Puru, Mohanlal and Mithun

I phoned Mithun to invite him and his family for my brother’s marriage. As he was working in the United States he didn’t give confirmation to attend the function. Mithun was my college mate and was a person who never faced opponents in college elections. Unlike our generation college goers, he never consumed alcohol and was a nonsmoker.

His marriage happened six months ago and that was the most posh marriage I attended. The function happened in a lake facing resort and it was indeed beautiful. There was sinkarimeLam along with the couple’s arrival. Bride looked beautiful in white saree and diamond necklace.

Casually I asked him about his wife and he was silent for some time. She was affected with Endometrial Cancer. I was at unease for a while and didn’t know how to console him. The next statement from him was a shocker. His parents want to call this marriage off as the couple had lived together for only two weeks. He disconnected the call as he couldn’t explain more.

My happy mood came to an end there. ‘Why should he listen to his parents on the most important decision of his life?’ ‘Who are they to define number of days to gauge the maturity of the marriage?’ ‘Why can’t he be a man?’ ‘why can’t he stand up on his own and take a decision?’ so many questions came up on mind when my mobile started blinking again.

Mithun apologized for disconnecting my call hastily. He said, it is a tough decision for him to take. He told me that if Yayati’s famous son Puru could take over the old age from his father(whose name later became the root of the word Purush, for males) and if Mohanlal can accept Sari in the movie ‘namukku parkkan munthiri thoppukal’ nothing makes him an inferior man. He said he married a beautiful person and during marriage he gave the commitment to be with her during happiness and sadness, in this life and after.

I thanked God. There is still goodness left in this world.

Beautiful Shazia D/o Abu Master

Hello Feroze-ji.. It’s been a long time. How are you doing?
It was a pleasant surprise to meet Feroze after a long time. Apart from the potbelly, not much has changed in the appearance. Feroze was my classmate during pre-University.
He went Dubai for job hunting immediately after his graduation. This was our first meeting after almost 6 years.
We were discussing our college days after a heavy lunch.( Mutton biriyani served in muslim marriages are usually spicy)

‘Hi Ameen’- I heard a voice from behind.
I returned ‘Hi’.
‘Don’t you recognize me?’.. Abu Master was the classmate of my paternal uncle. I have seen him a few times at my uncle’s place.
Yes Yes !! I do…
When did you return from the U.S?
I came two months ago.

He started speaking about the old days which I failed to recollect. He kept on talking about the discussions we had.
I started getting uncomfortable when he mentioned that I used to phone him.
He reminded me about my meeting with his daughter in a medical camp and our acquaintance after that. I apologized to him mentioning about my bad memory.
He said I phoned him for the final time to inform him about the U.S trip.
I was damn sure I haven’t phoned him on that occurrence.

The bridegroom has come and all attention went there. People started gathering out there.
Immediately after nikkah I went out as I had another function to attend.
Feroze gave me a ride to the station.
Train was running 20 mins late.

Feroze: Hey Man, confession time… I used to make phone calls to her pretending as you. I hope you understand the age when we were desperate to win girl friends..

Office Crush

Nowadays Kishore doesn't join us for lunch. He started going for lunch with Asha, the most beautiful girl in our office.(Well.. according to public). It was only one month since she joined our Bangalore office after completing her training. Without wasting time Kishore was after her. During the monthly project party we tried to pull his leg.

Joji asked,"Kishore, Are you in love with Asha?"
Kishore: "Don't underestimate our relationship by saying that we are in love."

Life is full of surprises!!

Osman is my childhood friend. He is 3 years younger to me and was my brother’s classmate. He doesn’t have any siblings and always considered me as an elder brother and calls me Bayya. During his graduation in Bangalore he was living with me & my colleagues. After completing the graduation school he flew to Dubai, the land of opportunities to join his family business.

We were not in touch for quite a long time. One fine day he phoned me and informed that he has got a back paper(failed exam/ supplementary exam) in the final year. He was very sad as he has to leave his business & travel to Bangalore for the sake of writing exam. When he came here he lived with me for one month and cleared the examination. He apologized for not paying attention to my advice and it reminded me about the heap of advises I used to give.

He completed more than a year in the business and off late he was not very happy about the work culture. He was not in a position to make drastic changes also. One day I heard from his mother that he is going to Pune for doing MBA. I felt happy to hear this decision. As the CAT(exam conducted by IIM) for that year was over he decided to join a new B-school in Pune where he was offered a management quota seat.

Two weeks later I got a phone call from Osman and he said he is flying to Bangalore in 2 days and enquired whether I can arrange for accommodation. This surprised me as the MBA classes usually start in June and it was 5 months far. He said he changed his decision and he plans to go for one year entrance coaching and then join a better B-school. In India, more than 250 thousand people attempt CAT exam every year and the exam has literally become a lottery system as the number of seats is very low. He said he will talk to me once he reaches Bangalore.I couldn’t agree to his decision of spending one entire year just for preparing for an exam whose pattern is completely unpredictable. I waited at the airport and I couldn’t resist asking him the reason the moment he came out of the airport.

He said, ‘Life is full of surprises!! Only when I was filling the application for Pune BSchool, I realized that I have one more back paper in the second year of graduation.’

Uncle kaun hai?

My best friend Ranjna and I were labmates during the 6th semester Microprocessor lab. Our project group comprised 6 students. One day Ranjna came to the lab with coconut burfi in her hand. I felt great to watch that childlike happiness on her face. She came to the group and distributed the burfi and then she revealed the reason for her happiness that her brother became a father. I shared my happiness on hearing this. Then all other labmates joined me in congratulating her.. On seeing the burfi distribution, Unni also came to the scene. He enquired about the reason for the sweet distribution.

Ranjna: I became an aunty..
Unni: Congrats.. That's a great news.. Now, who is the Uncle.. Is it Ameen??