Memoirs of Bachelorhood

Don’t get me wrong ’cause am still in the same phase of life. Delightful bachelorhood. Where responsibilities are important but not crucial and when we have the freedom to do, if I may, whatever we want. I have and still am enjoying my days as a bachelor. And since I am in a new city I have virtually all the freedom I ever need. Yesterday my friends and I went to Lonavala… a hill station nearby. Huh! Hill station. Saw many hills but other than that I dint get any feel of it. The sun beating down relentlessly on us. Ruthless, right from the very beginning. We reached the place and took a ride to a nearby spot. I don’t remember the name nor was there anything cool to see. Except for the view of the valley which was breath taking. Finally something to raise my spirits… a tattoo shop. Been searching for it since leaving my home. Of course ’twas a temp one. I decided to go ahead with it. It started off pretty well. A chain on my right bicep. After an hour I was still sitting there in the sun and the guy was painstakingly tattooing my arm. Finally done. I had to let it dry. Patience is a virtue. Not for me. Left the place with my sleeves up.

My arm on my friend’s shoulder I walked in the sun to let it dry. Finally satisfied that it had dried up I rolled down my sleeves. Then I let the adventurer in me take charge. As we walked down the highway we saw a steep hill by the side of it. Finally I got the chance to use my shoes to the fullest. It might seem a little silly but while buying my Woodland shoes I had hoped to go trekking at least once. The view from the top was just breath taking. Celebrated our victory with a few screams and a few clicks.

Trekking… tattooing… some of the few things that only a young adult bachelor would dare to do. Ok leave trekking…tattooing should fit that list. And still many more to come. Many many more….

The Transition

Yes I got my call… finally. The doors of Cap Gemini finally opened. Excited, overwhelmed… out of time. Got just 2 weeks to prepare. And out of that, a week gone in Bangalore. I had booked the ticket for one final visit to the place where the “gang” relocated. I also had to fulfill my promise I took the last time I went there. “I’ll be back”, I said… with more money. And yes I went and also with more money. The trip was just wonderful. Yes it lived up to my expectations. We did all that we had planned to do. I am not going into the details ‘cause they are unnecessary and not meant to be disclosed.

After many final goodbyes I boarded the train to Pune. Got a new friend on board. Even the details of that are unnecessary… or maybe I’ll disclose them at a later point of time. Where was I? Yes the train to Pune. The train was punctual… little too punctual… we reached 00:45 hrs. We had to spend the time in the station… until the sun rose. Then we went to our lodging… a wonderful hotel. The next day I saw the result of the test, GD and interview I took almost a year ago. I was not disappointed at all. A sprawling castle like structure on top of a hill. WOW!!! The cool chill of AC breezed through my face as I entered the building. This feeling was something that would get only too common in the days to come. After all the formalities were completed we got our chance to roam around and see what would be our provider for years to come.

Had to search hard for our home…but what came at last was much higher than what I had ever dreamed of. 3 weeks have passed and now I am totally settled and loving it in Pune. “Mechanical” is my life during weekdays and waste is my life during weekends. Nevertheless I love what I am now. But those moments that I get alone I think about my past. My glorious moments with friends…others not so glorious. That night rides in the pillion…those visits to school…those strolls in the football field. My school….my friends… my home… Yes I do miss them… this is my period of transition… maybe the toughest time ever in my life. Just a glimpse of things to come maybe… away from family and friends, forging new relationships in the way.

Truly The Lone Ranger

Nearly a month alone in my home. Nothing to do... except eat, tv and sleep. As one of my friends very wisely acknowledged,"I like holidays", he said, "not holi months". That should give you a picture of the torture we are going through. Well atleast most of us are going through. This post might not lead anywhere and am just writing it to keep my writing 'ok' and not forget the language.
Think of a day where you wake up and find that you have nothing to do and no place to go. That's everyday for me. I can only hope that my company calls me fast and more important than that I clear all my papers. Thats the more important one actually. I hope I clear them all... I hope I get the call fast... I hope...

Homeostasis

'A state of equilibrium or a tendency to reach equilibrium, either metabolically within a cell or organism or socially and psychologically within an individual or group'. Thats what it means. Let me explain. It means that if our body is in a state of internal equilibrium it will thrive to remain in that state for as long as possible until the external force becomes greater... usually the change is accompanied or slowed down with many adverse effects.

I realise that I have done nothing but confuse you. But believe me, every single one of you have experienced this, one time or the other in your life. And this is one law that has been killing me for quite sometime now.

Exam time. The one time some of us fear...all of us despise. Except for the studious, it is the time when we see the books, let alone study them. About two or three weeks before the D-Day we collect all the required material and start our 'attempt' to study. But am sure that many of you would not have been able to do any solid studies for the first 3 days minimum. You feel sleepy at odd times, hunger and thirst strikes like never before. These are the ways our body react. Our state of equilibrium is destroyed. Our brain is working after a long break. The body doesnt like it. But finally it comes to terms with this change. The same happens when the exams finish. We wake up early for some days, we don't feel hunger and thirst and such stuff.

Similar stuff happens when you exercise too. You start flexing those ever relaxed muscles and they react... violently...painfully. Sometimes forcing you to stop. That's what the body wants. Preserve the equilibrium.

It is a wonderful phenomenon indeed. But at this moment it is really frustrating me. Am neither here nor there. Ann am still searching for my equilibrium....

No Dues

The first time I heard this phrase was about 2 months back. It seems we, final years, have to get "no dues" approval from all the departments in our college before we left. .. only then can we leave!!! The form had a list of 27 places. I had not been to about 22 of them. I don't even know where they are in my college...in fact I dint even know they existed... until yesterday. My best friend who's in another college had warned me about this procedure. I got the first taste of it yesterday itself. Went to the library... Honestly i had been there only during the first days of my college. But during my last days I realised that I had 2 books due and both of them 2 and 3 years old. When I calculated, I had to pay a cumulative fine of 3225 bucks. No way. Plan B... A friend in need is a friend indeed. He came with me and we talked to the guy at the desk... Without another word he returned my books and not a single penny payed.

Surprise surprise!!! Those 2 books were not taken on my card. I dint know who one guy was and I havn't spoken to the other one...ever. But its a fact that the two books were with me for the past 3 years. So? My cards were missing. The next day A girl in my class returned one of MY cards. GOD knows when I gave it to her.

So with this one card and the 'no dues' form I approached the library. The guy at the desk checked if any books were taken with my card... None...Happy... Enter the librarian... Sorry no 'no dues' for you today. 'You have to report the loss of the card and we have to check again' was the answer. "I'll BE BACK" was mine.

I see this 'no dues' process in a wider sense. Many things left in the middle... many things left undone. Have been running away from many others. So little time for them all. Though I have a choice to do or not to, I think I'll take a chance with many of them. The rest will have to wait until a future time...

Are These Really Necessary???

It was my last day in college today. Only exams after... Many of you would think that a sense of nostalgia would be taking over me now and that am gonna write about how am gonna miss those 'golden' days, those days I spend with my buddies basking lazily in the sun and so on and so forth. Wrong!!!! My feelings are quite contrary to this regard. I know at least 10 guys who feel the same way as I do. Until today, it was 2 weeks since I went to college. I missed my final arts day, sports day and a chunk of the long awaited 'demo' days. I remember that 2 to 3 years back I used to plan in my mind how MY demo days would go. Now when the time finally arrived, I slacked. No enthusiasm... no feeling. Truly, I don't regret not going to college or not participating in any of these events. Some guys in class came with autograph books. Others cried... Still others made promises of meeting up 5 years from now at some place etc... I don't mean to disrespect anyone but... BULLSHIT!!!!

I did not feel sad even as I left school. In fact the farewell was one big party, with only some teachers crying. But the days before the farewell, I was really sad and depressed. I was nostalgic, I felt all the ways I mentioned before. I agree that my college life did not reach my expectations. Or did I aim too high??? I'll never know. It doesn't really matter now, does it??? Four years just went like that.

Now I stand at the doorstep of a new world. I don't know what it holds for me. Well... that's future for you... You never know what it holds for you... Whatever it does am true to my heart when I say this... " Am ready for it. Take your best shot"

Bears, Bulls and Deers

A week more of class... Some in my class say they are sad to leave college. Some say they'll miss 'those golden days'. For a boy who has not been to any of the class tours, any arts festival and have just the required percent of attendance and too with a chunk of duty leave, I don't have to explain my 'emotions'.

At this junction I evaluate my last 4 years. What have I gained? What have I lost? What have I learned?

Gains... I have always been rich in the matter of friends and in the past four years I grew even richer. Frankly, I did not expect to find any true company out of my school. Though I found only a handful, they are still with me and am happy they happened. I believe that, except for boozing, smoking and having an affair, I, along with a friend of mine have done everything, anybody can imagine, and even more, one can do in a city like Trivandrum. The lessons learned from these experiences have certainly helped us become more mature and more wary of the world around us.

The past four years were a mixed curry for me. Disappointments happened in regular intervals, a large chunk of which came in the form of results. My college days turned out to be a bit of disappointing too, because, even though I tried I could never really enjoy my time there. In the beginning I used to go back to my school to find my peace. A sense of calm always filled me when I entered the gates. Never has any other place appeared so inviting to me. Who doesn't want to be in a place where you are known, loved and respected.

Lessons learned were plenty.The first and most important one was that emotions have no place in this world. It has been very difficult, but ever since, I have tried not to let any of my decisions be lingered by emotions. After this, I have done only things that I like, and have been officially labeled a 'rebel' for it. Another lesson I learned was that if you believe that you are right you must stick with it no matter what others think about it. This belief has seen me through a lot of really tough times, many of which were really unpleasant.

Unlike my other posts I was more serious in this one. I really want to write more and more in this regard... But I don't think am ready to share myself with you people. Maybe in the future...


And no am NOT writing this because of any particular event that happened recently and CERTAINLY NOT because any heart break or such stuff. Yeh be warned against asking me anything in this regard either personally or through comments. I MEAN IT!!!!!