One for the Road

In less than a week, I'd have bid India adieu.
("Adieu, adieu to you and you and you! *trill*) 5 points for getting the Sound of Music reference.

I'm trying so hard to be serious and responsible, but I feel frivolous, flippant and a little crazy.

There are so many things I'm going to leave behind: My parents, a small pet sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, my baby bird and the best 5 years at IIT that anyone could ever ask for.

It seems funny that in spite of knowing all this, I don't feel sad or worried or scared, just excited! Those 5 years were precious because of the people they were composed of. Now that all those people have started on with the next phase of their lives, all I feel is an intense desire to get my show on the road!

I can't seem to view this 2 month holiday as 'Life' but as a temporary lull, a sort of tea break before work starts again. (Is work becoming life?!) Or am I so excited about going to study at Oxford, that I've viewed these 2 months simply as preparation for Oxford and not as a break in themselves?

This is not to say, that I haven't slept, eaten and enjoyed myself in this holiday! No siree! It's just that, these 2 months have not seemed real to me.

Well, dear kind readers! My next post shall be from Oxford. Are you as excited as I am? (Don't answer that. I know you're not. I just had to ask)

Driving

One of my worst fears is that I'll never be a good driver.

I'm uncoordinated, careless, a day dreamer and mild. None of which are exactly the hall marks of a great driver; Especially if you're going to be driving in Mumbai. I watch my mother expertly navigating her way around rickshaws, trucks, BEST buses and secretly wonder if I could ever do all that AND yell at a daughter sitting in the next seat.

But to Roll Over and Die is not the deSouza's motto. I don't really know what our motto is, but it is definitely not that! No, we deSouza's face our Fears. Or in my case, we bypass them entirely.

The way I do this, is to pretend the opposite! I sat up at nights and thought fiercely, until I allowed my imagination to convince my brain, that I was actually not afraid. I goaded myself into believing that I was not only good at driving, but I was the best! The only reason my burgeoning skill had not been revealed to the world was because I hadn't had the opportunity!- The cons of being burdened by highly skeptical parents who are fiercely protective of their cars.

What could I do then?

The next best option seemed to be: go-karting!

After months of raving about the social, economic and environmental advantages of a go karting spin, I managed to convince my wing mates that the old Hiranindani arena was the place to be! We crowded around the ticketing counter one evening. "8 laps or 12?" asked the lackadaisical voice from behind the window. "12", I said firmly. "Are you crazy, Priyanka?! We've never done this before. None of us know how to drive and you want 12 laps," came the furious chorus. "12," I replied inexorably. If I was going to showcase my skill to the world, I was going to do nothing by halves!

We put on our helmets in grim silence. And all of a sudden we were off!

Dear Reader, I never felt such a thrill before in my life! For three seconds down that smooth, straight track, I had the wind in my hair, and stars in my eyes. I WAS a great driver. How could I have ever doubted that? And then came nemesis in the form of- A Turn.

Three seconds later, I had crashed into a cascade of tires.

While waiting to be extricated, I watched my other wingmates despondently, as they skimmed around the arena with skilfull ease. By the time a grinning agent had got me and the car back on track most of them had finished their 12 laps and were talking about it gleefully. They waited and watched in awe as I, determined to get my money's worth, painstakingly completed each lap at an average speed of 10 kmph. 20 kmph on the straight parts and ~0 near corners.

At long last I drew the car to a halt and got out. Maybe, I was a really good driver, I guess I just wasn't good at go-karting.

Poems about my favorite people

KP

Some people collect shells; Others pottery,
Assembling weirdos, is Bala's hobby!

And who appears on top of the list
Why KP ofcourse! 'Spretty obvious

This young lady is a crazy explorer
And is most at home among flora and fauna

Heres a secret that I know is true
KP isn't just KP, She's superman too!

The photonucleic effect is how superman recharges
While KP revitalizes in dark green forests!

So every time you're back is turned
Know that KP is somewhere, saving the world!

She's the protector of all, from barbets to kites
Saplings and bees and dear old lakeside

And not just to Nature does KP lend her energy
But to humans too! Albeit grudgingly! :P

She's patience itself to tales of woe
And helps you laugh when you're feeling low

She claims to be clumsy and butterfingery
But just check out her paper quilling to know quite differently!

She doesn't care what she looks like
She doesn't care what you think
She essays sarcastic comebacks before you can blink

And thats just part of the reason why we love you KP
You're so much fun. We love you infi!


Tangy

Tangy is a penguin
And there my poem's endin'

For it is a well known fact
That penguins simply love their math

Not as much as Spanish omelettes
Or late night work at the Credit Suisse Office

But enough to leave their home in India
To go abroad to study at Columbia

Penguins also have a wealth of anecdotes
(They have a funny diet comprising mainly of artichokes!)

Like the time they tried to dispose their shoes, missed the train
Walked miles and miles back, over unfamiliar terrain

Or the day we saw the 'President is Coming' at Prithvi
And didn't recognize their school after talking about it blythely

But the best part about penguins, is they make amazing friends
Tangy, I'll miss you! To the very, very end!


Bala
When it comes to birds and bees//
Funny fruits and milipedes//
Pluck your sample, write a description//
Send them to bala for identification


Now, Bala in the city is a scary proposition//
For she randomly stops at busy intersections//
Oblivious of traffic, people and of being knocked down dead//
She'll reach up to pluck the flower above her head

And if it's too high up for her to reach
She'll call upon you to step into the breach!

But she'll come to your room when you're feeling down
And talk to you endlessly to get you back up
She'll sit through all your talks and presentations
Fix your laptop and works better than meditation

So all in all to cut a tale short
I'll miss you Bala
SO VERY MUCH

Mankar
One happy night, on our way from Parel
In a half empty train dabba, we found a friend

It all started with her DSLR camera
Coupled with dimples and Marathi drama!

It escalated quickly during fun SAC sessions
All the nautankiness was so so entertainin'!

She showed her support for KP by coming for Nature Club events
But dirt and earthworms conquered enthusiasm in the end! :D

While Untidy rooms and shoes unarranged
Were calculated to drive her deranged

But the pleasant chatter, the dinners and treats
Cemented a friendship that was ours 'for keeps'

In particular birthday confidences, the coming out session
Of a closet poetess was a lovely connection

Adding on to this she's a very hard worker
Inspirational and ambitious, she's a top class researcher

So keep shining Shruti
We're all there for you
This friendship is forever and I miss you!


Panja
Would you think of staying in touch
With a friend who forgot your birthday?
Not much!

But what if you were the nicest person on the planet?
Inspite of being on a carbs free diet?

Well you'd still write emails and not be bitchy
And be there for your friend, who you dubbed -pitchy!

Which would be a good thing because pitchy loves you madly
The Westin hotel days and the drunken karaoke

The times we hung out, you, me and Scrooge
The ribald jokes that were oh so rude!

The long discussions on gender and sexuality
The breaking of barriers and the acceptance of disparity

Here's to the last year and to rindiness in general
Heres to friendship. May it be perennial

Deduction

"Hallo there Shraxy! Check out this lot of freshmen that I'm towing along. Real babies, aren't they? I've got to drop them off at 'Linear Algebra Day Care'. See you for lunch? Right-o. On my way!"

"Alright Pat! Don't you 'Sherlock Holmes' your group and scare them off, before Prof R has a shot at them!"

It was the first day of college. We, first years, had just been administered with: One, half-hour Buck-U-Uppo speech by the Director, a folder containing our timetables and Pat. Pat was supposed to "nanny us a bit and make sure we were fed to Professor R of Linear Algebra in time", as she put it. She was a senior, majoring in Chemistry.

"What did she mean when she said "Don't Sherlock Holmes" us?" asked a tall, gangly boy whose name I later learned to be Mike.

Pat looked at him and laughed. "It means nothing, freshie! Except, I can see that you have an older brother who is punctilious in dressing. You on the other hand are not. You play the guitar and if I am to hazard a guess, the Music Society here will be pleased to have you, as you play well. You stayed with relatives last night and came here this morning by train. Your parents have not accompanied you here. You've stayed in Mumbai before for a reasonable amount of time. Am I right?"

"Yes! But- but how?!"

We gazed in mute astonishment at our guide.
"You must know him!-She must!" several of my classmates cried out.

"I don't! Now listen here my pets. Seeing is different from observing, just as Sherlock Holmes said. You've come to this University to become engineers. Observation is a key skill in Science. It will help you extract the vital from the extraneous. Once you do that, every problem can be broken down to its essence. Do you understand?"

We had arrived at the classroom by now and already we could hear the Professor inside instructing everyone to take their seats. Pat ushered us. I hung back.

"How did you do that?" I asked.

Pat tried gently pushing me inside the classroom. She realized very soon that the only way she could get rid of me was by answering my question.

"Very Simple. His shirt did not fit him properly about the shoulders. Clearly it was a hand me down. Who was the hander- An elder brother? Several buttons have been sown on again (You could tell by the slightly different colored thread used). Therefore his brother was punctilious about dressing. The way our friend scuffed his sleeves up clearly shows he, on the other hand is not! Next; In my experience, when freshmen first come to University, they are brushed, soaped and starched to within an inch of their lives. In addition, their nails are ALWAYS cut short. The nail of his right index finger was long. (He is obviously right handed from the way he slung his bag around his right shoulder). Why does a teenage boy have long nails? To play the guitar without a pick, my dear . However, the nails on his left hand were also long. Therefore he uses his left hand to more than strum. Clearly, he plays Flamenco style guitar. Only someone who is very good can do that. Next, (I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed when you hear this) I saw a local Mumbai ticket sticking out of his pocket which meant he had traveled by train. Parents not accompany him? Well if his parents had, ten to one, his mother or father would have bought the tickets and held on to them. He would not have his own ticket with him. Which Indian parent is comfortable with letting their child do battle with the Mumbai local train for the first time alone, on such an important occasion as joining college? He has clearly lived here before and traveled by train in the past. Does that satisfy you now?

What is that? Stay at a hotel? My dear, please! Everyone has some relation or the other in Mumbai! I mean it's Mumbai! He definitely stayed with relatives."


In a daze, I mumbled an affirmative and allowed Pat to firmly push me inside the classroom. I don't remember much of that first lecture anymore, but I sure remembered Pat!



(To be continued)

Short Story

She felt the bitterness of death as she sat there under the star light. He talked on. All she was thinking of was how small and insignificant a life was. What mattered it, if the whole world was swallowed by a black hole, leaving behind the universe in all it's cold perfection? He kept on talking.

He was talking about a party that he had attended with a friend. She looked at him, as if for the first time. What was she doing with him? Here he was, talking about a party; when the twinkly lights of the city below, the cloud of aromatic smells from the cigarettes around them and the velvety sky above whispered of magic and romance and death and eternity and life and heroes and ...monsters.

She felt a sudden distaste for him and everything about him sear through her like a white hot flame.

It was midnight now. The darkness gave birth to the ghostly figures of waiters as they started closing shop. He made a move to go and she gladly assented. She kicked off her ridiculous high heeled shoes and walked bare foot with him out on to the street. The touch of the cool pavement helped her calm down. She ought to have felt that rush of happiness she always experienced as the folds of her lovely dress swished ever so slightly in the breeze, or that feeling of satisfaction of knowing she was looking her best: desirable and lovely. But she felt only a cold emptiness.

He tried to take her hand and tell her he had a good time as they reached her apartment, but she brushed him away with a quick smile and ran quickly to her flat. She smiled gaily at the neighbour she met in the lobby, calmly and collectedly opened the door to her home. It was then and only then that she allowed herself to break down. She threw herself on to the bed and sobbed violently.

What did she care about the stars or magic or dreams or anything for that matter? All she wanted was to be loved! Oh! She felt so unloved! There she had been, dressed up just for him; And all he talked about were parties and other girls and everything else but her! She felt a deep depression as understanding of her unhappiness crystallized and dawned on her. She turned, and lay face up on her bed and looked at the ceiling with tragic eyes.

Books that changed my life (will keep updating)

1) To Kill a Mocking Bird
2) Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Willows, Anne's House of Dreams, Rilla of Ingleside, Blue Castle, The Emily Series, The Road to Yesterday, The Patricia Series, EVERYTHING
3)Tess of the D'Urbervilles, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure, Far from the Madding Crowd
4)Little Women, Good Wives, Little Men, Jo's Boys
5)Brave New World
6) The Saint in Europe (especially: The Rhine Maiden, The Golden Journey, The Spanish Cow)
7)Vanity Fair
8)The Brothers Karamazov
9)Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel, The King's General, Frenchman's Creek
10)David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, Little Dorrit
11)Catcher in the Rye
12) Love Story I and II
13) Jonathan Livingston Seagull
14)The Great Gatsby
15) The Razor's Edge, The Mood and Six Pence, Of Human Bondage, Mrs. Craddock, Eastern Tales, More Far Easter Tales ALL THE SHORT STORIES
16)Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Agnes Gray
17) The Keys of the Kingdom, Shannon's Way
18) P/G Wodehouse (EVERYTHING)... the old school boy stories are top hole
19) Agatha Christie (EVERYTHING)
20) Erle Stanley Gardener (EVERYTHING)
21) The Color Purple
22) Midnight's Children
23)The French Lieutenant's Woman
24)The Story of Philosophy
25)Dubliners
26)Labyrinths
27)Pale Fire
28)The Stranger
29) Lord of the Rings
30)E Philips Oppenheim (EVERYTHING)
31)Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn
32) Tom Brown's School Days
33) The Valley of the Dolls
34)Saturday
35)Narnia, Out of a Silent Planet
36)Harry Potter
37) Rebecca of Sunny Brook Farm, Pollyanna (similar veined books)
38) Microbe Hunters
39) Count of Monte Cristo, Prisoner of Zenda I and II, Scarlet Pimpernel (similar veined books)
40) Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass
41) Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park
42) Animal Farm
43) Secret Garden, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Railway Children, all the Francis Burnett stories (favorite childhood books)
44) A Town Like Alice
45) Mistress of Mellyn
46) Father Brown
47) The Agony and the Ecstasy
48) Richmal Crompton (ALL)
49) Cheaper by the Dozen
50) Hiawatha
51) Horatius
52) Rudyard Kipling's Poems
53)A G Gardiner's Essays
54) Run Baby Run
55) Madame Curie (biography)
56) Clockwork Orange
57) The Castle
58) A Streetcar Named Desire
59) Magnificent Obsession

Vanity versus Love (Obviously a Somerset Maugham quote)

All sensible people know that vanity is the most devastating, the most universal, and the most ineradicable of the passions that afflict the soul of man; And it is only vanity that makes one deny it's power. It is more consuming than love. With advancing years, mercifully, you can snap your fingers at the terror and servitude of love, but age cannot free you from the thralldom of vanity.

Time can assuage the pangs of love, but only death can still the anguish of wounded vanity.Love is simple and seeks no subterfuge, but vanity cozens you with a hundred disguises. "It is part and parcel of every virtue, it is the mainspring of courage and the strength of ambition".
You cannot escape it You are defenseless from its onslaught....