A Bald Story

What is the most embarrassing situation in life? Stood up by girl? Insulted in front of friends/colleagues? Naah… Visiting a Barber shop! A hair salon! Before I make the justification for it, I should clear up few statistics which I made up! We all know that there is a huge number of hair shampoo/conditioner in the market… the reason is pretty obvious cause the maintaining a good hair is becoming a herculean task these days, leave out the aged people these days youngster are struggling on it!  More the demand and hence more products; let us say 80% of the people I know falls into hair problem category. Hence assume the below as ‘our’ story not as mine alone! :) 

Experts say cancer spreads within the person and the person would never notice it until it is too late. Hair loss is one similar case but with a small difference, even if you don’t notice it everyone else does! :P One fine day you wake up to brush your teeth, look into the mirror to find a new mole on your forehead, a mole you never knew about. You feel happy like a small kid having found something new, but after few seconds you realize the ugly truth of how it came into existence! The light near the mirror exactly highlights the part on head where you are losing your hair; this is like a Newton’s untold law, eighth wonder! I am sure those 80% of people I mentioned will be nodding their heads now! ;)

And things don’t stop there, the visit to the barber shop; you keep delaying it but can’t stand seeing more hair fall and decide to make the dangerous journey! Entering the barber shop is like entering an uninvited place and adding to the slur you are made to wait, worst part is that the people who are getting their hair done falls into that 20% category! You take a corner seat and start reading a paper; your eyes never look around! When the barber beckons you to the seat it is double nightmare! There are mirrors all around you…! It is as if there is a spotlight above you showing every flaw in your head, crushing your soul!! Just then the barber clears his throat and looks at you. Tongue tied not sure of why the hell you came to this place, you murmur “medium”! He looks at you and your hair a couple of times and as though you have asked him a share of his wealth, he gives a *sigh* and picks up the scissors to cut your consciousness to pieces.

The past starts haunting you, days when you had curly hair, falling on your face and how you refused to cut them short! How the barber found it difficult to cut through your tangled hair, every few minutes he had to clear the scissors and comb to remove the stuck hair, the white sheet which covered your body would almost be black with your hairs…! Just when you start slightly getting your spirits up, you hear the barber’s voice: sir shaving? You don’t find your voice to reply back, that’s all? He is done with my hair? You look into the mirror and don’t find much difference; barber now starts straightening your hair near your forehead. He starts pushing hair from every possible angle to the front, the excruciation, only few hairs make till the half way mark of forehead!! This is the most sensitive and dangerous part, the barber can ruin your weeks ahead with a single cut. You can’t even see what he is doing in mirror as his arm is right in front of your eyes. Those few moments you hold your breath and wait as if your life depended on it (and I literally mean it!). When his hands move away, you are not sure of how to react to silently cry or to howl with pain; the dreadful sight, your head gleams under the focus lights; he then starts combing your hair...! He pushes strands from different angles and somehow covers up the portion! You breathe a sigh of relief, you are grateful to him for saving you from many weeks of agony.  Never mess with your barber he can screw your life!

The removes the white cloth with black “dots” and charges you a very high amount! When you had loads of hair it, the cost was only a few bucks, now it is atrocious!! The barber gives you a look which means “look buddy, it takes skills to cut hair like this to ‘medium’ level and I am not sure when you are going to visit next, it may or may not happen, think this as one last time and pay me!!” you pay the amount and walk out of the shop quickly!!

If you are among those 20% of people who still has good hair! Smile as long as you can because we (rest of the 80%) are sure that you will be joining us sooner or later!!

Technology has grown so much, but why not hair?! Is hair transplant only way to go? Somebody find something ;) :) 

Picture courtesy Google

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The Decision

Iksha, pale skin with jet black hair, dark chocolaty eyes, thin nose and pointed chin, was walking aimlessly wondering how much her life had changed. Her thoughts consumed her, thoughts about the decision she had to make in life. A Decision which would break hearts, hearts of people she loved and cared. She had always tried to avoid this one decision, but it had become inevitable. Her mind was throwing flashbacks at her, life was so simple before.

She was so nervous about her new school, her father a big industrialist had sent her to a top rated school; she couldn’t sell “will miss her friends” as a reason to her father because he knew she didn’t have any in her old school. Teacher introduced her to the class and pointed her to a seat; she took her seat and fixed her eyes on the board. She waited for the lunch bell to ring, it felt like she waited years together for it to ring; she decided to eat at her table itself, that is when she met him first, tall and russet skin, black hair and dark eyes. He had a beaming red smile like a shooting star on the night sky: “Hi, I am Jyran… would you like to join?” there was no uneasiness or nervousness in Iksha when Jyran asked her, for the first time on the entire day she felt she felt better and she joined him.

Iksha: “hi I am Iksha! I am new to this school”

Jyran: “Nice to meet you, where are you from?”

“I live here but I was in residential school but dad wanted me to be in the ‘top’ school!” Iksha said rolling her eyes. Jyran laughed: “I know! My dad did the same to be 4 years back!”

Iksha smiled: “what is your dad?” the question seemed to have made Jyran uneasy. His wide happy smile disappeared hearing that. “He is in Politics, leader of the opposition party” in a very low voice, his dark eyes fixed on Iksha as if waiting for a reply. Iksha couldn’t understand why the answer made him so uneasy; she kept looking at him hoping for an answer. At last Jyran spoke: “listen it is alright if you don’t want to have lunch with me, I understand.” He gave her a weak smile. Iksha: “what? What do you mean?” Jyran: “generally girls don’t hang out with me because my dad is a politician, they think I am ‘evil’ and might create ‘trouble’!” his voice sounded as if he was controlling his anger. Iksha: “that’s lame! I don’t mind who your dad is! Can I have lunch with you?” his pink lips spread like the sun on the horizon, her gaze went straight to his lips and it melted her as bright emotions came right of his face. The beginning of a friendship, Iksha found a true and strong friend in Jyran; They started spending lots of time together in school as well as at home. She missed him badly when she was alone. It was same with Jyran, he missed her too. Jyran was first person Iksha would think of if something bad happens or if something great happens or if she just wanted to talk. A beautiful friendship had blossomed between them.

Time flew by, it was time for them to join college, and both of them had applied for same colleges, hoping they would get in to same college, they were waiting anxiously now. But life had different plans for them, Iksha received acceptance in a college 70 miles away home while Jyran received acceptance from a college close by. They were shattered, they decided against going to college but their parents intervened and convinced them to go to college as they can meet at weekends. Reluctantly they agreed, life started becoming very busy for Iksha, while Jyran was patient for weekends. They would meet at weekends and chatter away all the stories of the week happily.

Only two weeks into college life Iksha was finding it difficult, again she had no friend, but Jyran had few of his friends with him in the same college. She would eagerly wait for the weekend to come. Iksha was trying to concentrate what the professor saw showing them in lab but somehow she couldn’t keep her eyelids open. Her pen slipped out of her hand; She was about to collect it when a boy standing next to her collected it for her. He was 6’2”, had perfect and angular—high cheekbones, strong jaw line, a straight nose, and full lips. His hair was messy; he had slender but muscular body. Iksha couldn’t look away from his eyes; the eyes that you can look into and feel like you are getting lost, eyes you can relate to that are truly windows to the soul. The boy cleared his throat; she thanked him with a sheepish smile and took the pen. After the lab, he came up to her and held out his hand: “Inesh” His voice was so warm and comforting even the ice berg in Antarctica would melt. Again Inesh cleared his throat, Iksha’s cheeks turned bright pink, and she shook his hand and said “Iksha”. Inesh spoke in musical warm voice: “I believe we are in same class, in fact your number is right after mine”. Iksha was so mesmerized in his voice she forgot that she had to respond. Inesh cleared his throat again; Iksha snapped out of the serenity and blurted out “that’s great!” as soon as the word left her lips, she felt stupid that she couldn’t come up with a better reply. Inesh smiled, the corner of his lips hooked into her heart “would you join me for lunch?” she could only nod in agreement.

Inesh: “where are you from?”

Iksha: “70 miles north from college”

Inesh couldn’t stop the smile: “I am from the same place; I studied in the residential school”

Iksha mouth dropped open out of disbelief that was her old school, her father moved her into new school. If she had not been moved they could have met before. It sounded silly to her, why was she so excited about him, this was the first time they are meeting and she was acting like mindless!

Iksha: “I studied in same school until my father moved me to another school!”

Inesh with a surprise tone: “Is it? That’s nice, what is your father?”

Iksha with little frustration in her voice: “He is an industrialist; he wanted me to study in a top school so he moved me out of that school”

Inesh chuckled: “You didn’t like it, did you?”

Iksha: “Not at the beginning but I was fine later” she wanted to tell him about Jyran but she resisted herself. “What is your father?”

The question made his eyes melancholy, it was like she knew this situation before, the change in reaction but she waited for an answer. Inesh: “He is in Politics, leader of the ruling party”

She felt like she had walked into a wall. Inesh noticed the change in Iksha’s face, he took a deep breath “I get this reaction a lot, I understand if you are not…!” before Inesh could finish the sentence Iksha replied with a smile: “I don’t mind who your father is!”

Iksha knew something was special about the relationship with Inesh, it was like the taste of water, you cannot describe it yet it is the elixir of life. Life in college improved a lot; Iksha was falling in love with Inesh. In college Iksha spent most of the time with Inesh and in weekend she would spend time with Jyran. She told Inesh about her good friend Jyran and Jyran about her love Inesh, they were happy for her. On a beautiful valentine day, Inesh proposed to Iksha with a smile like bright summer, Iksha was breathless, speechless, heart pounding and shaky hands, she wanted to say yes but she couldn’t find her voice, her eyes filled up, all she could do was say an yes with her eyelashes. Iksha felt she was the luckiest person in the world to have Inesh. She considered she was tremendously lucky with a friend like Jyran. Inesh and Iksha’s parents agreed and announced the engagement, she loved her life. She had the life every girl dreamed about.

In final year of the college, things changed dramatically. The elections were around the corner; this seems to have great impact on Iksha’s life. Jyran’s father and Inesh’s father were competing for the same position. Iksha was with Inesh, his eyes were very dull today, he didn’t have the same charm: “Iksha, I have a request…” the sound of his voice made her shiver, she nodded, “elections are coming up, you might be knowing who dad is competing against, the problem is… dad… dad doesn’t like his future daughter in law to be friends with opposition party, especially Jyran”

Iksha felt the ground beneath her shake, it was an intolerable request: “But how is going to affect his election?”

Inesh: “They might try to get information from you or try to make you get information, emotional black mail! You will be in danger”

Iksha trying to control her anger: “but I don’t know anything and no one is going to kidnap me for information, please!”

Inesh: “Iksha you don’t understand…”

Iksha shouted “I don’t want to!” and stormed out. After reaching home she called Jyran and wanted to meet with him. She met him, Jyran was calm and composed, and he had the “happy” smile on his face when he met her.  Iksha narrated her incident with Inesh to Jyran, to her surprise Jyran was calm as always, she was expecting him to explode with anger. She tried to read his expression but his eyes were lost, she was waiting for an answer from him, but he remained silent.

Jyran: “Iksha… Inesh is right, you have to choose…! I am sorry!”

Iksha whimpered “No… Please”

Jyran angry and frustrated “You don’t understand, you could be in danger, these guys would do anything to win. I don’t want you to be in danger; please it would hurt me even more if I knew I put you in that situation!” 

Iksha didn’t speak, she couldn’t control the sobs, she mumbled “I’ll go away for few months and come back after elections!”

Jyran clenching his teeth’s: “No… results can go either way, even after the results if you meet me or meet him, they would consider it as treachery or cook up stories! Understand Iksha…!”

Neither of them spoke for a long while. At last Jyran in soothing and calm voice spoke: “Iksha I can understand if you choose him, you are engaged to him. I am happy for you, I am sure you will be happy!” again there was a long silence between them, Jyran tired to make it less painful as possible “Good bye Iksha…!” he turned and started walking away from her. She was there alone, not sure of what she had to do or where she had to go. Slowly, Iksha started walking to her home, but she had lost the track of her path and surroundings. She kept walking aimlessly and consumed by her thoughts. She loved them both, Jyran was her very close friend, only one she had, she spent infinite amount of time with him. To faze him out of life was impossible. Inesh was her love; she knew life would be impossible without him. Why couldn’t they co-exist? Why is life playing tricks with her?

It was a crippling feeling, that a huge hole had been punched through her chest; it bleeds despite the passage of time and the pain never stopped. She knew her lungs must still be intact, yet she gasped for air. She stopped abruptly, the road before her diverged into two, she cannot walk in the middle and she had to choose a road. The decision was her to make, which road would she choose…?

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The Theft

Deepak was clear, very clear, the theft has to be done, he needed it badly, very badly, and the question which remained was “how” he was going to do it.

It was a bright afternoon; he couldn’t make a perfect plan. If not this afternoon he will lose track of it, perhaps never see it again! The thought made him shudder; he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He practiced this for long but reality was much bigger on him. He took deep breath again and turned to the guy next to him; “George”, his voice croaked: “I need your help, I am not sure how to tell you about this but I am planning for a robbery…!”  George just laughed thinking it was a joke, but seeing Deepak’s expression, the look on his face changed dramatically from a smile to frown.
George: “what is it you are planning to steal?” Deepak’s reply brought a change in his look again, stiff and nervous, his eyes were just a gash now.

Deepak: “So are you in…?”

George, deep in thought: “hmmm… yes I am in… what is your plan?”

Deepak: “Yeah… about that, I don’t have plan but this has to be done today afternoon!”

George: “You are INSANE! You could have told me this before and why today? Can’t we work out a plan and do it later”

Deepak: “No it has to be today, I have been tracking it for almost a month, it comes back today, and if we don’t get it today it will be lost, perhaps forever!”

George: “What time are you planning?”

Deepak: “12:00 PM, I have double checked that’s when he comes with it”

George his voice hesitant: “Let’s do this!”

George, short and stout, stood up adjusted his belt and straightened his shirt. Deepak, lanky and smart, pushed his spectacles deeper into his pointed nose and checked his watch it was 11:50; “Nothing is going to stop us”

But right then they heard a rumbling voice, which sends shivers across the spine: “Deepak and George, if you both open your mouth again I am going to throw you out of the class! Do you have any shame? Act matured, you are in Tenth now!” They both sneered hearing that, she had no idea what they were about to do! Ten more minutes they will have their “Lunch Break”.

The bell rang; noise erupted unanimously from all the classes, kids ran out of classes like Wild River! Deepak and George walked cautiously making sure that they attracted no attention upon themselves. They reached the third floor corridor and lurked in the corner, George: “are you sure about this?”

Deepak: “I held them in my hands and the feel is too addictive; you have no idea how much I want it, I was stupid enough to let it go, and I got to have it back! I am not changing my …!” before he could finish his sentence he saw the person whom they were waiting for! He remembered him well, for he has been tracking him for more than one month, he was a ninth standard boy, too short and thin for his age, they could easily knock him down and get it but that would draw attention. He went past them, Deepak and George followed the boy, as expected he entered the last door in the floor, they followed him. Room was filled with students of all ages, some of them searching the shelf, few reading magazine, few chatting in corner, the “LIBRARY” was a big room. They saw the boy carrying “THE BOOK” and produce it before the librarian; the librarian scribbled something and threw the book into a box.

Deepak: “You kept wondering what I was doing in lunch time, I’ll show you what I was doing… wait here, don’t come until I signal you”. Saying this Deepak went in the direction of the librarian, raised his hand in a saluting posture and said “hello sir…!” he struck up a nice conversation with him, slowly he gestured towards the box and asked him if he could help him with it, librarian nodded in agreement, Deepak collected few books and started placing them in respective book shelves. He came for the second round and collected few more books, this time he signaled George to join him. They met in a corner, Deepak was clutching “THE BOOK” as if his life depended on it, and he spoke in a whisper: “do you see the window on the left; it faces backside of the school, it is a over grown waste land, I want you go there and stand, I’ll throw the book out of the window when no one is watching, collect the book and lets meet in class!” George could hardly breathe, what if they were caught, he had no idea what would be the punishment. He nodded and ran as fast his leg could carry him, he jumped over the cycle stand and came exactly below the library window and waited. It felt like he was waiting for years together, the staff room window also faced in the same direction, what staff would think if they saw a school boy standing outside school compound and gawking into the sky! Just then he saw, no hand appeared in window, it was as if someone aimed and threw the book out of window, it came down faster than he anticipated, but still he managed to grab it before it hit the ground. He didn’t wait to take breaths, he ran, like his life depended on it, he made it to his class on in record time! He pushed the book into Deepak’s bag and sat down, still and unmoved, his gaze fixed on something far far away!

He waited and waited but Deepak never came, bell rang again, lunch break was over, yet Deepak never came, was he caught? Was he in trouble? He started to take in sharp breaths, just then Deepak walked in pushing glasses deep into his nose and with a triumphant smile!

Deepak: “did you get it?”

George couldn’t even nod his head, but made an eye gesture towards Deepak’s bag.

 Deepak sat down next to George: “we are in luck you know! The next book comes in tomorrow! I need this more than the one we got!”

George almost screamed in fear, again and that too tomorrow, he needed more time “how do you know?”

Deepak: “Just like last time, I checked the library register and checked the due date of the book, and I know who took it too, she comes in my school bus. She must have finished reading it; records show that she has been extending the due date for many weeks now. We will follow what we did today, it will be fine, no one will know”

George gulped down a lump which kept forming in his throat, “yeah sure!”

Next day, things went way wrong, it was raining cats and dogs throughout the day, and backside of the school had formed a puddle. George felt a big knot in his stomach; Deepak seemed to be more focused.  George in a meek voice: “can’t we do this another day?”

Deepak: “NO! We will find a way!”

The lunch bell rang, the sound seemed to be too loud for George, he felt weak, he tried to stand up but his body wouldn’t budge. Deepak was already walking out of class, somehow George caught up to him. They checked the girl’s class, she was not there; panicking they ran to library. They arrived just in time to see her returning “THE BOOK”. Again Deepak volunteered to return books to the shelves. This time he signaled George to join him sooner, Deepak shoved the book into George’s hand and said: “put the book inside your shirt, tuck it in with your pants near your belly” George’s eyes were wide in horror, he fumbled with the book, Deepak pushed him into the corner of the library, George tucked the book inside his shirt and turned around. Deepak’s face turned pale, the book was protruding out of his big belly; one could see the shape of book even a mile away! Deepak asked George to remove the book and put it in the shelf near him, Deepak continued placing the book in the respective shelves. George just stood in corner, breathless; Deepak returned with last set of books, he grabbed “THE BOOK” out of the shelf and tucked it inside his shirt this time. He held his lungful of air; the small bulge because of the book seems to have disappeared now. Now it all depended on how long he could hold his breath. He continued placing the last set of books in shelf, after placing them he took a magazine and sat down in the last row of the reading section. He waited until the lunch break bell, he stood up and walked in heart of the crowd, everyone was hurrying to get back to the class. He increased his pace but also making sure that he didn’t draw attention. Deepak reached the class and smoothed “THE BOOK” into his back and crashed into the seat taking deep breath.

Just then the boy sitting behind him patted him on his shoulder, Wordsy: “Did you just pull a book out of your shirt?”

Deepak was shocked, his heart skipped a beat, and how could he be so careless at the last moment. George was by his side now, the look on George’s face was even worse. Before George or Deepak could react, Wordsy took the book out of the bag; it had school library seal over it. He turned to the duo and asked: “did you guys steal this from library?” neither of them spoke, but from the look on their face Wordsy understood from where they got it. Wordsy smiled, “Cool! Neat!!!” George and Deepak looked at each other and then looked back to Wordsy, “Stop worrying, I am not going to turn you guys in but what is so special about this book that you had to steal it from the library?”

Deepak sounded thankful: “you have to read it to know it!”

Wordsy: “so do you mind if I borrowed it to read?”

Deepak knew he was in no position to refuse: “Yeah sure, but please do return it to me!”

Wordsy nodded and smiled, he turned the book to see its name and it read:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

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You Me and God

Ashutosh loved the tea breaks, he took tea breaks between 4.30 to 5.00 PM every day. He along with his colleagues, Mani and Shankar, would go to the road side tea shop and have nice long chats. A break from the fast and hasty IT Company he worked in, they would discussed about everything under the sun and at times above it ;) It looked like it was about to rain but the steady wind delayed the rain, they signaled three "chai" to familiar shop owner and grabbed a packet of wafers.

Mani: "You know I saw a video on face book about the Fibonacci series, made me really wonder about god!"

Shankar: "Yup! Freaky to use Fibonacci series to make unique things, I thought Fibonacci series were used only on viva questions or practicals! :P "

Mani: "Haa haa…! You know it shows how god works from above us"

Ashutosh with smirk on his face: "so that’s how he works? On numbers? :P "

Shankar: "You don't believe in god?"

Ashutosh: "Yup! I do"

Mani: "Then what's with the sarcasm?"

Ashutosh: "I feel that God actually doesn't work! He is just a… just a… you can say viewer or watcher, 99% of things that happens in your life he doesn't control"

Mani: "Dude! He creates human beings!!"

Ashutosh: "Really?! I thought our parents created us :P "

Shankar: "He controls your life; he can change life the way he wants! God is the supreme!"

Ashutosh: "God might be the Supreme but definitely he doesn't control changes in life, it is us who writes our fate"

Mani: "So you don't think God does anything?"

Ashutosh: "Let’s put it other way… Do you all agree that if there is God he exists everywhere?"

Both Shankar and Mani nodded their head in agreement.

Ashutosh: "What I am trying to state is, there is a part of God in every one of us"

Now Mani has a smirk on his face: "Even Osama bin laden?"

Ashutosh: "Yup!"

Shankar: "You have lost your mind!!"

Ashutosh: "As I said 99% of your life is control by you only 1% by God, in that case what I said is perfectly right, Osama choose his path and Gandhi choose his"

Shankar: "You are confusing me!"

Ashutosh: "I am just saying people should stop believing that everything is done by God and start realizing that everything which happens in your life is because of you. People are using God as 'reason' for their actions, if same God created Osama and Gandhi then why the difference?”

Both of them had no answer.

Ashutosh: “I believe there is a part of God in everything, even in the advertisement model you see on the hoarding, call it God, call it x-factor, call it anything you want, but that is what makes everything unique, people should realize that factor is within them, and that factor is just a watcher, whatever you do in life is controlled by you alone! And people who realized it has realized what life is! :) ” 

His friends were giving a weird look, Mani: “Are you saying that hoarding there is God?!!”

Ashutosh smiled, he couldn’t stop it, and looks on his friends face were too animated: “Shall we leave?”

Mani: “You know who real God is?”

Ashutosh:“My manager! He controls my life! :( ”

All of them laughed and started walking towards office. Ashutosh took a last glance at the hoarding and entered the office.

The shape on hoarding relaxed: “For few minutes I thought I was caught! Thank the humans!”

“Ennai thoandi nyaanam kanden idhudhaan en katchi” -  Kaviarasu Kannadasan

“To the question of your life you are the answer, and to the problems of your life you are the solution.”  - Joe Cordare

“Resolve to be thyself; and know that he who finds himself, loses his misery.”  -Matthew Arnold, "Self-Dependence," Empedocles on Etna, and Other Poems, 1852

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You Never Knew!

Is it me or does that girl really look good?!

I am sure if you are a guy this question would have crossed your mind, in some cases if you are a girl ;) . The point I want to share is, I have seen girls who at one point of time doesn't make an impact on you. By impact I mean impression. There are girls who has an "oomph" factor in them, and there are girls who gains respect on the first look, and there are girls who never comes to your notice(no offense). 

Being in a college which has more than 1000 students in a particular academic year, I have come across girls who belong to all the 3 categories. In college the "oomph" factor girls are like celebrities! If they talk to you or if they walk on the other side of the road in the same direction, you mind automatically start playing a heroic background music!! From what I have noticed in my life after college , mostly through the social networks(read face book :P ) available, how else do you think one could be in touch with so many people :P …  yeah from what I have noticed is that these "oomph" factor girls totally disappear, is it cause they are dumb? Not knowing how to use a computer? Married early? I can't put my finger on it!! 

Now comes into picture the girls of the respect and unnoticed category! What happened to them?! Well, they get into a good job, uses the social networks to stays in touch. And guess what they start look good!! I'm not sure how many of you will agree but I can voice for 70% of the guys I think. Now you start wondering what happened to them in college?! Seriously?! In college she would have been just another girl and now If you see her profile picture you start cursing your eyes for betraying you! This is the story of how a "unnoticed becomes a oomph(at least at an extent oomph)", She joins the social network with a profile picture of an actress or a baby or a flower, and sends request to friends who she knows, next step she uploads a picture which shows her face from side angle, the best of picture she ever had so far! Well you know guys, she starts receiving friend request from guys who she knows only by name. She then realizes that she has more that 300 friends in the account and has not changed her profile picture in months, she walks into a beauty parlor and straightens her hair! Next go to a branded shop get a nice pair of jeans and a designer t-shirt/tops. Goes to a nice coffee shop/restaurant/picnic with friends  gets her photo clicked!! She also learns to do "touch ups" before leaving home! :P . You must have noticed I have mentioned "hair straightening" as first point, I strongly believe it is the first step towards getting "oomph" factor! It is becoming a common weapon used to get guys attention! Straighten your hair and leave a strand of hair fall on your face, guys will  look at them for sure! And heights is when you have a girl as good friend from college who doesn't fall into "oomph" category and when she tells you about proposals she is getting!! :o  You start believing that 2012 is the world's end! You look her photo twice and realize that she has become pretty, but she will always remain as the one who gained your respect on first look! 

All being said, another important point is that, when guys are out of college they know what their potential/reach/capability is. May be, when a guy is out of college he reduces his standards/bars out of frustration? Realization? Or both? for the good?  I guess these are questions even "Google" cannot answer!

Cheers!

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Blacklist$

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The mobile beeped, it showed “1 message received”. I opened the message:

“In 15 minutes”

I stood up, time had come, and I was waiting for this. Everyone said it was not possible but they all gave me the same answer. The answer was so strikingly odd yet gave me hope. I closed the door and started walking fast, yellowish half-moon kept peeking out of clouds, my shadow playing hide and seek in the platform. I thought back to yesterday evening, when I lost all my hope and decided to seek their help. The road had many pot-holes scattered down the entire way was filled with brown puddles. I entered the building; two diamond shapes joined by its edges, like bird’s nest the building had so many rooms. I remembered their room number; AV 154, the sound from the room had shocked me.

“Two da… Two… Two…”

I knew that voice, two guys who were glued to the computer screen, and he knew both of them: Butty and Vikram. But what were they doing, he came with so much hope and this!

Vikram: “Hi da… come in…”

Butty still glued to screen: “Va mappi… exam ellam epidi ezhudi iruka?” (how were the exams so far?)

I sat down on the cot, they were playing Cricket 07, but they only had one keyboard and two of them playing?! Still confused, I replied “so far good da… but next exam internals kami mappi… athan padikalamnu vanthen… unnaku evalo internals?” (so far good, but next exam i have low internals. i came to study, how much is your internals?)

Butty: “ennakum summar ana internals thaan da… unnaku?” (i have a decent internals.. you?)

Me: “ennaku kammi da… epo start pannalam?” (i have low internals da... when shall we start?)

Butty: “mappi… tomorrow leave thaane… so tomorrow evening sure a we will start da…”

Did I hear it correctly?! Is he saying that we will start tomorrow evening?! This paper is vast, so much to study and he wants to start by tomorrow evening. Rest of the hostel has started studying! Big mistake to have come here!

Me: “Vikram… nee??”

Vikram (now he was glued to computer): “ama da… tomorrow evening we will start”

What is he saying?! And how the hell are they playing two player game with one keyboard and no joystick!

Me: “dei… internals kammi da… pass aganum… shall we start tonight…?” ( i have low internals, i have to pass, shall we start tonight?)

Another guy walked in, Ramn holding a tea cup: “when did you guys wake up? Semma thukkam mappi… nenga rendu perum thungave illaya?? Hey hi da…” (when did you guys wake up? i was dead sleepy. you both didn't sleep at all? hey di)

Me: “hi ramana…”

Butty: “thukam varala… athunala thaan oru game a pottom… semma partnership…” (nope not sleepy... so we started the game... great partnership)

Ramn: “Dei please da… Cricket 07 creator kooda evalo ada mattan da (not even creator of cricket 07 plays it so much)… you guys play the same shot over and over again…”

Vikram: “dei Test match adarom da Australia voda… paaru da 335 runs partnership between kram and butty” (we are playing test match against australia... we got partnership of 335 between kram and butty)

I interrupted their insane talk, why are they not worried about the exam?! The guy is more worried about this partnership in Test than exam?!

Me: “Ramana… when are you planning to start?”

Ramn, still sipping the tea: “start what mappi?”

Ok, this was getting highly insane!! Like a ray of hope walked in a guy with Xerox in his hands, Yogu. I was happy seeing at least one sensible guy.

Yogu to vikram: “mappi… intha Xeroxa konjam paaren… ethu next examku sampantha patta xeroxa illaya nu mattum sollu” (take a look at this xerox and let me know if it is related to this exam)

Dummillll…Lightening struck in my heart!

Vikram turns many pages and finally says: “I think so… but not sure syllabus pakkanum” (i think so.. have to check syllabus)

Yogu: “seri… I’ll keep it in your room; give me some Xerox I’ll try to study. But epo thaan marudhamalai padam roommate eduthukittu vanthan… so nightu adu thaan… tomorrow evening thaane?”(ok... I’ll keep it in your room; give me some Xerox I’ll try to study. but now only my roommate got the film "marudhamalai" will be seeing it tonight, tomorrow evening right?)

Vikram: “yes yes!!”

Yogu left, out of nowhere I heard a song, a high pitch song. He comes into room still singing and waving his hand as though he is practicing in a studio. Everyone in college knows him or at least the song which he always sings in fests. Harish Chakravarthy @ chakku, SP.Balasubramaniam of our college, lies down on the cot and starts messaging. Suddenly a guy rushes into the room and searches table, shelf, cot but he doesn’t find it anywhere. The he sees ramana, glares at him and snatches the empty tea cup and walks out of room. I know him, Venkatesh but calls himself Wine and requests people to call him that, but people call him “Dino”. He came back with two other guys who were also holding tea cup, Aravind @ Ver and Raghul @ Gul. Both looking relaxed settled down on cot deeply involved in their tea cup. Room was getting crowded and I alone was looking desperate with Xerox in hand! Two more guys walked in, one wearing shortest of shorts and another with lungi, both squeezed into the already full cots.

Guy wearing shortest of shorts, Nair: “mappi… any good movie?”

The light through the door was blocked by well built guy with tight t-shirt again with a tea cup, Jai @ peeth. Why is everyone here obsessed with hostel tea!!

Peeth: “Dei… Saw VI vanthuduchu da…”(Saw VI has been released)

Chakku: “dei peeth naaye… neeyum un SAW vum... nalla tamil padam podungada…” (you and your Saw! put a good tamil film.)

The guy in lungi, Durai @ Naid, speaks up: “a new movie has come, athule hero and heroine first scene le murdered, avangaloda nai kutti revenge edukara matiri kada… director semmaya eduthurukan… Chinese padam nethu thaan subtitles oda pathen” (a new movie has come, in that hero and heroine gets murdered in first scene, so their dog takes revenge.. superb direction... it is a chiense movie, saw it with subtitles yesterday)

Ramn: “Naid dei… antha padatha patha unna kola pannanum mothale” (you should have been murdered for seeing that movie)

Their talks continued not even a hint about the exam; none of them seemed to be bothered. Room was filled with people and yet people never seemed to stop showing up, this time a guy with thick moustache, tall and fluffy hair, Sudharsan @ Oons: “mapppiiiii…. I have got thala ARR’s new album da… semmaya iruku…”

(I have got the new album of ARR)

He passes the pen drive to vikram and sits on edge of cot facing the computer.

Oons: “dei podu da… seekaram” (put it... fast)

Vikram: “ok ok”

Oons: “dei… innum nee podalaya… seekaram seekaram… seri illa nee”( you haven't played it yet... fast fast... you ain't good)

Vikram plugs in the pen drive.

Oons: “seekaram podu media player a… enna nee… seri illa…”(fast start the media player... what man... not good)

Vikram: “dei oonam… vendam…”(oonam... noooo)

Both of them laugh at each other for reason I did not understand! The room was now blaring with ARR’s new album. I was in middle of a perfect mayhem, worst decision I have ever made in life. They continued talking about the song, it was Greek and Latin “strings” “slap” “fruity loops” and I was little assured seeing few others in the room also didn’t know what it meant! By now chakku had by hearted the high pitched lines and started singing along. The chaos came to a sudden stop as room of never ending people had another visitor, short, fair, curly hair and strangely he carried with him a Xerox and syllabus copy. Everyone in the room fell silent when Ravi @ Rover walked in. He was searching for someone in the group, his eyes fixed on a guy in cot, Ramn.

Rover: “dei ramn vada padikalam…” (ramn come we will study)

Now this was the second time lightening had struck me, to walk into a room full of lunatics and asking them to study was indeed bold. Someone in the cot snorted “Ravi Robo Ramn”

Ramn: “dei… ravi… athu… padikalam… athuku thaane vanthu irukom…” (ravi... that... we shall study...that is why we have come...)

Rover to butty: “syllabus enga da…?” (where is the syllabus?)

Butty: “syllabus… syllabus… vichuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu”

This time I was not surprised to see another guy entering the room, I was half expecting another entry. An innocent looking guy walks into room, Vishwanath @ vichu : “sollu khaaan…” (tell khaaan)

Butty (in sivaji style): “syllabus engada khanna…?” (where is the syllabus khanna?)

Vichu: “aado un kai kitta, CPU pakathula iruku khaaan…!” (it is close to your hand,near the CPU khaaan)

Butty with a sheepish smile on his face, controlling his laughter passed syllabus to rover. Vikram sitting near him burst out in laughter. Rover smiled, vikram started laughing hysterically…! I have never seen a guy laugh so hard, he couldn’t literally breathe but no one seemed to stop him… why? And here is another guy who adds “khaaan” to every sentence… why? I had so many questions in my mind but “lunatics” seemed to be perfect answers to all.

Peace seems to have crawled into the room, talks of exam slowly emerged. Rover, Vichu, Vikram and Ramn were looking at the syllabus and at last Ramn spoke: “epo eelaka perika poram” (now we are going to split portions)

Vikram: “I’ll do the second part of the syllabus”

Vichu: “I’ll take first part”

Ramn: “I’ll take the third part”

Rover: “I’ll do the last part”

Naid: “I’ll also do the last part da… we will share it”

A wave of relief passed through my head…

Peeth: “dei... its 7 o clock, vangada mess ku sapada polam” (it is 7, come guys we will goto mess for dinner)

It was as though someone magically turned the wave of relief into a solid stone and I felt a lurch in my stomach.

Oons: “epo story time?” (when is story time?)

What the hell is he speaking?! Story time??!!

Vichu: “tomorrow evening 7.30 pm” and he left the room

I was lost. That’s it?! I hurried behind the sanest looking guy in the group.

Me: “Vichu… I haven’t started studying anything so far. I thought I’ll study with you guys… but”

Vichu: “that’s ok... Start studying any part of the portions you are comfortable with and I’ll message you,
come here tomorrow night. We will study everything, don’t worry!” he said with a smile.

I have become a lunatic or else I wouldn’t have decided to come back to the asylum again tomorrow night.  On the way past the room I heard Butty: “So… naan oru question padikaren… one sure shot essay question sollu” (so... i am going to study one question... one sure shot easy question say it to me)

Vikram: “one sure shot essay question”

And they both started a quake of laughter. GOD SAVE THEM! PLEASE!!!

Yet again I am going to meet them, but the situation changed dramatically, they were sitting in a perfect circle, cots were full of Xeroxes. For a minute he felt he entered the wrong room. They were waiting for him to join. Once he entered, yogu said: “Ok story start…!”

Chakku: “dei yaaru vennalum story start pannunga but naid story last” (let's keep Naid story at last)

They all smiled at each other, I was totally missing the point.

Vichu started the proceedings; he took up a Xerox and said he will need one and half hours to explain this part of syllabus. When they meant story telling I was under impression that it was just a name given but I was shocked to realize that it was in fact a story told. I was amazed, how easily I could grasp. Vichu completed first part of syllabus well before time. My mobile showed 08:55 pm, I heard a bang, people running everywhere, and I ran for cover worried. Jai, Vikram and Ramn were diving to the near table, on which stood a tea cup. I realized what happening, its MILK time in hostel. They ran and were almost first but Ver and Gul got to the MILK can quicker.

The “the MILK” time included a game of cricket as well which was played in the hostel corridor, chaos settled in comfortably. Rules were different from the normal cricket, one pitch one hand, out if you miss the ball thrice, one run if bat makes contact with ball. It went on for an hour before they stopped it. Vikram started the second part; he left one topic to Butty. It is not that others were not good, but Butty’s story telling capabilities are the best! He explained one essay in purely filmy way that everyone in the room remembered it. Ramn took the third part of the syllabus and it was well past one AM when he finished it. Last part of the syllabus is be done by Rover and Naid. When they started it, almost everyone positioned themselves into a comfortable sleeping position. Even rover left it to Naid to finish the syllabus.

Naid: “Mappi’s intha syllabus liye important question ithu thaan…” (this is the most important topic)

His voice brought in a state of tranquility. Next day exam hall, always eerie, nervous looking people; examiner made announcement about no mobiles or copying in exam, he looked at the question paper and felt as if someone was playing a nasty trick. How is it possible? What is this? It must have been overnight study and eye strain. How can the questions be like this?

I looked around, rest of the students have started writing!! How is it possible!! My mobile started beeping; everyone in the hall was looking at me, the examiner walking towards me. I stood up, but instead of examiner I saw Naid in his lungi and Xerox in his hand. I looked around no one seems to have noticed that I slept off. I settled back into position, sitting next to me oons had a smile in his face. My mobile showed “1 new message”, I opened it realizing what woke me up, it was from oons and it was blank message.

Oons: “feel panathe… ithukaga thaan naid story last a vechu irukom…!” (don't feel bad... that's why we keep Naid story at the last)

On the background I heard naid’s voice: “the battery…. Satellite… communication…”

I looked around, chakku eyes half closed, I am damn sure that I saw butty head fall out of his hand in sleep. And yet unaware of his surroundings, Naid continued his story about… about… what is he speaking about?! I tried to listen to the rest of the syllabus but something about his voice tripped me into sleeping. I decided to sleep at 3 AM; I had my exam at morning 9! I met the guys in exam hall, unlike rest they were clam and composed. I entered the exam hall with a small fear about the dream last night. The examiner made the same announcement and passed the question paper. I checked the question paper, thankfully it was English and I actually understood the questions. I checked the essay question; I almost knew every question except last one…! It had words which shot nails into my heart.  “Battery” “satellite” “communication” naid’s face appeared on the paper, with an evil laugh, “you shouldn’t have slept!” except that I wrote the exam well. I finished my exam and decided to go back to the room in evening.

The room never seems to be empty; it might be magically enhanced to hold so many people! A thriving mass of different figures, pulsating with the energy; it is said that life controls people but here within these walls I am seeing people who control their life. They are fit for the saying "One ounce of gut is worth a pound of flesh". They are called:

Blacklist$

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Walking with the TITANS

The late evening sun was casting long shadows; the cool wind ruffled his hair. Bus was not crowded, Nitin switched on his playlist knowing that it was going to be a long ride. He couldn’t control the random feeling of excitement; he wanted to squeal, jump and laugh at the same time. He was going back to home, the long wait has ended. He took time to handle the abundant amount of freedom he had outside home, he thoroughly enjoyed his stay outside home, but now time has come to go back. He learned how to cook and the respect for his mom went soaring high!

He missed his mom badly, not for the food alone. Every boy’s first love is their mother. He remembered those precious moments which he spent with her. He still remembered his mother with great devotion would light the lamp in front of idols. He loved watching her keep bindi in her forehead, she used to dip the stick in the bottle and make perfect circle. How could she make perfect circle is always a wonder to him! She makes the awesome coffee in the whole world, how much he longed to taste it again. She always insisted him to have curd rice at the end of the meal, how much he hated it and made a fuss about it. There were days when he had craved for that bowl of curd rice. He has always admired his mom; she seems to be the source of love. She gives priority to her family first, every single day, doing her job with at most love and affection. How could she do that…? He knew he was never going to find an answer to that. From his mother he learned an important lesson in life, how to go on with your life doing things with utmost love and least expectation. He loved and respected his mother for what she had taught him in his life. And coincidently his ipod started playing “amma endru azhaikaadha….” Song, when these lines came:

பொருளோடு  புகழ்  வேண்டும்  மகனல்ல  தாயே 

 உன்  அருள்  வேண்டும்  எனக்கென்றும்  அது  போதுமே 

அடுத்திங்கு  பிறப்பொன்று  அமைந்தாலும்  நானுந்தன்
மகனாகப்  பிறக்கின்ற  வரம்  வேண்டுமே  

poruloadu pugazh vaendum maganalla thaayae   
un arul vaendum enakkenrum adhu poadhumae
aduththingu pirapponru amaindhaalum naan undhan
maganaagap pirakkinra varam vaendumae

He felt a small lump moving up his throat; from his heart’s deepest depths a warmth feeling was spreading across his body. Glistening tears formed in his eyes and hovered for a moment before he blinked rapidly to make them disappear. He loved those lines… every time it was the same feeling… he knew he will never find an answer to describe this feeling… beautifully written lyrics… lyrics… his mind drifted on to how much he concentrates on lyrics of songs…

His mind flashed him the picture of home; he was in his school days, watching television with his dad. He kept switching channels as he always does and finally decided to watch one of the top chartbusters, the next song which played was an old MGR song. He immediately picked up the remote to switch the channel when his dad stopped him.

Dad: “Listen to the wordings of this song…”

It was something new to him, listening to lines in song… something he never did; it was mostly music and the actors. He started paying attention to the lines:

என் என்ற கேள்வி இங்கு கேட்காமல்  வாழ்க்கை  இல்லை 

நான்  என்ற  எண்ணம்  கொண்ட  மனிதன்  வாழ்வதில்லை

en endra kelvi ingu kaetkaamal vaazhkai illai
naan endra ennam konda manithan vaazhvadhillai

Even though he was young the lines made sense to him, it opened up a new dimension to songs. It was because of his father he could enjoy so many great lines in the song. He remembered the times when his father would take him out on his bike; he would be sitting clutching the handle bar. Air rushing on his face, he felt as if he is driving the bike and was going to save the world! He loves to go shopping with his dad in super market, he would watch his dad purchase different things and he would push the trolley around. His chest would swell with pride when his dad enjoys the movie he suggested. His father carried a sense of calmness around him, he loved that. He learnt a lot from his dad, how to handle money, the freedom you are given, the importance of keeping up a promise. Mom is like heart but dad is the brain of the family. There were days when he would watch every 9 pm movie in star movies with his dad at times accompanied by his sister.

He loved the company of his sister, his crime partner at home. She was a good friend rather than an elder sister. How many times they have utilized the “study time” for gossiping. He smiled to himself, how many times he had fought with his sister and yet he loved her a lot. He used to bring CD/DVD of the actor she loves.

Nitin: “Here… I thought you might want to see this movie”

Sister: “wow… thank you so much da… I really wanted to see this movie… thank you so much…”

Even though he is pleased and happy that she liked it, he wouldn’t show it. He would give a look as if to mean “it was nothing”. Both would watch the movie and she would ask him if he liked the movie. He must have loved it but still he would say “it was ookkkk”.

Sister: “hey… can you please write this movie in a CD/DVD for me?”

Nitin: “What… his movie… you want me to waste a CD/DVD for him? No way… never…”

Sister: “hey please da… please… I’ll ask mom to give the money…”

Now that was the line he was waiting for

Nitin: “hmmm… okay okay…!”

He couldn’t stop smiling on the fight they had, he plucked the eyes off her Barbie doll and she didn’t speak to him for two days. :) How many times he had taken her help to do diagrams in record. Both of them would use their pocket money to enjoy ice-cream without parents knowledge and secretly smile about it at home.

Life has provided him with a chance to live, learn and share experience with the TITAN’S, people who are mightier than god. He again felt the feeling spread through him, he is lucky. The learning process from them was not quick but it was gradual.  They don’t teach these in school or can be learnt by reading books. What he is today is totally because of them. He made up his mind to hug them, a simple hug, every day, the least he could do to show his love. He has seen videos of “free hug” campaigns, may be it should start from home, something like “family hug”, hug your family first then the strangers :P a man cannot love others if he fails to love his family. Nitin smiled, his thoughts at times surprised him after all they are imparted from the living TITAN’S whom GOD’s couldn’t defy.

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