herself at least once in her life


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
Presentable nails and hair


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
Clothing that she finds herself beautiful in


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
Dreams about her future and some guts to make them happen


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
One pair of jewel that her grandchildren will be proud to call their grandmom’s


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
Her own collection of music, books, recipes that she is willing to share


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
Fallen in love

*****
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
How a bank account works


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
At least one perfect dessert to make on any occasion


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
To shake hands gently & firmly with a man


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
To smile at a kid even in times of distress


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
To trust herself beyond anybody else


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
Her parents’ birthdays & anniversaries


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
At least one story to tell the kids the way they like it


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
God. Believing or disbelieving him is a different question altogether.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Sometimes when the day is dark...

...the only way to light up the spirit is by hugging the memories and smiling over’em.

Moments of my life I lost my heart to..

*A month off in Chennai during final year, all in the name of project
*Icecream in Corner House,Bangalore
*Those rides in college bus.
*Late night phone calls that used to sometimes last till dawn.
*Staying over with friends, watching movies, playing and talking all night.
*Gulab Jamuns,especiailly the ones made on the eve of Diwali.
*First movie, bunking class
*Rides on Scooty
*A R Rahman's creations
*Group studies right the day before semester
*Morning walks in Indra Nagar,Bangalore
*Chilli Gobi at Nandinee
*Alaipayuthe, the movie
*First days on Orkut
*Chilling out over bajji with Smith,Meerkut n Pinks
*Afternoon drives with Smith & Meerkut
*Vacation after 12th standard school
*Life with BUGFRENTS
*Idlis with ghee from MTR,Bangalore
*Drives in Bangalore
*Westlife
*Bushra's friendship
*Backstreet Boys
*The warm aroma of Cookies from Forum,Bangalore
*Movies at Forum
*View of New York in the night from plane
*Mountain Dew from College canteen
*Vaseegara song from Minnale
*Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide,Siege
*Munnar
*Orange Souffle
*Undomestic Goddess, The book
*Evenings with music in a crowded park
*Princess Diana
*Evenings in Beasant Nagar Beach
*Dove chocolate
*Holi at Pune
*Jacqueline Wilson, the author
*Walks thru' MG Road,Pune
*Early morning bus rides through the suburbs of Nagercoil
*Barbie Vanilla Cake flavored perfume
*Madhuri Dixit
*Cricket World Cup, 1996
*Sunsets in Beach on December 31st
*Everybody Loves Raymond, TV Series
*Evenings spent at Jaffrin's house
*10th std trip to Kodaikanal
*Chilli Beef
*Kenny Rogers
*The Beatles
*Friday evening drives to Nagercoil
*College,College,College & College, every minute of it.