Tum, Main, Aur Do Cup Chai

Watching Wake Up Sid was like replaying my life. Three years compressed into three hours. And at the end, just like Aisha, I found my life, my soul, my best friend, comfort food, exasperating spoilt brat all wrapped up into one guy called Tapa.

And just like those last fifteen minutes of emotional moments in that movie, I realised that the only reason the world changed into rosy hues from its otherwise drab existence, was because you are besides me. The only difference was that I took over a year.

You were so anti-my-type. You smoke, talk incessantly, dont exercise. You even drink that impossible liquid called rum. I wanted a total focussed guy, ambitious, lean, athletic, professional. And I met so many of that type. But either they bored me or else I bored them. Just like that Editor in Chief and Aisha's case, I often found myself feeling like a big square on a room full of circles.

Yet, I tried to fit in. Futile attempts, I assure you. It was always a strain talking to them. Like I had to watch what I say or do. And that strain never ceased. Whereas with you....you were like a comfortable pair socks. Socks! some weird simile! But that is exactly how it was. Just like my eccentric, colourful socks, which fit my snuggly toes and keep me warm. Tapa, u know how crazy I am about socks, dont you. I keep pestering you to gift me some instead of those expensive perfume bottles which you end up giving.

Everything has a reason. And the reason I realized that which was staring at my face for the last three years was a comment by a stranger. Till now, all my blog posts seemed general, fantasy-like writing. But underneath my layer of sharp wits and bright smile and cleverly chosen words, I must have been describing you. Somewhere, somehow, that You was always you. When this stranger read my blog, he said simply, I hope you meet this 'You' and marry him. What you figured out three years ago was what I realized after meeting so many 'Mr Rights'.

I know that you know what I am saying. That the only reason shopping gave me so much joy was because you were there. The way Sid captured Aisha in those frames, you were the only one who found me beautiful every time, in all ways.

I am not afraid Tapa...... not any more......

Truth and Lies

Lies!

We lie to save ourselves from nasty situations. Some sort of a defense mechanism. To deny reality and to steal from someone the right to information. Lying starts from an early age. Although we are taught to tell the truth, somehow, lying is something we learn from birth. Like pulling back our hands from a hot object. Or running away when we sense danger. Maybe this is why so much emphasis is given to truth. Because to be truthful takes a lot of courage.

Some lies are small. Momentary bluff, they save us from those trivial troubles. And sometimes we lie to please others. We dont want to embarrass the other person or hurt them. So we just lie a little to comfort them as we go our way.

But have you noticed the times we lie to ourselves. For instance, when we do not succeed in something, we console ourselves, and others, by providing an excuse. An excuse based upon stretching the truth to accommodate our failure. The first time we give the excuse, we know in our hearts, that we are lying. As we continue telling the story, each time we get convinced a little more, until finally, the story becomes the reality. The story we had concocted is what we start believing in.

Speaking about myself, I have found that somehow truth does not work with me. Everytime I have mustered up courage to tell the bare truth, I have somehow landed up in trouble. Whereas, when I dress up the truth in a fine garb of lilting words and half lies, people believe me more. This idea seemed so absurd to be that for a long time, I continued experimenting with different sets of people, exposing them to stark naked truths. Believing that the great saints who spoke volumes on the importance of truth, I continued. I met with very strange reactions. Most people continued to disbelieve my version. When I switched to my sweet affected mode, people seemed to find me so right, so correct.

I honestly dont know why his happens. The only possible conclusion I could come up with was that people dont like reality. Because reality is stubborn, unyielding, unbending. It does not depend upon the version or the narrator. It knows no nuances. Whereas fantasy can be changed at our will. If we want to stretch truth, it can be stretched in any way we want. Fantasy is in our control, reality knows no master.

The Big, The Bad and The Best

You bully me! You bully me into writing my silly prattle into a blog post. Flattering me needlessly, you convince me to keep writing. And boy! Are you vain! Practically forcing me to write about you. Your absolutely stunning reasons, on just why you are the best topic for me to write on, make me laugh.

You are spoiled rotten. It's time someone scolded you and made you stand in the corner. Denied you the sweets which you so often prey upon. Saved all the millions of chickens which you plan to devour. Protected the weighing machine which groans every time you stand on it. I dont even want to know the sorry story of your chair.

It's high time someone put a giant-sized silencer to keep you from talking non-stop. You talk like there is no tomorrow. You talk so much, I have seen ears fall off people's head. There are better ways of advertising the effectiveness of Fevicol. And the worst part is, no one minds you talking. They even encourage you. Just how decadent is our current generation?!

Most importantly, I want you to know just how wonderful you are. As a person, as a friend, a man. A true gentleman. Someone who, despite him having a severe back pain, lifted my friend on his shoulders during her wedding. A man with the strength to face any challenge. A man worth loving and trusting.

All the best Tapa! Have a wonderful life ahead!!