Fate strikes, again and again.

Virus would have amended the topic to read: Faith strikes, again and again. All differences aside, this really got me thinking, what if the old bearded man upstairs, designed such a thing. Not the one to approve of instances like, destiny, providence and one of my personal favorites, luck, I pondered further. What if I dint call my friend for a couple of drinks, would that mishap still happen? If marriages are indeed made in heaven, was the union of my parents made in hell? Did quitting on WNS, bring me to fall prey to the ever so colorful world of call centers? What if Virus dint pre-pone his last visit to Hindustan? Now, mind you most of the questions I put have negative outcomes. It is, but human, that I would pin this on luck!!!

It is funny, how some positive talk with a friend can change your outlook (although for a brief amount of time). Two weeks back, I blamed myself for my friend’s mishap. Then a talk with Virus somehow fixed that guilty feeling. (No, I won’t get into the nuances of the conversation.) I am not marketing the idea of a Time-machine (although it would be cool). Maybe, we need to take control of our emotional outburst or rather as Domnic (Hate) once said how to respond to a given situation. That is (without sounding too clichéd) easier said than done. Think of it, all your life you have been reacting to circumstances. To condition your brain to respond appropriately, that’s a heck of a task. We can’t, just be up one morning and start responding, rather than reacting. This will be tough for people passed their forty’s. If we train ourselves accordingly, I don’t think we will end up faulting our luck. The outcomes we come across are blindly pinned on luck or for the good part Gawd (GOD). Response, here is the key ingredient. (And thank you for that Domnic.) The very nature of an everyday man is, succumbing to scenarios. Though we, as a race tend to change our physical surroundings (read, development and eradication of forests, wildlife) the very essence that makes us human, is out of our control.

Think I have gone off topic in between, but the fact remains we really need to change our responses to situations. I for one have started it, bit by bit. It’s your turn, what or how you make of it. And yes, I still feel good and don’t regret the sojourns, no matter what (after getting shitfaced, that is) hope you feel the same.

Cheers!

The compatibility question

I know what you’re thinking, the age old dilemma when it comes to relationships. No! In fact this is more to do with the vibes that go between our friends circle and someone new to our group. It has gone if not drastically negative, then partially abysmal. It doesn’t matter if he is a friend’s cousin or my cousin, it always goes wrong. Somehow, I felt, these encounters should be shared.

Now, most of these friends are good people at heart. Where they really fail at, is getting along on outings or over a couple of drinks. Mind you, it doesn’t get violent or into physical confrontation. It’s just that aura all around and in between us. The instant where Vicky (one of the friends in the group) feels the outside party’s jokes are not funny at all, Tony, Domnic or I feel the same. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s more than that mental wave length talk. It’s as if, we’re synchronized in one a sort of karmic way. You know, like you get the computer synchronized with the windows phone. I know it may be weird but, it happens every time a cousin or friend’s friend joins us on an outing. I can literary count the number of acquaintances that have failed to connect with us. I am in no way criticizing those friends, merely saying that, it never gets through, rather it’ll never get through.

There is this really popular joke amongst us. It’s the “Slip-Up”. thefreedictionary.com defines it as: “A minor inadvertent mistake usually observed in speech or
writing or in small accidents or memory lapses etc.” Let me assure you, these happen with us every time. Here are a couple of examples: MB pronounced as Amby, then for Legend its Ledend, Here’s one of my favorites: In Hindi there’s a word Gunaah. Here’s how SuperAnnaa aka Shirish said it. “Yeh bahut badaah Junaah hain, Junaah hain, Junaah hain.” That’s right he repeated that thrice. Maybe, it doesn’t seem funny right now, but at the moment and even now for that matter it makes us burst out in laughter. The slip-ups aren’t limited to SuperAnnaa or Vicky “The Virus” Frantz, although Virus is almost always the culprit. It extends to Domnic, Tony, Rinson and yours truly. But nevertheless these jokes never gasped by the outside party, infact it creates a sense of barrier.

There are many other jokes that are only understood by us. I’ll try keeping it short. Peter (my cousin) once asked Domnic to transfer pics from the digital camers to Domnic’s mobile (instructing via bluetooth). How about the time when Domnic’s talking with Annaa assuming he is listening (and Anna is facing Domnic), but Domnic asks him for a response, he replies “Mere se baat karraa kya ?” That has happened thrice in 2 days. If I could keep count, I end up with a Bible of sorts.

As this page is about the friends who couldn’t get along or came close to be part of our group, I feel obliged to mention their names.

• Deepak (Umesh’s cousin)
• Peter (My cousin)
• Vinod (SuperAnnaa’s cousin)
• Sameer (Rinson’s friend)

Now for the like minded twats.

• Shirish aka SuperAnnaa
• Domnic
• Vicky “The Virus” Frantz
• Tony
• Rudi (Rudolph)
  
• Rinson
• Umesh
• Melvin

Alas, those days are gone, possibly forever. With Virus in Singapore and a great rift created between us, there seems to be no resolve. I don’t think Virus’ famous quote “God’s Grace” either is going to bridge the gap.

Miss them days, sorely. Thanks you guys!! I shall meet you again Up Above or Down Below.

-Mel

Why can’t people change, even after having a family?

That’s one thing I really ponder about. What they were before marriage is the past. They haven’t learned how to behave after getting married. Doesn’t having a family, prick their conscience? It’s so disturbing, they have grown up kids and yet they (parents) remain egoistical. It’s been so long, still they stick with their big egos.

A case in point, one of my sister-in-laws. She has two daughters, the elder one is in college, while the younger daughter is in second grade. This woman doesn’t know how to speak, both when in family gatherings and in presence of friends. She blurts out with unnecessary negative comments. At times she is straight out blunt to a family member. To make matters worse it’s a love marriage. God alone knows if my cousin (her husband) has tried to run sense into her.

Now on the other hand, we have my parents. Mummy has been the steadfast, loyal, understanding and loving mother. Where as my Dad, a total no good, nonsensical, egoistic, sorry ass example of a husband and father. My Mum keeps praying to God, to drill some sense into him, since the last 33 years (would you believe it). But there’s no effect or change in my Dad. It’s come to a point where I have lost all hope in him or God for that matter. I just keep flowing with the days. I wonder what kept my Mother so patient. Was it God or the responsibility she has (read my brother, me and the house?) I am still struggling with that. The strange thing is, my Dad is all forgiving and caring about my doings. I can’t say the same about his attitude towards my brother or Mother.

My Mother has a lot of patience (look at the three of us and you’ll see what I mean).

They say people who write a lot in their journals or diaries die early. I just wish my Dad had followed something similar.

Thanks Mummy for EVERYTHING !!

So, today at church..

We (my brother and me) are listening to the sermon, just then an old man enters the church and sits in the same lane. Now when the hymn is announced, this man tried to pick the hymn book from the next lane,but somehow he withdraws. I overlooked that, my brother however notices it. He takes his hymn book and gives it to the old man. Now, Melroy (my brother) doesnt stop at that, he even points out to the man, what hymn is going on.
If that was not enough, Melroy did another small cute gesture. When we were on our way back after receiving the Eucharist, Melroy stood ouside, at the lane's entrance. Why ? To let the man in, as it would have been difficult for him to get to his seat. The old man, tapped Melroy's shoulder with a "Grateful" smile and joy in his eyes.
That must have, probably been the most valuable lesson I witnessed at church. Something, people only preach about and dont do in life. Thank you, brother !!