20 questions...

This tag's been doing the rounds and just like the flue i caught it too (Gosh I'm a poet!!)
Anyway, here goes...

1. Pick out a scar you have, and explain how you got it.
No visible scars. The not visible ones... ummm....i forgot how i got them.. (hey who's that saying 'ya right'??)

2. What is on the walls in your room?
Dartboard, glo-at-night stars and moon (yayaya i kno i DO have the teens hangover), a painted tile - Bom Jesus Church Old Goa, a little frame from Spain... random stuff.

3. What does your phone look like?
Like a 2 yr old black Nokia 3320. Scratched, jaded, much loved and used.

4. What music do you listen to?
Hummable type.

5. What is your current desktop picture?
A b&w extremely aaaaawwwwww type pic of my dog...

6. What do you want more than anything right now?
Things, direction, peace of mind...

7. Do you believe in gay marriage?
Yes. Living in a country where little girls get married to Peeple trees, or worse still to dogs, all in order to bring the family good luck, it feels like hypocricy to not believe in the marriage of two consenting adults who love each other.

8. What time were you born?
5.10 am. What does that tell say aboue me?? Why is this question here... i have no idea!!

9. Are your parents still together?
Yup.

10. What are you listening to?
Evanescence - My immortal.

11. Do you get scared of the dark?
Yes. Most definitely do.

12. The last person to make you cry?
Ought to the one crying. Am working towards that...

13. What is your favorite perfume/cologne?
Paris by YSL. Anu thinks its hyper-uncool to like anything called Paris. And K thought that it was such a terribly old-fashioned choice. But what the hell, that's me.

14. What kind of hair/eye colour do you like on the opposite sex?
Very dark black and intense...

15. Do you like pain killers?
What're those?

16. Are you too shy to ask someone out?
Not at all. In fact i think it's great fun.

17. Favorite pizza topping?
Sausages and black olives

18. If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?
Pizza with sausages and black olives... (wonder where i got that urge from!!)

19. Who was the last person you made mad?
Sis. But then she's damn good at it what with all that practice.

20. Is anyone in love with you?
I think so.

Tagging Jackson, Goldfluke, Lemontree. If i get Goldfluke to respond, then do something as crazy as uploading a childhood pic of me (can't think of anything more horrific than that).

Whatever

It was well past midnight, and he was falling asleep. Lying on his stomach with his right arm dangling and touching the floor, hair falling on his eyes and the crumpled white bedsheet covering his bare bum and legs, he looked every bit the cute boy you'd want to cuddle up with on a cold sunday afternoon in December.

The Bob Dylan cd was on loop and playing for the endless time that evening. He didn't mind it though. The volume was very low, and the songs were all his favorite anyway.. the kind that lull you into peaceful sleep in no time.

He was tired of waiting. They'd done it twice over and he was hoping he'd be ready for a third time soon. If only she would finish her shower soon. He frowned. Women were beyond him; why they needed to shower at 12.30 in the night, he could just didn't get. But then they smelled so good. He smiled and decided it was worth the wait; what choice did he have anyway? He felt hungry too. The pasta had been great but not enough. He'd had to share it with her, though he didn't mind that. Who would, when it yielded such rich rewards?

He could hear the sound of water and see little steamy wisps escaping from under the door. He imagined her in there, wrapped in a cloud of steam and bubbles and fragrances. He let his mind wander.

The sound of water stopped. She'd finished her shower. He opened his eyes and raised them towards the bathroom door, anticipating.

A clicking sound of the door opening.

A beep of his cell-phone, announcing a text message.

She opened the bathroom door and stood there with a thousand droplets on her body and a sultry smile on her lips. She saw the phone in his hands and rolled her eyes. He looked at her and shrugged as he raised himself and sat kneeling on the bed.

"Just landed..." the text began. There was more but he had no time to read it. She'd walked upto him, and taken the phone from him and tossed it aside. She looked like she meant business, and he willingly gave in. She was the boss after all. At work and in their dirty little games. The exhaustion was gone, the sleep had vanished. It was time for a third time, he was ready.

* * *

Fog had delayed all flights, and hers was late by 2 hrs. It was nearly 1 in the night by the time she finally landed and got to the baggage claim. She cursed herself for having checked in the bag, because it was now going to take so long to arrive.

She was tired. It had been a long day. She'd gone to work in the morning, taken the sick aunt to the hospital in the afternoon and then gone shopping for some books and music that she'd been planning to buy for a while. And after that she'd gone back to the apartment, tidied up things and cooked. She was sad she'd to leave without seeing him another time, but then she knew couldn't have waited till he returned from work. He was really busy these days, but it was only a matter of a few more months. He had to just make his mark in his new job, and for that he had to slog it out for some more time. Already his boss was very impressed with him and had indicated that he was going to go places. Yes it meant a lot of long hours, but he had to do that. Soon he'd get his promotion and raise, and probably a deputation abroad. They'd get married and start their lives together.

Someone bumped into her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She realized she'd been smiling away, and became conscious of a few people looking at her strangely. She felt stupid, but happy still. I'm the luckiest girl alive, she thought, and they can see my happiness.

Must talk to Mom and ask her if all arrangements can be done in three months. It would be the wedding season, and there was going to a mad rush for everything - the venues, the caterers, the flower guys... everything. She just had to have the most perfect wedding. They'd waited for years after all.

Her bag arrived. She picked it up from the conveyer belt and put it on the cart. Another 20 minutes and she was in the cab, speeding towards home that was at least 45 minutes away.

The thoughts came back. Actually they seemed to have taken over her mind completely for the last few weeks. Ever since he'd mentioned to her that he was thinking seriously about life and love and her role in his life. And that he wanted to change the nature of their relationship. She grinned.

She remembered she'd switched on her mobile soon after landing. She fished in her bag and took it out now, and clicked on 'write message', and typed:

"Just landed... got delayed. Hope u liked t Bob Dylan cd & yr fav penne arabiata i made 4 u & left in t micro. Last night was fantastic. same magic as we had 5 yrs ago. Love you so much, u're da best."

And she thanked the angels for letting her find true love, and said a silent prayer for a lifetime of happiness with him.

This is my last week of being 26 yrs old, and that makes me happy
:)

Notes from away

People everywhere are essentially the same. They have the same dreams, worries, fears and reasons to smile. Everyone wants to be loved, dreams of finding the 'right' man/ woman who will bring a lifetime of happiness and joy into their lives, of having enough money to have a comfortable life and of always being connected with whatever is important to them - family, friends, art, places, sex.

Those essential similarities apart, cultural differences are mind boggling. I see here that the idea of roughing it out means traveling without a hair-dryer/iron. And that casual hook-ups are a way of life. And that not many give two hoots about being politically correct, sensitive or considerate. It is pretty much I centric. Whether i think that's right or wrong is not important, it is just different and am glad am getting to see that.

I realize that under the surface we are all racists in our own ways. At least until we know people slightly well, we judge (regardless of whether it's a appreciative judgment or derogatry) them by their ethnicities. At least, I do. I have an opinion on Americans (my sis knows it), on Europeans, esp the English (my boss knows it) and on Asians, Indians, Chinese, Blacks. Anshu knows those, being my co-traveller and the listener of my ramblings sometimes.

I realize i love the sound of the words 'home' and 'mom'. I'm not in exile, i have gone away on my own free will, and after much much longing, dreaming and planning. And yet, with more than half the trip stretching ahead of me, i am homesick too.

I've learnt that S was right - my work and my role at work to a large part shapes my sense of identity and pride. I don't know if that's good or bad... just that it is like that only. I think it's inevitable. Ansh is a designer, so wherever we go, she notices fashion, window display styles and architecture. I find myself instinctively noticing brands, banks, advertising firms. (Psst.. AC Neilsen has a huge office at Oxford, and Publicis at Champs Elyeese)

While on brands - so far i see that there is only one brand when it comes to shoes : Nike. It's either Nike or some unknown fashion brand. And i say this after observations with a stastically viable sample size. When it comes to bags, its Jansport. And i used to look down on Jansport as a wannabe brand. :-)

I'm learning that how i feel about people, is how i decide i want to feel about them.

When I see how dispensable i am to the social and professional circles i consider myself an important part of, I feel very humbled but also very lonely.

I like the fact that i always travel light and have only a few necessary things. On this trip though I think i've overdone the light travel bit and find myself wearing the same stuff more often than i like.

It is so ironic... I find myself conversing in Punjabi with more people here in Spain, than i have ever conversed with in my whole life in India. They tell me about their lives here away from India, how and why they moved, the cost of living here and about the need to be very careful while taveling in these cities. Their smiles reach their eyes and their concern seems genuine. They give us discounts, free coffee and free advice.
Sometimes when you are hurting or hungry or lonely, you don't even realize how bad it is until you find a caring friend, a meagre meal and someone to talk to (respectively).

Anshu and i were laughing last evening, about how our friends and folks back home expect that we will return transformed. Boss asked me yesterday - are you enjoying yourself? Are you writing? Is you mind expanding? My answers were yes, yes and ummmm... i really don't know.

I'm learning many things... but is my mind expanding? How do i figure that one out?