Politics

It was my last day of this posting in the city beautiful- Chandigarh.

Now, the times were turbulent would be one of the bigger understatements this side of the Big Bang. When a close friend has stabbed you in the back, having some other good friends helps.

It was one such friend, someone who shall henceforth be known as K, who is a central figure in this narrative.

So, K calls me in the evening and asks me what I am doing in the evening. Now a call by a young woman asking my for my engagement inthe evening would be an event in itself, but it was no ordinary woman. It was K. And so it was not a young lady, it was a good friend. And hence I told her that I was tired after all the packing and running around and just wanted to hit the sack early. K being K, told me, "Nothing doing. You're coming with me to watch a movie tonight."

Such being her authority, at sharp 8:15 pm I was standing outside her door with my wellbeloved Thunerbird (not to be confused with the other Wellbeloved, the Geaorge Cyril W. of Wodehouse infamy). She comes out with her helmet and we head across to the PVR located close by.

We watch the movie, and come out at 12ish in the night. By this time, it was pouring cats and dogs. I asked her whether she wanted to go back in the rain or wait till the fury of the rain god reduced. She was game for going back in the rain, and I for one do not mind a bit of a splash at any time. So off we went towards the base.

A red light short of base, I had an idea.

"K, wanna take a ride in the rain?"

"Sure!"

And then we went off. Rode around 40 km. Went at a speed of 100 in blinding rain on the wrong side of the road. Deliberately crossed puddles of water. And laughed our guts out. Decided to have tea. Had tea and sutta by the roadside next to the bus stand. And came back.

Next day, I left Chandigarh. Now that I look back on the two years that I spent there, that is one of the first things that comes to my mind...

PS: K, I know you wont read trash like this. But you were, and still are, as good a friend as anyone can hope for. A toast to you.

Barsaat Ki Baat

There was this guy in Delhi, who was there for a couple of months... Being in a city of large distances and maddening traffic, he had brought with him his first love- his Royal Enfield Thunderbird.

Now he had quite a bit of time spare from work, his work finishing at 11 am everyday. So her decided he would catch up with all his friends in Delhi. And that he did. In the process there was this one girl who became a real close friend of his.

Now this friend had to go to Mumbai one fine Friday evening, to spend some time with her (oh so lucky) boyfriend. And she wanted someone to drop her off at the airport, as she was not too willing to trust a Delhi autowallah (which I take as a personal insult, considering that I am also a part of the three wheeler driver fraternity). So she asked this guy to pick her up from her hostel and drop her off at the airport. Our guy was only too happy to oblige.

So he reached the hostel, right on time.And what was he welcomed with?? Pouring rain. The heavens had opened up, to check the resolve of both the guy and the bike. And it being a Girls' Hostel, he could not go inside to take shelter either. No other shelter around. So he waited, and got soaked to all 206 odd bones in his body. And the girl got stuck in a traffic jam, caused by the same oh-so-welcome September rain of Delhi. So he had to wait some more.

Finally the girl arrives. On the cue, the rain lets up. And they promptly set course for the airport.

Enroute, something happens which is the only reason for this entire blog post.

The guy stops the bike at a petrol pump to fill some gas. The guy was about to take out his wallet when the girl pipes up, "You're going to drop me off, so I'll pay."

Now the guy did not like this, and told the girl as much. And years have passed, and cusecs of water has flown by in hardly moving Yamuna of Delhi, but still the girl does not know why the guy did not like her offer... Any views and/or explanations??