Height of Gossiping

Have you ever been to a gossip factory???I got that very chance of being near a gossip factory when I was in Coimbatore. It was a joint venture run by my hostel warden and the neighbour lady.

There was a hostel for men about 20 feet from my hostel. Opposite to the building, separated only by a two wheeler pathway, another hostel construction was going on.

I had bunked my office on an afternoon. I joined my warden and her friend for a chit chat. Presenting their conversation as such..

Frnd: "Akka, when will the building construction end?"

Warden: I dont know but I seriously wish it should not be girls hostel

Frnd:Why so??.

Warden: "See the boys are standing in balcony. If the opposite hostel is for girls, they will also stand in balcony.

They boy will then see the girl & she will smile

He will follow her at the same place by noticing her in and out time.

Then they will talk & exchange their numbers"

Frnd   " ya..these IT girls na, they easily talk to boys. They will start roaming around. He will propose her"

Warden "They both will run away. "

Frnd " what to do if they run away? Such a big shame to our street"

Warden "If she runs away with him, then people will talk bad abt my hostel too. Who will know in which hostel she was staying as both are nearby!"

Frnd "If her parents ask us why we dint inform them wen we found each other roaming out, what to say?..

Then their talks went on seriously how to tackle the situation.

Its been 2 years after this incident. I am still unable to forget the incident and the serious tone in their voice.

With a building which was in basement level, not knowing whether it is for male or female occupants, a girl who never existed and a boy whom we dont have any idea, they could build such a story!!!!!

Disclaimer:

The below image is a random pick from google and is not related to this post

How I met Toonty Rat!!!

It was at night 11 PM that I came back from office. I had strapped my black slipper tight & I was enjoying the comfy grip in my feet. Not willing to remove the slipper, I was standing in my balcony thinking nothing..Yes, thinking nothing!!!

Then the sight of a fat rat running here & there in opposite side apartment ground floor caught my eyes. The ground floor is a parking area for the apartment dwellers. Cars were parked to the left of the gate & there was a water container to the right of the gate.The ratty was happily wandering between the cars & the water container.

Oh man!!! Wat a fat ratty!!! Standing in third floor balcony, I could clearly see his legs, face & his tail. 

He was playing as if its own residence. In his view, the apartment dwellers may appear to be aliens near his home. Perception matters!!! You really have to be a rat to know a rat's view.

A month later, I saw the rat again & got to know that rat's can somersault. General knowledge improved.

Such an entertaining sight to watch the rat playing & somersaulting.. Rat watching at midnight 2 AM may sound crazy, but I absolutely loved it.

On an afternoon, I was near his apartment when I saw this fellow climbing up the stairs. I took the advantage of the security not being around & started following him. He disappeared near flat #T20. Thats when I decided to name him Toonty.. Yes, he is toonty rat...

On a Sunday afternoon, I saw a ginger cat trying to squeeze himself though the gate. I could not understand if itz a single cat or two cats glued together. He was big.

Toooooooontyyyyyyyyy!!!

I felt a sudden adrenaline rush when the thought came if this cat is trying to catch Toonty. Toonty would serve him meal for two times, considering how fat Toonty is. 

Then came the street dogs barking at the cat which made the cat run for his life. Good show doggies!!!

Karma!!! I used to regularly feed the dogs with biscuits. Now they saved my Toonty.

When people who start a distant relationship just over a phone call, people who name their cars, people who pet snakes & crocodiles can live on earth, I can definitely have a 'distant pet ', that too a rat!!!. 

Oh yeah, I have a pet rat named Toonty!!!

Life with a gentle giant

The name 'Sibi' always reminds me of a giant, fluffy, tomato obsessed German Shepherd , who occupies most of the memories from my late teenage & early twenties...
 
She is the reason behind my hunt for the book 'Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog'. The book is all about the life with a loving but uncontrolled dog & I found a lot of similarities between Marley, the lab & my Sibi.  Sibi was unique & she never had the striking features of a German Shepherd Dogs (GSD) like courage, barking. Yet, she is the one who taught me love is beyond expectations.
 
I was all excited  when my Mom told me that my family had brought an year old German Shepherd. It was really tough to wait till semester holidays to meet our new dog. The first two visits to my home after Sibi's arrival was filled with few incidents which you don't feeling like encountering with a dog.
 
I have to admit that I got scared of her at the first sight. A fat dog with black & tan coat, bulged out in all directions, with snout longer than most of the GSDs. Wait!!! She was not barking, but wagging her tail.
 
"Amma, Seems like she knows I belong to this home. She is not barking at me..Did she sniff any of my clothes in home???
 
"Don't think too much. She never barks at any one"
 
"But she is wagging her tail"
 
"Drop that potato chips packet from ur hand &You will know why"
 
The next day morning, my sleep was disturbed by some kind of tickling in my face. Even a scratch did not work. I opened my eyes to see Sibi's face in the full view of my vision. I tried to shoo her away but she continued to disturb me until I sat up in the bed. The moment I sat up, the fat dog jumped on my bed & dozed off to sleep.
 
The single bed was not big enough to accommodate both of us & I had to continue my sleep in couch.
 
The first dog in my memory is Johny, a Indian Mongrel & Pom mix who used to sit beside my bed till I wake up. I had never thought that ,in future, a dog would claim my bed as its own & shoo me away to couch.
 
My second visit to home was a short one, just 3 days long. I had 3 bananas while watching TV.  Then I realized that I had not thrown the banana peels away & to my shock the peels were seen no where around. I always get thrashed by my mom if I don't keep things in proper place. I searched the entire room but in vain. Had my mom found the peels somewhere, the next scene in my home would be beyond my imagination. I offered prayers to God. For a moment, I was against the concept of "Only one God", hoping that at least one God would help me in finding the banana peel.
 
When I had prepared to leave for my college, I noticed that Sibi was eating a potato.  Seeing my surprised look, My mom asked if I had not noticed her eating those banana peels I had kept my side the other day. Phew!!! What a sigh of relief.
 
The dog had made my 3 days at home a hell.
 
She ate everything. Potato, Beetroot, Banana along with peel, Spinach, mangoes etc etc. The list was lengthy with tomato occupying the number one position.
Disclaimer:- The above list does not include her regular intake of milk, tea bun & Pedigree which she used to have two times a day.
 
The only thing that was prohibited to her was non veg. My orthodox granny was strictly against feeding the dog with egg & non veggie stuff & I feel that's the worst thing you can do to a dog.
During my next visit home, I found her holding something between her paws & licking & biting. When I called out her name, She looked at me & went back to the business. Lick!!! Lick!!! Lick!!!
I went near her to find out what was that. It was a small piece of bone!!!
 
I was a secret non vegetarian at that time & that was the moment I got the buddy feeling with Sibi!!!
 
Apart from food, she also had obsession for mini trucks. We could never get the dog into car or jeep or any other vehicle. Mini trucks!!! oh man. We used to get our fire woods distributed in mini trucks every month. Sibi went uncontrollable whenever she saw that mini truck. She had made quick friendship with the driver too.

 
 
She was just bundle of love. We roamed together in the forests of Koppa.  It was just her and me. Koppa's dense trees, streams with damn chill water, roads with no vehicles, constant sound from crickets, these meant the whole world to me. I never held Sibi using chain. I remember Sibi climbing up fast and then look back with a "Are nt u coming with me,human???" look.

She loved chasing monkeys & I loved watching squirrels. I miss those good olden days now.

Post my papa's retirement, my parents stayed with me in Bangalore for some time. I had finalized the house in Electronics city on a Sunday & my family arrived on Monday. I was on the way to my home during my lunch & found a group of little boys excited about something & they were taking the same lane. Oops!!!. There was crowd of little boys in front of my house, each taking turns to peek inside my window. "Its a police dog!!!" "If it bites in ur neck, u ll die" "See its tail". Proudest moment any dog owner can have.

Even my home at Tirunelveli is better known as Periya Nai veedu ( Big dog house) than by anyone else name in the family.

She could not bear the extreme climate in my home town & we had to give her to another family in Bangalore. My papa's friend helped us find a home which already had a dog. The lab staying in that home was fully spoilt & yeah, that's the right home for another spoilt dog like Sibi.

She lives in Rajaji Nagar area in Bangalore.  If any of you come across a  fat dog with black & tan coat, bulged out in all directions, with snout longer than most of the GSDs in Rajaji Nagar, it could be my Sibi, the dog who left permanent paw prints in my heart.
 

How I learnt to mind my own business

Many of us come across situations which make us feel dumb. When an autowala did not ask for extra money to travel from Tippasandra to WindTunnel road, I never expected to face such a situation.

An year back,I was working in a tech park near Windtunnel road.Quarrelling with autowala over the extra autofare used to be a daily agenda. Tippasandra is a market place in Indiranagar area & its a one way. Most of the autodrivers refuse to use meter in that route & I usually end up paying 50 bucks just for 2KMs. 

When one autowala agreed to use meter & demanded only 10 Rs over the fare, I happily got into the auto. The weather was very cold & I was shivering due to the chill wind. Autowala started the conversation which ultimately made me feel dumb.

"Why are you shivering madam? The weather will get worse than this in forthcoming weeks."

"Worse than this??? Ufff.. I am not sure how you manage whole day outside"

"Whole day? Na. I take passengers only during early morning hours. I will go to my home by 9 -9.30 AM & resume by 7 PM night"

"How do you manage your living then?"

"I get double meter fair during these hours & that will suffice. I cannot work all day like you people"

"I have 5 lion cubs at my home & I prefer staying at home during day time"

"U have 5 children at home?"

With this question, he turned back to give a proud smile. 

"Am just 30 & I have 5 children. After my 2nd kid,I badly wanted a baby girl. But third was a boy. And my wife delivered a twin boys in fourth delivery"

Somehow I concluded that he was feeling bad for not having a baby girl & wanted to console him. But that was such a bad decision , which I realized shortly.

"You have 5 lion cubs & y do u worry"

" I'm not worried madam. I'm going to become a dad again. Father of 5 boys & 1 girl at the age of 30 itself.  Sounds great na?"

I should have kept quiet with this. No one can win fate. Me with my big mouth was no exception.. I shot that epic question.

"What if this one is also a boy"

" Then I will be father of 6 boys & 1 girl.  Whats the big deal? My wife suggested that we would stop. I made her understand that not every one can have 5 boys & 1 girl at 30."

" Madam,Have you ever seen a 30 old guy with 6 kids? "

"How old are you madam?"

"25"

By that time, I had reached my office & got down. 

"Madam, I got my first kid at 25 & by the time u reach 30, u will not get 6 kids like me".

He was feeling extremely victorious at that moment. 

Damn, why would I go for 6 kids? Well,I accepted my defeat with a silent nod.

I felt dumb for the entire day & thats how I started minding my own business.

My Weighty Issues

I know I weigh extra for my height… But it never bothered me. These oodles of weight came from my extreme love of food. There are people who are against discrimination based on gender, caste, ethnicity etc etc.. Well, I am strongly against discrimination based on cuisines. Be it North Indian, South Indian, Chinese, French, I have no partiality. I simply love them.

But I never knew that my love of food will make me look older than my age. One of the embarrassing moments of my life was the one that took place in Total Mall, Madiwala.

I was searching for a suitable Tupperware box. An old lady was also searching for a lunch Box. She slowly started the conversation.

“I’m getting this for my grandson. He is studying LKG.”  (My Mind voice:LKG Kid uses Tupperware box??? )

“He lost his box recently & this is a never ending process. The price is too much” ( Why the hell did u give Tupperware to a KG  kid)

“So.. Is this for your son? How old is he”  (Stupid lady. Not all the girls with a tummy should have a kid. )

“My son also studying LKG.” (I don’t want to be embarrassed more by saying that I’m single & there is no possibility of a kid    )

“What are u doing & what is ur husband.”

I’m working in an IT firm & my hubby also in same field. (I was speeding up the process to avoid this lady)

“Ur second son in LKG & wat about ur first kid.. Is it a boy or girl” (With this question she appeared like a real witch with a hat ,travelling in a mob… I dint answer anything.I chose a box immediately & prepared to leave.)

“Hey, I am asking you only.” ( Shut up your mouth lady. I think your fate is in my hand. ERrrrrrr)

” He is in 2nd Standard. Bye”

I left the place immediately, thinking about the ways to become slim & sexy. After several unsuccessful attemps to gym, aerobics classes , I decided to stay happily with my tummy. Yes, I have developed an attitude now -   “Its my tummy & I am the one carrying it wherever I go. If anyone is asking me to stop eating, I ll eat them too”