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??

Comedy or Tragedy?

ha·lal /həˈlɑl/
–adjective- Halal food: prepared in a manner prescribed by Islamic shari'a law.
Arif, my engineering class mate was a happy go lucky person. He had good knowledge on Islam and we used to have healthy discussions about life, life after death and various other topics. During the second semester he revealed a secret to me. He likes a christian girl in our class. That was a surprise for me. Knowing his parents very well, I knew that this relationship won't work out with their permission. I told him to find someone from our religion. The response he gave me was awesome. He said he can't love someone after checking her horroscope.

During the project days they became good friends. He decided that he will never let her know his love towards her as he didnt want to let his parents down. During those final days of college she came to him and stood in front of him..
Liz: Arif, my marriage is on 28th April. You are my best friend and you should definitely come.
Silence for a while.. Then
Arif: Will there be halal meal for the function?

14th Feb 1995: A short love story

(8th Std) Boy: I love you.
(7th Std) Girl: I will tell my father.
Boy: Hey, I was just kidding

Happy Valentines Day to All :)

Three Vertices

Keerti and Unni were my class mates in engineering. I have seen them always sitting together in Library. The so called conventional types, I must say. Whenever I inquire about the relationship both of them give the same cliché reply, ‘Friendship’. I became very close to them during 3rd semester. Like most of my classmates, I preferred to see them as ‘the best’ couple. I knew him as a very religious person who visits temple at least once a week. He converted to vegetarianism quoting that eating non-vegetarian food leads a person to think like an animal. (Good topic for a debate :) ).

Keerti is a tough lady. I remember one incident during our college days. In the 8^th semester of engineering, Unni proposed her. She responded that she too likes him but she is ready to marry him only with her parents’ agreement. I am supposed to keep this a secret.(Between you and me Shh..) She considered her parents' choice above her conscience. I somehow wished I had a sister like this.

It took 6 months for Unni to get a nice paying job whilst she was already working. He wasted no time in approaching her parents and letting them know about his affection. Her parents, like most of the village parents, said a big NO to the relationship. Caste came as a villain in their relationship. He is a Pillai & she, Nair. Even though both of them were against the caste system, she took a stand that she can’t proceed with the relationship because her parents were against it. She was not even ready to let her parents know that she is in love with Unni. According to her, letting them know is equivalent to ‘forcing’ them to accept this proposal and she never wanted to disturb her parents. This stand of her annoyed me. I had one of my biggest fights with her on that day. End of it, She stopped explaining the reason and only mentioned that 'the chapter is closed'. As a person who knows both of them very well, I took the role of a moderator and tried to convince her family. There was no outcome for that long conversation also. Later, Unni flew to middle east and I lost touch with him. As we are working in the same field, I chat with Keerti once in a while.

Last week, a relative of mine eloped with her boyfriend. My uncle and aunt were poignant about the incident. For the first time I looked at the whole episode from a parent's point of view. I strongly felt that she should've informed her parents before taking this extreme step. After seeing my Uncle's situation I was in a dilemma on ‘The correct and wrong perspective’. I phoned Keerti and apologized for the fight we had and the side I took without bearing in mind her point of view.

Keerti responded sadly, ‘No.No..You were right on that day. I regret for the wrong decision I took.'

One for mother's love..

During fourth semester study leave we(apunka gang) decided to visit everyone's house. On such a daily trip, we went to Surya's house also. Surya was his parent's pampered only son. He gets irritated whenever he hear the word 'pamper' hehe...

A complete kerala sadya of 21 items was in store for us. Once everyone finished sadya, payasam was also offered..

Amit:That was a great sadya..
Surya's mom: U had only one glass payasam.. Please have one more..
Amit: No mom.. I am full..

Then she went inside the kitchen..
Surya: Amit, Don't feel bad about this.. I don't like anyone else addressing my mother as 'mom'.. Please call her 'aunt'..

I was completely taken aback at this conversation.

Later Surya happened to be my roommate in the final year...
Towards the end of seventh semester, i had a small fight with my best friend Ranjna .. I was completely upset about it. I was not even able to face her. Witnessing all this Surya tried to console me..

Surya: C'mon man...Don't act like a kid..
Me: I told you it's difficult.
Surya: Why should you feel bad when she doesn't care about it..
Me: She was my best friend. We were always together and i feel awkward about going to college..You don't understand this as you don't have any feelings.. (I was a bit harsh at him)

Surya: Do you remember the 4th sem party at my house..Did you ask me why I made a scene there.. No.. you didn't..
You know that I am my mom's only son.. But you don't know that she is my stepmother.. My real mom died when I was 5. This lady took good care of me and I never felt that I am a 'Yatheem'. She even decided not to have another baby thinking it might lessen her love towards me. Don't you think this is love?? I never told this to anyone in the college..Yes...I am possessive about her..

I was dumbstruck hearing this.