Miss...

She must have been a "Miss"!

Well, her name was Karuppayi (that's female for sure)! And she didn't seem to have a significant other. So Miss Karuppayi, we shall say...

I don't remember how and when we got introduced but I obviously know where! She was the pet of the watchman and the maid (Mr. and Mrs.) at Greenpeace Maplewoods (apartments) on Lakshmanasamy Salai in KK. Nagar (that's Chennnai, India)...

I also don't know how it happened, but I know for sure that she was one of the most beautiful things that's ever happened to me!

She would stir (even from her slumber) at my very sight (or was it smell)! As soon as she me saw walk out the elevator or down the stairs, she would arise and come up to me...

It didn't matter whether I said something or even looked at her! She always knew that there was only one thing she was going to do. Follow me…

If I was walking out the door, she would walk along! Whether I stayed on the same side of the street or crossed over. And no matter where I stopped, whom I talked to or what I did, she would hang around. For she knew what was coming…

As soon she saw me turn around towards her, her tail would wag furiously and her tongue would be outstretched! And as soon as I stretched my hand out, she would grab from it whatever it held (a bun, a biscuit or a "porai") and instantly head back home…

She knew I worked nights! And she knew the sound of my car as it pulled up. I'm sure she knew that I was the only one to arrive in the wee hours of the morning...

And then she did the most amazing thing one could ever conceive!

As soon as she saw me park my car in my reserved space, she would walk up to the space between the stairs and the elevator!  And as soon as she saw me close the doors of the elevator (someone obviously trained her not to get in to the elevator), she would start running up the stairs furiously…

She always got to the third floor ahead of me! And her eyes would light up when she saw me emerge from the elevator. Because she knew what was going to happen next…

I would ring the bell! And someone would come to get the door. But even as they pushed it open, even before I could enter, she would squeeze her way into the drawing room of my home…

She wouldn't go any further, she would sit just right there! And not move till I brought out her treat, opened the door again to let her out and place it on a ledge in the foyer…

It wouldn't be over yet! Sometimes, she'd eat what I left on the ledge and sometimes she wouldn't. But soon, I would hear her nails scraping my front door…

I went to the door but was never surprised by what I saw! She would look at me, I'm never sure what she said but I knew that she wanted to be let back in…

Most times I would be just tired, but sometimes, I would just open the door and let her back in! And she'd do nothing but just sit there, even as I sat on my recliner and watched some TV…

Everyone knew about us! They talked about us and even wondered. What was it that she saw in me that she did those things she did with me but with no other person in that entire building. With no other person, period.

I never wondered! I just enjoyed it…


And then one day I left! The Land of Opportunity (America) was calling and I had dreams to fulfill…

She must've thought I went to work or something! She must've waited for me to come back. I'm sure she hung around the parking lot, the elevator and the foyer space. And scratched the door of my home till the wood wore out...

For 3 years, I never went back! And when I did, I was told she left (so had the watchman and the maid). And I never gave her another thought…

Until last Friday night!

In my dream (in the wee hours of the morning), I went looking for her! I roamed through the streets, one after another. I saw a million black dogs, they all looked similar…

But even as I walked to end of that last street (I don't know why I know it but I do), I heard a distinct bark! I turned around and I saw her. "It's me, Thayi", it sounded like she was saying (I remember the words distinctly)…


"She must've missed me", I told myself, as I woke up to a Saturday morning!

"I Miss you too Karuppayi", I think, as I write this on Monday afternoon…

Line...

"How long would you wait in line for a cup of coffee?", I asked my son.

"Why are you asking me? I don't even drink coffee", he said.

"I know you don't drink coffee, but see that line there", I said, "do me a favor, can you quickly count and tell me how many people are in that line?"

"Really Dad! Don't you have anything better to do?", he said.

"Come on, be a sport, just count and tell me how many people are in that line", I urged.

"... 21, 22, 23, 24!", he said, "24 people to be exact".

"OK, one's just joining the line now, so let's call it 25", I said.

"Now think about it", I continued, "let's say it takes 1 minute to service every customer, so it would take 25 minutes (or 24) for the last customer in line to get to the counter and then they probably have to wait another 5 minutes for their drink, probably more, given that they have so many drinks to churn out"...

"So now tell me, would you be willing to wait 30 minutes for a cup of coffee?"

"I don't know", he said, "but probably not".

Clearly, I wasn't willing to wait that long either which was probably why I was not in that line myself at the Starbucks store in the Walter E Washington Convention Center in D.C. (where the International Science and Engineering Fest was being held) but was sitting on the sidelines, thanks to the sofas I had spotted from the far corner of the lobby.

"Let's put my theory to test", I said. "You see those last customers in the line? The guy in the black t-shirt and the girl in the skirt?"

"Yes, I do", he said.

"I'm going actually to time how long it takes them to get to the counter", I said.

"OK", he said, 'go for it!"

A few minutes later, I found out that I was clearly not in line with the times.

"Where is your phone?", he suddenly said, having paused playing whatever game it was on his iPod. "Why are you not timing it?" he added, noting that my iPhone was lying next to me on the sofa but was not running its Timer App!

I looked at him for a second. "I have a watch (pointing to my wrist) and I have a head", I said.

"OK, OK", he said and went back to playing his game. "Dads these days!", he must have thought to himself.

I spent the next few minutes watching 2 kids playing soccer with a foam ball (they once kicked the ball right into the Starbucks store), 1 lady leave a sofa that was adjacent to us, 2 other ladies join us on the 2 adjacent single seats (as their husbands joined the line at Starbucks) and other pretty ladies join the line for coffee. 

Every few minutes, I checked to see where the girl in the skirt was (conveniently for me, the guy in the black t-shirt had left the line to take a phone call) and then checked my watch. I didn't catch her checking her watch at any point, but as she got real close to the counter (3rd or 4th in line) I did notice her little shake and jig. Maybe she just heard the music from the store clearer from where she was, but I preferred to think of it has her victory dance...

"My hypothesis was right", I blurted out! "It took them exactly 25 minutes to get to the counter" I said.

"Wow Dad!", he said, "this is like the 4th or 5th time you've predicted something right this week" (he was referring to some of the scores I had predicted teams batting first would make in the IPL mid-course in their innings).

Allowing myself only a moment to gloat, I quickly turned my attention back to the line. I was surprised by what I saw.

"It seems like people are willing to wait 30 minutes for a cup of Starbucks coffee", I thought to myself. "But do they know that it could be another 30 minutes before they get their coffee when they join that line?" I further ruminated.

"Is the average wait time the same throughout the day? It's surely not the same at all Starbucks stores but do the smart people at Starbucks know how long their customers wait on an average for their coffee? Better still, do they know how long their customers are willing to wait in line?"

"Ten minutes", I told myself! "That's probably all I am willing to wait in line to get a cup of coffee. So when I see more than 9 people in that line, I'm probably not going to join it" I went on, when my phone rang.

"Where are you", she asked?

"We're in the lobby, near the Starbucks store", I said.

"OK, I'll be there in 5 minutes", she said.

I noticed that the line had become shorter. I got up from the sofa and moved towards the store.

"I'm sorry sir! We're closed for the day" the security guard said, as he closed the loop on the adjustable line guides...

Wednesday...

It's hump day!

Except, when it's a Holiday...

And when both Christmas and the New Year (following) fall on a Wednesday, it's really special!

Picture this...

You wake up on Monday, Dec 23! It's not really snowing but you still make yourself that cup of hot chocolate. The world seems a better place when your first conference call doesn't start until 8 AM...

You join the call to find out that half the participants are out for the entire week! Which means the list of items on the agenda gets trimmed by equal proportion and the decision is unanimous to follow up on the rest when everyone is back from the Holiday...

Right as you are wrapping it up (30 minutes ahead of schedule), a notice pops up in your outlook telling you another meeting is cancelled. You promptly remove that from your calendar and then cancel another meeting yourself looking at the number of attendees who have declined, being OOO...

Suddenly, your calendar looks open! You use the unplanned free time to cancel all the meetings starting Christmas Day until New Year's and mark your calendar purple with All-Day Events for 6 business days, subject and location reading: Out of Office...

A couple of other calls, a few emails and the day is over! You've never felt like this lately. So you enjoy a quiet evening, a light dinner and even though you're tempted to read that open book, you decide to catch up on your sleep...

It's Christmas Eve! There's even fewer people on that 8 AM daily call. It's over even sooner. Soon, you're staring at an empty afternoon. There seems to be more action on the street looking out the window. Emails slow down to a trickle...

A good lunch and you want to walk away but your conscience takes over! You spend the rest of the afternoon answering those emails you meant to answer but didn't and clearing out any pending tasks from your slate (and your conscience)...

The evening drive features some flurries! "Will it be a White Christmas?", you wonder. Confirmation that it won't be comes by the time you reach home with no more flurries is sight, just the still air. You blow out a bellow of cold smoke as you tread the cold, grey concrete...

Christmas comes and goes! It's family, food and fun. The vacation begins. More food and fun. Visits to pretty places and walks in the cold air. More hot chocolate and this time, cake...

Soon, you've had enough! You just want to rest. Breakfast and lunch on the couch with re-runs of favorite movies. Afternoon naps and even more TV. You even find a little time for that book from under the tree...

You relax and revive! Through a Nice New Year's Eve! And all through New Year's Day...

You go back to your calendar! You notice that early AM call, Thursday. "I really don't need to be on that one", you decide and then decline. You look to move some others to Friday or Monday. You really don't want to come back...

Come Thursday AM, you're back on the coffee! Come 8 AM, your spreadsheets are ready. You make a good showing and people seem to notice. You on the other hand, notice something else...

There's still some items on the agenda that have to wait until Monday! There's still some people who aren't back from their vacation. So you move some meetings around, catch up on your emails and are still left with some time to plan for what's ahead...

You're done at 4 PM! Not a bad place to be in. You look at Friday. It's going to be another light day. You block some time on your calendar to work on that monster project plan you're supposed to present at 8 AM, come Monday...

"It's the Wednesday", you realize! "That gave me 2 days ahead, 2 days after and effectively, a 2 week revival"...

You stop by the library. You even get some grocery. Just as you pull up the ramp and merge on to the highway, it begins to snow...


Happy New Year folks! Have a Good One...

Saachin Saachin...

I haven't said anything!

I don't need to, because Harsha Bhogle said it best when he said, "There's not even one dry eye in the commentator's box (which I'm sure was only his sandbox to say the entire Wankhede stadium, or the World at large)!

Not sure why I automatically found myself in front of the TV, when he got out at 74. That's when it started, along with his one last walk back. It's been that way through his farewell speech and reading it again the next day and even several hours after that.

But what moved me most was the email that popped into the mail app on my iPhone even as I sat waiting for a flight I was not even supposed to be on, to board, in the wee hours of Sunday and needless to say, sleepless.

I've never done this before but I would be remiss if I don't do this today. The rest of this story is just the verbatim of that email from Arun, who incidentally is not just among the most avid followers of this blog, but a temendous source of motivation for everything I do.

Thank you da Arun! For everything. What can I say? The wetness still hasn't left my eyes...


Hello da Suri, just tried your cell 2 days back last Thursday. Just called to chat abt our hero retiring. Of course, turned off by the media making hay while the sun shines. But cannot ignore on the personal front,how big a part our man has had to do with our enjoyment of cricket. From our 17 to 17 years from retirement.

Felt like sharing a couple of related personal anecdotes in my life:

1990

Reminding me of the extent of pain that the mind was willing to bear in those days just to have a glimpse of this guy- Right before our 12th Model exams, I had watched an entire ODI innings(Ind vs NZ) standing alone in the middle of the night, starting at 2:30am, with the daunting potential to be mowed down by my parents if they even sniffed something remote. Woke up at 2:30 am without an alarm(of course it had to be that way) and the watching had to be done standing, just to intercept the light from the TV falling on my dad's eyes who was sleeping in the TV room. Every creak from the fan or water hammer in the pipes was met with a suspension of the heart, sensing doomsday. Another weird thing that happened was when I had first woken up, the clock showed exactly 2:30 in the hall, not 2:31 or 2:29, with just this mental alarm. Of course, whether I attributed this to sheer overcoming of infinitesimal odds or to the powers of the human mind under intense wanting, I could certainly not share the excitement with anyone around.

1996

I came to the USA the very first time during the 1996 world cup with 80% of itinerary remaining, through the traditional body-shopping consulting firm route, with exactly $500 in my pocket.

The situation was like No project-No salary. "When will I get a project?" Not sure! Never mind, "Do you know when will I get an interview", "Can't say that either!"- Had 0 interviews in the 1st month. Thanks to Krishna (PSBB), found a West indian bar in Queens that showed these matches. I had to be in Krishna's place in Queens leaving at 3:00 am from Metropark and of course these were the times when I didn't know if NJ was a state or a city OR how exactly was it related to this New York, not to forget this was the pre-internet, cell phone era. Walking in February snow at 3:00 am, alone in the street with an Indian jacket that was a joke, to catch 3 trains raised questions of my sanity among fellow benchmates. The umpteen mugging stories from friends/Krishna himself didn't help my confidence either. There was also the minor matter of each of these sports visits causing a dent of 10% on my bank balance with no visibility of when the next credit would post. I somehow managed to see all the 7 Indian matches with our Man being the sole inspiration and HE, if you remember was a class apart from the rest. He made a string of scores like 70,90,127,137 etc. It was just unbelievable and the sheer resources invested into this, material or otherwise, enhanced the pleasure derived from each of these outings immensely. On top of it I was able to watch these games on a truly international setting with Indians and Pakis rubbing shoulders and the rivalry created an hitherto unexperienced excitement, not to mention that India won against Pak-remember aamir sohail bowled by venkatesh prasad after he went berserk!!!

All these are just a few of the gazillion moments of enjoyment that was caused by our Number 10.

What I have enjoyed the most about him- More than the runs, More than the records, More than the milestones has been HIS posture, the stance, the 100 micro adjustments that would manifest in all parts of his body in 0.21 seconds to make that most picture-perfect straight drive or cover-drive or the flick backward of square, that would take hours for a professional photographer to elicit from his subject, before the camera, never mind before Glenn Mcgrath. This is what I believe that no other guy would be able to give in my lifetime. These were the times when I felt I'd take a 20 from our man compared to an Indian win or 100 from Dravid, no offense to Dravid.

Just in case the abundance of his presence in the past 24 years has devalued the appreciation for what he has provided by just a tad, I am sure it will be only a few more decades, when Time would have rendered us the chosen few who could proudly declare to the younger minds "Yes I have seen the Master bat"

I know only a couple of souls that could resonate in sync with this state of mind.

Hence,

Arun

P.S.

Yet even as the mind solemnly reminisces,staring into darkness under the comforter at night, and regrets the reality that it can witness this no more, after careful deliberation, it realizes that it was indeed a supreme blessing from the Lord in the first place to have even made it possible for us to enjoy this PHENOMENON to this degree,over this much time, in terms of bestowing so many prerequisites - our timing in this world, our nationality, our interests, even one of which if misaligned, would have greatly reduced our thirst and consequently the degree of our enjoyment. OR even after all this, if we still feel it isn't enough, that is probably the precise reason why Shankara said this materialistic enjoyment is an illusion.

Tammy Jo...

I left at 6 AM!

Google maps indicated a 7 hour 52 minute journey, and with a couple of breaks, I was looking at about 9 hours. And if I could do anything to avoid traffic delays (what with construction work on I95), I wanted to do exactly that...

The rain came right behind! It washed the entire 170 mile stretch on I85 N, sometimes gentle to render a misty view, but at other times, fierce to force me to follow a giant truck which served as a guiding path under very low visibility...

I still made good time! I passed the 170 miles in a little less than 3 hours and was on to I95 N, which I would take for the best part of the next 5 hours (save only the 40 mile homestretch on I 295 N) and even as rain slowed down a little, I heard another rumble, this time in my stomach...

I shouldn't have stopped, really! At least not right where the construction work on I95 began, knowing that the traffic can get backed up pretty fast in that stretch. Sure enough, when I got back, it was almost stand-still, cars lined up as far as the eye could see...

I merged with the mess coming in from the ramp and deftly slid over to the left most lane. I don't know why I do that everytime I'm in a jam but it gave me a strange sense of comfort...


First, he was just a photo opportunity (like any dog that puts his head out of the window from the car right ahead of you)!

But soon after I had perfected my skill of shooting some pictures with my iPhone held in landscape mode right on top of the steering wheel, with both hands holding both (wheel and phone), I realized that he was a little more...

Having his head out of the left window in a car that stood on the left most lane afforded him a view of the oncoming traffic (southbound). A little later, he disappeared, only to appear in just a few seconds, this time from the right...

"What's going on?", he must have wondered. He must have noticed that the cars on the left were moving but the cars on the right stood still. For soon, he started going back and forth. A quick look out the left followed by a discerning peek out the right...

And soon I realized I was following him! I was quickly reminded of the analogy of watching a game of tennis from somewhere in the middle of the court and how the head follows the ball as it is struck by either player, left to right and back again. Only this was better...

Surely, he must've felt the rain! Gentle as it was, it was falling for sure, but he didn't seem to mind it. His well-timed curiosity continued and my eyes followed...


And then the magic moment came!

Back at the right window, he spent just that extra second this time. I don't think he gave up! He must've figured, "It is what it is. They'll move when they move"...

For, even as he thrust his head out a little, closed his eyes, lifted his head, opened his mouth wide and let the rain drops fall in, the wheels northbound on I95 started rolling...


Rain and the traffic ensured that the next 5 hours stretched into 6 and more, but just those few seconds made it worth the ride...

Thanks for your time, Tammy Jo...

 

Dream...

I must've been dreaming! It was so real. Just as always...

There were two new shirts and he let me take the one I liked better! He didn't try even one of them, while I tried on both. In fact, I even tried one over the other. And then handed him the slightly brownish one because I always fancied white-based shirts. They were a good contrast on me...

He was nine years older than me. Like a brother! For a long time growing up we would both get the same material of cloth, he would get a full sleeve shirt and trousers made out of it and I, the little guy, would get short sleeves and shorts. We looked like brothers...

And then I hit my growth spurt, late into the teens and soon I was there, almost as tall as him. It's when I started vying for the same shirts he wore and of course, I was grown up. I wanted trousers! That only meant that we stopped buying the same material. We could have looked like twins...

He took the brownish shirt, without the slightest shrug of the shoulder. He even managed a smile...

We were in that room! We shared it. We both slept on the floor (though he would arise hours before). Half the wardrobe was his and the other half was mine. Really doesn't matter, does it, when we just wore whichever shirt we liked? Neither his, nor mine...

We ate! It was no different then. If there was that last treat left in the dish, he would let me have it. It wasn't the law! It was just assumed. Whoever was serving, they knew it. Everybody knew it. If there was something to be given up, he'd be the one giving it up...

We lay in our spots on the floor! The TV was on. That's how we watched it all night long. No eye doctor would approve of it but none knew why neither of us wore eye glasses either. My son, had he been there then, would've said, "that's how we rolled"...

And then that fleeting moment! He looked me in the eye and said something. I think I heard him. But I couldn't tell. I looked him back in his eyes. Rather in surprise. "Is this real? Did he just say that"? Truly, I was happy. Because finally, he was asking me for something...

Almost everyday, staring at him in that disbelief, I wake up! Then I feel lost. Even so wretched. "What did he ask me for? And why did I wake up before I could give it to him. Why am I so, that even in my dream, he won't let me give...

They say it's a psychological fact that when someone appears in your dream, it means they miss you! How could it be? They must be wrong. For ever since he's been gone, over 9 years ago, I'm the one who's missed him...

Maybe, he never left...

You'll never get a day older Sundar! But soon, I'll be as old as you. Some day I hope to be to someone, an Uncle as precious as you...

iKarma...

I don't do much around the house!

I work very hard at my job, often putting in more hours a week than are needed and sometimes even burning the midnight oil or rising really early to make sure I've given the job at hand everything I have. Whether it meets the expectation of another or not then becomes a matter of rhetoric...

So when it comes to home, I take it easy! If I can get a few minutes in between, I'd rather watch TV, I take pride (not just pleasure) from a Saturday afternoon nap and given the smallest chance, I'll sit on my high black chair, put my feet up on the bed and do my favorite thing. Write...

But there is one thing I do! Without fail. Every week day, at about 630 AM, as I make myself a cup of coffee (first or second depending on what time I wake up), I also make my son his favorite lunch. "Idli"...

Now if you don't know "Idli", go Wiki - "a traditional breakfast in south Indian households, Idli is savory cake of south Indian origin popular throughout India. The cakes are usually two to three inches in diameter and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and rice"...

The Idli I make for my little fellow is the mini-version. About an inch each in diameter, I make them in a circular steel mould that has 18 little cups (kinda like a cup cake tray, only round), which are filled with the batter and then placed in a pressure cooker (go Wiki) to be steamed...

And I have a method! First I pull out the bottom pan of the pressure cooker and pour some water in it. Enough to drown a base plate made of aluminium on which will stand, first an empty Idli mould of the traditional 2-3 inch diameter type and then over it, the special 18 one-inch cup mould....

Once I place the traditional mould on the base plate, I pour some water on it to cover its four 2-3 inch cups, to temper the metal plate from being wrung out of shape due to the heat. It's holding water now, but one fine evening, it will be filled with batter to provide a traditional "tiffin" dinner to the family...

Then comes the best part! I pick up the little fellow's special mould and with a carefully cleaned index finger, I apply Ghee (go Wiki) to each of the 18 cups. Once the cups are well-oiled, I fill them with the batter and carefully place it over the support plate. I then close the cooker with the lid and turn the stove on...

It takes 20 minutes! Just enough time for me to walk upstairs, wake up my son, throw him in the shower, get back to the kitchen, heat up his breakfast waffle and his milk and set them on the table for him. Once I turn off the stove, I let it cool for a few minutes before I can open the pressure cooker again...

I safely put the hot lid away, pull out the plate full of Idlis and place them next to the little fellow's lunch box. I then scoop out the Idlis, one at a time, placing 4 rows of 4 each that fit the lunch box like a square and put one right in the middle on top of the others. Idli number 18 is served to the Gods in a little silver cup...

Today is a week day! The middle of the week in fact and my busiest. I woke up at 3 AM, started working, had my first coffee at 5 and by 630, it was time for my second. And as though I'm wired to do this by rote, the Idli was already cooking when the digital clock on the stove turned 637...

Having added a couple of slides to the presentation I was creating and draining the coffee from my cup by 7, I went to wake him up. It usually takes a couple of call outs to get him up but today, he sprang up from the bed on the very first call. "Yay! It's a Half-Day Today", he said, even before wishing me Good Morning...

In a second, he was in the shower and I was back in the kitchen. I had just switched off the stove before 7, so I set his breakfast on the table and then opened the cooker. And even before he arrived at the table, I had packed his lunch, put it in his lunch bag and gone to get ready to drop him at school...

"Are you dropping him or should I", my wife asked? "I'm going, I'm just getting ready", I said. "Thanks" she added, "But why did you pack Idli for him today? Today is a Half-Day", she said. It's when I realised that it hadn't even registered when he said it a little while ago. "He can still have it for lunch", I smiled...

Soon we were in the car, on the way to school and then I was back at my work desk, which I didn't leave for many hours. A quick lunch was followed by more work and when I decided it was time to hang up my boots for the day, I sat up on my chair, put my feet up on the bed and started writing this...

I paused here for a bit, looked out the window, and wondered!  This is my sweat-equity, I think! My "Idli Karma"...