It would have been one of the happiest days of my life. The day on which my eighth standard vocations had started. It was an year in which my fortunes took a turn for good...Two months of cricket..cricket..more cricket and only cricket.. I was on my way home after the day's action: It had been customary that my vacations always started or school days ended with us playing cricket in Palace ground with the fellow model boyites...
In an unforgettable moment, I realized all my dreams collapsed and my vocations could be ruined. . I had left the cricket bat I borrowed from a not-so-close friend of mine in the ground itself. My absent mindness once again poked me, but this time a bit too heavily. The last bit of fading hope deserted me when I found the dead and empty ground on rushing back.. Somebody had taken it..might have used it for firewood
It was one of my childhood desires to possess an SG, a GEM, or a BDM cricket bat, but my miser parents wouldn't buy me one.. And when they bought one, It was a 60 rs. rocking feather weight which could be used for playing badminton...( On retrospection I luv my parents for instilling modesty in me!! wht if they gave me all the things I desire...). Ok now coming back to the story, the one I lost was an SG, a pretty old one ..but a new one costed around 1000 even at that time. I was so affraid to tell this to anyone especialy my parents as if I believed their love for me is not worth sparing 1000 rs on such a petty issue. I was convinced that I should somehow buy a new one or return the equivalent amount.. whom to ask.. whom to beg.. I couldn't steal.. I didnt know any job nor wasn't that gutsy to take up one and make the money myself..
I hit this plan. Started filling a coca-coala ( coke returned to india around that time) can with whatever money I got.. I began looking up in all cup-boards, all table-tops for scattered coins.. Some times I would creep in my parent's bed room when they napped in the afternoons to check-up their cupboards... Was that stealing?. Somehow I never believed collecting scattered coins as stealing..
But how much one can collect that way.. Filled up the can, but it was hardly 100 rs.. The issue did settle. I did not have to use my hard-earned money.. I never told the parents about it yet..
I didnt steal either... Let's leave the 'how' part for the time being... It was settled respectably for both the parties atleast for my mind..
There are some events in our life, which we often wish should never have happened.. If ever I get a time machine to fly back in time, to erase the past, this one would have come second at the top of my priority list.. ( No prize for guessing the first.. But you will never find it out yourself..)
I do often say 'pride' is everything to me.. I give favours but never take any (pls don't misunderstand me here :) ). I never cry, never want anyone to sympathize with me. But somewhere I read if you are not rich, you cannot afford to be proud... People listen to those who earn more money.. those who are more successful in their eyes...
my experience humbled me, lowered my head for a while..made me cry... It taught me many lessons in life.
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Monday, 28 May 2007
Sunday, 15 April 2007
Being ur brother...
Being your brother, I am proud...
My eyes found you first, when you were a five year old. And I took your place in the
family without ever asking..
And when an age difference of "five years" amounted to more than double the age of mine, I recognized you as my dear brother...
But for you, I was more than a "younger brother". You took me to wherever you went. Playing cricket and football with your friends (You covered me in my mistakes.. but then I had thought I was upto that level) , cycling treks with your friends ( You were carrying me with you for miles when all you friends were cycling freely), Fishing in our "thodu" for hours and days ( You taught me fishing/angling.. though now I consider myself more experienced in this field), hunting birds with stones and "kyabelt" in our orchard (You made our parents hunt for "undhividu" in the Ooty market), Flying kites with our cousins which only you could make ( Teach me this some time :) ), Climbing those big mango trees in memas home ( You were head and shoulders above all our cousins... My generation fears it like anything), Squeezing each others hands ( You taught me how to suffer the pain and keep the head up.. Now I bet you can't make me yell again), Swimming in the 7 ft swimming pool when I didn't even know swimming (You taught me swimming in a matter of 3 days.. ..You even faked the instructor that I knew swimming for allowing me to get in),... This list never ends... I cherish those moments so close to my heart..
You inspired me to study... ( then I thought my achievements were better than yours..) ..You told me to "tuck in the shirt" and "wear shoes" and "comb the hairs" and always try to look good ( Then I told you I prefer comfort)...
But then you probabily have influenced me more than any one in my life.. You even shared your childhood fantacies with me.. We had fought with our imagnary enemy "prani" with those small cannons and arms which you made for us in our thoughts...Strategies that india should follow in cricket, Argentina in football, strategies for making a new saline aquarium, techniques of making traps for birds, making our parrot talk and what not have we discussed... We are good and bad at exactly the same things like twins...
Oh yes.. then there were troubled times. We stopped talking to each other for nearly three years ( from the time when I was in 3rd standard to the time you were in 10th :- may be a world record for brothers considering our ages ).. May be our egos were exactly the same.. Though we lived under the same roof with out ever mentioning each other's name I was secretly proud of you and was missing you a lot. I am sure same is the case with you, or may be you missed me more. I had this feeling that you always found in me, yourself and tried to achieve things that you hadn't achieved through me... But I let you down more often than not...
Now It's your marriage this monday (23/04/07). What shall I give as a present to you for being my guide, hero, dearest friend and above all the loving brother....
May be, Just may be, I will call you "chettan" for once** which you always wanted to hear from me. I know there's no greater present for you from me... "wish you a happy and wonderful married life" my dear chettan..
*kyabelt ( a sling, the weapon david used to kill goliath..I faintly remember "undhividu" is its the name in Tamil)
** It's a million dollar qn for me.. I hate myself :(
My eyes found you first, when you were a five year old. And I took your place in the
family without ever asking..
And when an age difference of "five years" amounted to more than double the age of mine, I recognized you as my dear brother...
But for you, I was more than a "younger brother". You took me to wherever you went. Playing cricket and football with your friends (You covered me in my mistakes.. but then I had thought I was upto that level) , cycling treks with your friends ( You were carrying me with you for miles when all you friends were cycling freely), Fishing in our "thodu" for hours and days ( You taught me fishing/angling.. though now I consider myself more experienced in this field), hunting birds with stones and "kyabelt" in our orchard (You made our parents hunt for "undhividu" in the Ooty market), Flying kites with our cousins which only you could make ( Teach me this some time :) ), Climbing those big mango trees in memas home ( You were head and shoulders above all our cousins... My generation fears it like anything), Squeezing each others hands ( You taught me how to suffer the pain and keep the head up.. Now I bet you can't make me yell again), Swimming in the 7 ft swimming pool when I didn't even know swimming (You taught me swimming in a matter of 3 days.. ..You even faked the instructor that I knew swimming for allowing me to get in),... This list never ends... I cherish those moments so close to my heart..
You inspired me to study... ( then I thought my achievements were better than yours..) ..You told me to "tuck in the shirt" and "wear shoes" and "comb the hairs" and always try to look good ( Then I told you I prefer comfort)...
But then you probabily have influenced me more than any one in my life.. You even shared your childhood fantacies with me.. We had fought with our imagnary enemy "prani" with those small cannons and arms which you made for us in our thoughts...Strategies that india should follow in cricket, Argentina in football, strategies for making a new saline aquarium, techniques of making traps for birds, making our parrot talk and what not have we discussed... We are good and bad at exactly the same things like twins...
Oh yes.. then there were troubled times. We stopped talking to each other for nearly three years ( from the time when I was in 3rd standard to the time you were in 10th :- may be a world record for brothers considering our ages ).. May be our egos were exactly the same.. Though we lived under the same roof with out ever mentioning each other's name I was secretly proud of you and was missing you a lot. I am sure same is the case with you, or may be you missed me more. I had this feeling that you always found in me, yourself and tried to achieve things that you hadn't achieved through me... But I let you down more often than not...
Now It's your marriage this monday (23/04/07). What shall I give as a present to you for being my guide, hero, dearest friend and above all the loving brother....
May be, Just may be, I will call you "chettan" for once** which you always wanted to hear from me. I know there's no greater present for you from me... "wish you a happy and wonderful married life" my dear chettan..
*kyabelt ( a sling, the weapon david used to kill goliath..I faintly remember "undhividu" is its the name in Tamil)
** It's a million dollar qn for me.. I hate myself :(
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