Hello Doctor - Part 1

I met a galaxy of feminine wonders on the net - techies, artists,
teachers, accountants, beauticians, entrepreneurs, home-makers -
so why should the medical profession not get its respectful dues?
When I chanced across one such lady, and she offered me a chance
to write to her, I was in a dilemma : to mail or not to mail......


kband - Hi., Sure it took me some time to find an answer to such
a profound enigma. But am here finally perhaps in search of the
'road' - so alluringly promised by you. Before I hop aboard, it may
be worthwhile reminding you that i'm a married guy in mid-
thirties who could well turn you much different than what you
could have anticipated. Keep the 'escape' button handy, just in
case. Looking forward to another refreshing session in your
chamber. Bye



chy - well at least u got the right answer for ur profound enigma!!
and isnt this a nice suprise for me!!! i never expected ur mail as u
were apprehensive about mailing so i kinda figured u wont ...boy
was i wrong. hmmm ur married, good for u but tell me one thing
how does that affect me????? oh ya ur 35 ish right??? my godddd
how does that concern me??? age and marital status does not
affect me or for that matter neither does gender but then most of
the people on this chat site are consumed with the thirst for the
other persons asl ..... then u have people like me who dont give a
rats ass to asl unless i'm desperately out on the look out for my soul
mate!!! i just find out so that i can adjust to that persons thinking.
besides i could be a 35 year old male for all u know .......and u have
no way but to believe me but does it matter???
dont worry i dont need an escape button all i need is my parachute
so that i can jump off ur plane of thoughts. hope to encounter u soon
take care



kband - hi, u were surprised to have received my mail, gal was i
stumped to have heard from you after...let me recall...ages, to be
precise!!!! guess u must've been busy tryin retrieve the scissors u
had sewed inside the patient u had operated on :-))
i admit i've been a bit in-your-face while givin out some apparent
trivia abt myself. but hey there's another breed who seem to be
most comfortable when u've performed a full monty! being a
scorpio also doesnt help for me, as i tend to keep even the most
innocuous details under wraps. so the statutory warning was
issued in general public interest...u may pay no heed to it
whatsoever at ur own peril or pleasure!
i only visit the chat site sporadically, and on these occasions have
not been able to bump into u (i happen to use a variety of aliases
too). so lemme know in advance when u'll be drifting into cyber-
space, and i hope to make the most of that inside info. otherwise
i'm generally available on msn during the day when in office - so
thats another radar for u to send ur blips. in any case, keep those
thoughts ringin in once in a while. Bye



chy - hi, if it's a tryst u want a tryst is what ur gonna get ............
man u have a great memory, guess must be somethin to do with
all the fish u eat. yes yes i am kinda stereotyping u ..i could be
wrong but then i could also be right .
as far as ur info goes in my face think nothing of it ... i dont mind it
could be periloious but then readin ur mails is always a pleasure.
so much for ur sporadic visits i aint no regular either ..have been
grounded for quite some time as well coz of dad...reason being
openin too many stuffs online and managed to crash the computer
hahha. ne way u a scorpio hmm not bad at all, me on the other
hand leo virgo cusp ...details are good when required which is most
of the time so that things are clearer.
tried dashin a line of to u earlier but of no use it bounced back ....
thats it i guess take care and hope to c u orbiting around real soon.



kband - hi shooting star, that's what u are. as i keep staring into
the far horizons and look for what lies beyond, every now and
then you flash your brilliance across my engulfing darkness. i cant
but help in admiring your dazzle, very very far though u may
seem. and i shut my eyes and wish fervently that may u bring
happiness to all those in your very own universe.
i'm not too fond of fish, and whatever i've had must have been of
the rotten kind which has led to my spewing out of such stinking
philosophy as reflected above ;-) and before you bring those
odious rassgullas out, i'll beat a hasty retreat into my peripatetic
world which recognises me as a maverick. i like idli-dosas as much
as hot samosas or for that mattter vada-pau, chholey-bhaturey
and any other exotic cuisine u can think of to make u salivate in
expectation. sorry to let u down on that count, coz being a non-
foodie, i happen to maintain a respectable distance from such
gastronomic delights! why dont u shift ur PC to the ICU and get it
back on its feet again? perhaps it's got some viruses or worms
(do i see someone gleaming now?) and may need some fixing of
the slip-(hard)disc too! whatever u do, dont shoot the messenger,
though that could make u a star in delhi's political firmament. and
last but not the least, wash my mail down with an anti-flatulent
antacid to avoid further indigestion (hope u know that).



chy - well well u and not a foodie well that seems quite absurd ..i
know i may be off the mark by makin a sweeping statement that u
seem to enjoy food ..... i feel u do but just dont know it yet. as the
old adage goes a way to a man's heart is through his stomach!!!!
and if u break the rule then what is ur weak kneee??
dont know what shall i call thee - a philosopher or a poet ... if i am
dazzling u ....i am already blinded by you ..... u orbit me from a
distance yet the light is far beyond compare.
was online on 24 aug my bday lookin for u but was a failed attempt..
today after seein ur mail it brings a smile to my dry lips which have
cracked due to lack of the substance that flows ....
a hasty retreat is never a sign of good taste and specially for a
maverick as u very well put it. all messengers are rewarded when
they are the bearers of good news ... unfortunate news gets an
unfortunate fate ...what say u???? i dont mind riskin a stake at
being a star in delhi's firmament either, specially if its u who hurls
me into the spotllight ..if i go u go down with me!!!! ur sealed to this
fate ..;)
im a foodie through and through so yes i would know whats an
antacid ...u tend to need that stuff if u keep gorging on food that
seems like ur best friend in the whole wide world hahaha..............
if u get a line 'my tummy hurts' dont be suprised coz thats what i
usually get after eating only a morsel .
oh im gettin paged in the Emergency Room! gotta go...........each
nite before i go to bed i stare up at the sky and wonder if i will see u
again orbiting ........take care.



kband - A Belated Happy Birthday To You!!!!!!!Hope you get
relieved from ur ER duty soon and get my msg before it gets
further belated. There's another way to page me - my msn id and
if u mail me there, i get an instant notification if i'm logged in (which
i normally am when in office). u2 take care, particularly of ur
parched lips, hope the world's sufferings are not sapping u dry! Bye



chy - Thanx 4 ur wishes Don't worry got them in time. haha ne
way....wat else is there to probe about u ???? do i torture it out of
u or will u surrender ur info on ur own .............
if i mail u on ur hotmail id then what it doesnt serve ne purpose
coz i dont have messenger at least not yet !!!! may b if u have a
cell i could message u to come online ..........dont get me wrong
it's just for msgin u thats it...... no calls no hassling my patient!!!!
purely professional.
can i ask u one question? y were u so apprehensive about mailing??
i thought most of the prospective reasons over but they all landed
as a dead end so if u could kindly put my curiosity to rest would
appreciate it.
ps- when did u land on this earth???



kband - There's this strange thing which happens to me often.
People I interact with say, "hey u sound so familiar!" Perhaps, thats
what i am in a nutshell. A common man, a familiar guy who u meet
everyday in every walk of life. Talking the same language, sharing
the same thoughts, living the same hopes as u do too. If one thinks
I resemble someone they know closely, its perhaps a reflection of
their own self manifesting itself in a known form. All I do, is seek
out such individuals where the familiar patterns mesh to a
considerable degree. In all cases, they happen to have renounced
their celibacy. Except you. Being a Mr Nobody, I don't wish to let
u down.
I should have guessed from ur hint(leo-virgo cusp) abt ur b'day. At
least, a proper greetings would have been in order. I know I cant
just make it up, but attached is a bouquet of yellow roses for you,
hope u like them. True to your sign, you're in service of mankind,
am sure many would have succumbed to ur mercurial charms too!
I was born many many winters ago in Ranchi (erstwhile in Bihar).
Does that make me a Bihari-bhaiyya? It used to be famous for its
salubrious climate but is more infamous for its lunatic asylum. Does
that make me a half-crack? Will leave it to you tyo crack that. Bye
P.S. The therapy would work better if a reciprocal dosage is
administered from time to time.



chy - half crack full crack ...as far as im concernced the whole world
is full of cracks...everyone lives with a mask on their face and
sometime or the other their mask cracks and breaks revealing a
crack behind the porcelain face. most people i've met are not the
same as they try to portray themselves as....
being born in bihar does not stereotype u into ne category at least
not from my point of view, cant speak for the rest of the world .
thanx for the yellow roses...so r we friends???? that's what they
symbolise ..thanx for u r charming adjectives for me ...but i did not
understand 'renouned their celibacy except u... ' could u please
explain it....
if ur Mr Nobody then join the club ......everybody is a nobody till
they become somebody unless they r born into great parenatge of
bluebloods or something to that effect ..take away that from them
and they too are nobodies only....
let me down ?????? u have surpassed the place of being able to let
me down ....i dont expect nething much so dont worry u are free to
suprise me though ..u take care



kband - That was a real cracker!!! at such an early age itself, u've
gained impeccable insights into the human psyche (dissecting the
mind may come easily to u). but i'll be careful not to provoke u with
such perfunctory fare coz at the end of a hard day at work, i'm sure
the last thing u'd want would be to tax those fatigued cells. btw,
studying ur past behavorial trend, it does appear that u seem to get
time only on sundays to let ur hair down a bit. and thats the day, i
happen to stay offline (more by force than by choice :-)) so a
convergence seems a bit unlikely at the moment. unless of course,
the forces will otherwise! till then, dont tie urself up in knots on wat
i say, coz the married persons i know on the net have no such
compulsions :-) good to know that u expect nothing from our
association, that makes two of us. keep writing though, it may just
be an avenue where the unexpected lurks at a corner.



chy - hmmm..........what do i say to the flattery that is poured out in
oodles over me except thank u..............dont worry about taxing my
brain cells becoz provoking thots only activate ur grey cells......... as
they say if u dont use it u lose it.
good to know that there r no expectations from ur side either ..... it
is very nice and am kinda relieved at the thot....these days u tend to
meet only the moronic variety who want to meet!!!! dont know 4
wat but yet they insist hahaha very amusing ppl i tend to encounter.
what a pity i'm not that fortunate when it comes to u : ( what
exactly do u mean by the married ppl not having any compulsions??
wow ..im suprised ...ur studying my past behaviourial trends???? as
in i'm being studied ...good i can be a case study hahah it's not just
sunday ..it's just when i feel like checkin my mail and i get time to sit
undisturbed that's it.
what exactly is a girl supposed to do to let her hair down in this sex-
starved, female-obsessed society ........be an object of target ????
which is why i prefer to mingle with the men ..stand amongst them
shoulder to shoulder and brave the storm.that's it i guess ..u take
care and do keep the mails rollling, quite enjoy them.



kband - Flattery...thy name is...whatever it is...definitely not my
name! i always speak frm the bottom of my heart coz am never
comfortable with any kind of hypocrisy nor deception. in my
profession (marketing) i'm often called upon to don such a
mantle to achieve broad business goals. even there, i think i can
make an impression only when i'm at my candid best - making
others believe what i seem to be convinced about first. i truly
enjoy this, as i also seem to like ur comments abt my mails -
wonder if there's any flattery there :-) many have told me that my
writing is quite laboured, akin to my complex psyche perhaps.
i may have been a moron to meet up with a person fm kolkata few
months back with whom i had exchanged abt 100 odd mails. on
hindsight, it could have been avoided, but then curiosity got the
better of me !! think that we were lucky to come out of that
experience unscathed, but then i seem to agree with u, history
may not repeat itself.
i admire the grit that u exhibit with ur characteristic flair while u
rub shoulders with the "sex-starved female-obsessed" guys whom
u come across in daily life. but i'm sure u'll also encounter men who
look upto women as divas, are enamoured by their grace and are
awe-struck by their capabilities. they can go to unimaginable
extent to bring the world at their feet just to catch a cursory
glance or a glimpse of their smile. would u ever like to give up such
a hallowed position? let me know at the earliest. bye



chy - wat went wrong with ur meeting with this person from
Kolkata ???? and why do u regret it?????
second of all i think ur a liar .......becoz i very distinctly remember u
sayin that u were an engineer ...i expressed my surprise to which u
calmly asked me y i did not seem convinced??? the reason is that a
engineer will never have the flair 4 words the way u have in
abundance....only a sales or marketing person would have .
as far as a glimpse goes well i'm not in blore and ur not in delhi!!!!
besides i could have passed u by already and u wouldnt have noticed.
in a rush so loggin out.



kband - hi, dint get to reply to ur mail earlier, pls excuse me. hope u
r doing fine and looking after urself well despite all the hustle n
bustle. yes u got it right the first time, i am an engineer (from the
best engineering institute in the country). my initial stint was in
research on robotics (happened to be my favourite subject in IIT)
but then over the years i realised that rather than designing lifeless
objects and providing them motion, what moves me even more was
understanding the needs of real people, fashioning a solution to cater
to them and convincing them about the merits of the new innovation.
that's how i made the switch to marketing about a decade ago, n
stuck there. flair for words or whatever u call it, does not really
contribute to success in my case unless its thoroughly backed by the
strength of the solution offered. but yes, i have received kudos for
some of my business presentations where i always attempt to add a
dash of creativity. and what the heck, doesn't anil kumble play
cricket, despite being an engineer???...but now i seem to be getting
carried away and stretching comparisons a bit too far!! more in next.



chy - it's bad enuf that ur gud with words.....but also coupled with
the fact that u seem to be a debator just adds to my woes ;( i
thought i was a solitary live lexicon ..but hahha
why do u always write in cryptic codes afraid the CIA would crack
down on u?????
so what else is happenin .............if u actually passed out aeons ago
then that would make u a prehistoric old bird right????
hey u never told me what happened with that person u met up
with in kolkata????? u simply need to tell me that ok



kband - i know it sounds extremely sheepish but the fact remains
that our office remained without power right from the morning
today and it had not been restored till the time i left office at 1.30.
being a delhi denizen, i trust that u wouldnt find this as a lame
excuse that i may have conjured up to avoid getting maimed. i knew
the darkness in office spelt more than doom for me coz i was unable
to meet u :-(( so hang me if u want, i'd face the gallows smiling upon
ur orders, but at least grant me a fair trial ....



chy - u mr kband, u really have a way with words...................can u
believe that i would actually believe ur power supply disruption as
an excuse that would bail u out????? which part of delhi r u at ne
way????? hmm i'll cross check this definitely!!!!! and u smiling ur
way to the gallows 4 me ???? i dont think so, u'll b kicking and
screaming...............all the way and i know u wont go down without
a fight!!!! so thats that, u take care



kband - Hi, so i get crucified for not turning up on a day coz of
circumstances entirely beyond my control.....and what kind of
retribution should i seek for making those infructuous sojourns to
the net throughout the past week? guess u want me to be 'patient'
so that u can take on my jangled nerves and tangle them further
if and when we meet...or have u started charging for ur visits
already? recently took some clients out for lunch at a chinese
restaurant. after the sumptuous meal (dont start salivating now),
we were served some fortune cookies. mine read - u need to
indulge in more meaningful conversations - am seriously thinking
of moulding myself. any comments?



chy - u have a way with words is one thing and making a mountain
out of a mole hill seems like ur forte. neway i havent crucified u yet
.............!!!!! c i know 4 fact that u basically forgot .....inviting me
over and standing me up!!! so if u just said that i forgot it wouldnt
seem that big a deal.....however u seem to b adamant about giving
me a cockeyed lame excuse of power failure in ur part of delhi!
...sorry i think maybe u may have said ur from delhi .. thought
that ur from blore......
hmm which chinese restaurant....???? u being a non foody may not
appreciate the true value..... i really wanna know the restaurant coz
i too want a fortune cookie.
meanigful conversations........do we indulge in nonsensical banter???
as far as chargin u the question does not arise because i am not
gonna meet you ..... i may b in the same state but far from you yet i
am pretty much capable of mangling ur brains just buy my email.....
not that there is much of that to mangle either ..hahah
so hows ur little 7 yr old daughter???? wats ur P.O.A for diwali ???
ur folks still here???? me havin miserable time with juniors in class..
dimwits i tell you just interested in socials ...... boyz gurlz boyz gurlz
thats it!!!! im sick of them ..... blew up a chap yesterday coz he was
dictating terms to me .... so i spun around and blew fire at him ..haha
was fun coz then the whole meeting group just clammed up
instantaneously... guess thats it for now, u take care



kband - Hello Ms Dragonica, one thing u've achieved for sure -
allowed me to visualise how u look - with those bloodshot eyes
glaring out of the sockets, serpentine tongue spewing lava, flared
nostrils gushing out seething flames of anger on those who have
the misfortune of locking horns with u! i'll tread with utmost caution
as the last thing i'd like to be caught on the web is in ur insidious
drag(o)net :-)) in case u've started stomping ur hoofs already, am
sure u would know how to handle such nerve disorders. and instead
of blowing ur fuse, for a change if u want to blow a deep hole in ur
pocket, try Larry's China at the Taj Ambassador hotel (near Khan
Market). i recommend the pan fried mixed meat noodles there
along with the jasmine tea - it may just serve u rite if ur fortune
cookie reads : don't mistrust those who could become ur friends.
we celebrate diwali like all others here - diyas, lights, sweets, gifts,
the whole (fire)works...we also invoke the goddess Kali (during
midnight)...so all in all its an amalgamation of pomp, spiritual
fervour, sparkling delight, all rolling into the blissful smile on the
glowing face of the child.....parents will be with us through all this,
though they are presently in nearby vrindavan for a couple of
days. let me know how u r doing and of course everything else.


(to be continued)

Mail-ody

Apart from the serial mails, from time to time wrote and received
few lines from some interesting people. Stringing them together in
a random fashion creates a medley of notes, some laced with wit,
while some with humour and some concern.


tia - hi!!!!!!! hope u had a fab diwali and kali puja!...we had a gr8
time here...though we were getting things organized till the last
minute. the evening wz fun...we were all at the society lawn
watching the fireworks and meeting frenz! lots of fun, excitement,
etc. last night there wz another cards session till 5am but i fell
asleep at 1am...had one too many late nights! hubby's still asleep
(it's 11:50am now!)...i decided to finish chking my mails and
replying to all b4 he gets up...son's gone to play in the sun! had
been to my best frenz house ystrdy fr lunch and met another fren
of her's frm m'bai who offered me a one month assignment...though
i'm not too sure if a i can do it! she's handling the events and
promotion fr an upcoming movie (in delhi and cal) and wants me to
help her wid the coordination in delhi...mostly do follow ups etc...i
told her i'd think abt it! had nice luchi...aaloo gobi and begun bhaja
at my fren's plc...cldnt stay fr the evening puja though. had to head
home to light our diyas etc. anyway...hope u had tons of fun too...
hope to chat wid u ....next wk!.... enjoy the rest of ur wkend too....
tmrw we're off to a cousins fr bhai phota....



kband (to jan) - I had to break my resolve not to write u a mail
unless u send me one, driven to despair by the circumstances......
Hope u are feeling much better now, unless this mail has rekindled ur
agony (pain in the neck). Don't know what further to write, maybe i
wont send this mail after all, but maybe i will. i need to tell u that life
never ceases to surprise me - the abrupt noise, the jarring note, the
asynchronous tune - they soon harmoniously create a fusion of a soft
sweet melody....quite like the rumble of the train on its tracks. have
u ever resonated to that lilting music as it blends forms? inner
conflicts make the warp and weft of our existence, one need not
search for answers to the whys and hows, just discerning the pattern
could help us discover the true joys of living!
Applaud or deride, u are always right. Hope to c u soon. Till then,
take care.



jan - what was the bad news then? yes, my meeting went off very
well. He is a nice, simple, (bald) man and i was very happy about one
thing... everyone had told me that i had underquoted him but after
meeting him im glad that i did. I think I got the job also as every
other person tried to fleece him probably b'coz of his accent or the
fact that he's an NRI. I have a lot of respect for people who make it
from scratch n he brought tears to my eyes when he told me about
how his family had struggled wth no food in their childhood. (i swear
ill bash u if u say im soft-hearted now!!). He is starting this company
on his own and i felt very nice that he put so much importance to the
job i am doing for his start-up and so wud really like to c him do well.
He is the 1st scientist i have ever met in my life. Ok, now uncle i
want some feedback from u. There r 2 logos which i have to decide
b/w. One which he and everyone in his company likes and one which
i like betr. He has given me a free-hand to decide. I need more
opinions, so i will show u both if ur online today or tomm. n u have
to tell me which u like betr and why. (feelin important?....hahaha)...
cya...



kband (to rit)- Usually I desist from sending mails to chat ids coz I
get this suspicion they are more akin to a trash box...usually
cluttered with junk and spam mails offering everything that u
possibly dont need! So unless u are an immaculate housekeeper,
u usually let the stink accumulate till one day with one sweeping
stroke all that lies within is brushed nonchalantly away into oblivion.
U savour the spoils of a neat and trim space that u've created with a
victorious smile twitching the corner of ur lips, little realizing that the
heap of garbage may have just contained a small capsule of earth
from ur motherland.........
Yet i couldn't help writing; i'm guided by instincts which tell me
perhaps there are questions u too wanted to ask but held back for
some imperceptible reason. Perhaps u dont prefer encroaching on
private space, maybe u know where to draw a line on inquisitive-
ness, or it could simply be avowed disinterest. Whatever it is, I feel
I owe u a reciprocation in some way - so here's offering u a glimpse
into the why's of my idiosyncrasies :I have a terrible weakness for
the weaker sex (pun intentional!!!) particularly those excelling in
the cerebral or creative deptt. I muster my hapless resources and
go all guns blazing till the weakness in my knees is conquered, the
quiver in my voice is calmed down and i've got a fair insight abt my
fair lady (again a deliberate pun). Its a fascinating journey, let me
tell u, having all the ingredients of a thrilling potboiler..with sundry
characters thrown in...sorrow n laughter...foul-mouthed villains...
misunderstandings......musical interludes....usually with a happy
denouement!
Others call u such, which means a needle and i've picked up the
threads of our conversation to locate ur inner eye so that everything
can be sewed up properly. If u've started nauseating, swallow this
humour pill - How do u prevent an elephant passing thru the eye
of a needle?
By tying a knot in its tail!



rit - hiya!
m not even that dumb not to hav understood ur mail and yea i dunt
hav any more questions for you coz u answered whatever i had to
ask....



tia - checking my mails as usual..thought i'd write a few lines to u
too. had a busy day tdy...cldn't go to my cousin's plc fr bahi phota...
the poor guy had to go to work! (he's also wid a call center).
anyway had a gud friend over fr the day and he took us out fr ice
creams in the evening. we went to sec 18 noida....and to center
stage mall etc....saw sum ppl bungee junping...scary! i'm sure i'll
dream of that tonite...LOllll.... tomorrow hubby will be home...off fr
ID. he's meeting sum frenz right now so i'm here writing to my
mom, frenz and U. missing my bro's today...i'm sure they're thinking
of me too...been ages since i celebrated this festival...or fr tht matter
any festival wid them! hope u had fun tdy...like the rest of the wkend.



nim - u not worried bt me huh,,no mail,,,weird k,,,newayz was busy
2day,,was at moms full day,,goin out of town 4 a day tomrw hence
will not b online tomrw 2,,ope ur fine,,,opin 2 catch u on fri.. missing
you.



jan - Hi K.... wondering where u have dissappeared...hope everything
is ok....I was tryin to convince myself that u had blocked me out from
ur list :) So what the hell r u doing in Bangalore? As they say...there
is no age for learning (hehe...u know how much i love taking digs at u
...kai Karnar...old habits die hard!) what course are u undergoing?
And howcome u suddenly decided to go?...Anyhow, have fun......
banglore's a real cool place...but then ur not a cool person...tch tch...
Now I know why u run away at 6pm...the lift stops workin and u'll
have to walk down and at this age it's difficult...rite?...haha.



nim - hey, where r u???m worried,,its been too many weeks without
ne word frm u n its pretty unusual n unlike u..ope things r ok on ur
side,,,pls pls mail me coz me honestly worried.

Loud Cries To Faint Whispers

(continued from previous post dated 8th September '06)
It was surprising the way conversations and mails progressively
reduced. Or was it a normal phenomenon? Missed online
meetings, delayed wishes, general slackness.......all were
pointers to the monotony that was steadily creeping into our
respective lives in this virtual medium..............and heading
towards inevitability.


ash - To answer your query on what goes on at NJ and NY,
yesterday I made a quick unscientific survey. New York is unique
in many ways. Amusing, imaginative, adventurous, here everyone
reads in the buses and trains. Of the seven folks in my row on the
train, six were reading. The remaining soul was dozing – can’t
blame her, it was early. That’s pretty much the daily trend. So
what are they reading? Here are a few observations and
generalizations. During the morning commute, its primarily the
newspapers, New York Post, Daily News, Wall Street Journal,
Financial Times (London) and New York Times. Metro readers
usually finish it in a few minutes and then go back to their novels
or whatever else. The other newspapers appear to have more
meat to occupy the readers. Particularly during the morning
commute, more guys read newspapers or magazines and girls
read novels. During the evening, both genders are equal novel
readers. If a woman is reading a newspaper, she is likely to be
dressed in business attire as well. Only a small percentage read
magazines: Time, Newsweek, Economist (London) and New
Yorker. Occasionally a clothing catalog. Noticed a few people
reading the bible - exclusively women and more generally of
African-american heritage. Yesterday for the first time, the lady
next to me in a head scarf pulled out a small green volume of the
Koran and started flipping through it. Never saw the Bhagvad
Gita, or the Ramayana. Reflecting the academic crowd on the
subway that I take, it is common to see students of all ages
reading college textbooks and doing homework. Many more are
reading photocopies of journal articles – usually the post-docs or
serious academic types. A few may be thumbing through
dissertations. Morgan Stanley Report: “Assessing Insurer’s
Terrorism Risk,” so much for the large financial services industry
here. In the train and bus, what are they talking about? Ha Ha
Ha, that could be a whole dissertation.



kband - Had been to Mumbai for a last-day-of-the-financial-year
rush job on the 31st of March. The next day, upon my return, was
overjoyed to see your mathematical package in the mailbox..more
so coz it was of the cerebral variety (not to mention the lecherous
tinge)! But i was well n truly stumped when i got an innocuous no.
when i was expecting my sperm count as the surprise answer ;-))
The perfect beginning to a glorious day!!
Heard about the beginning to a new equinox (or whatever)...does
that mean u would be coming to office an hour earlier, like those
good ol days? Getting tired of not having you around, time for you
to show up soon, ok?



ash - Yeah our clocks springed forward an hour. An xtra hour of
sun should mean some more fun but the weather is not getting
any better. The winds and chills just dont appear to respite. I'm
almost sick of being all bundled up even so in April. I'm getting a
bit restless too w/o you around. Lets set up an online meeting.
How does the last hour at your office look like tomorrow? Did I
just hear 'sounds good' ? well then I'll see you first thing @ 9 am.
until then, take care.



kband - It's been a couple of days since I'm back in delhi. feeling
a deep sense of void at not having received a single mail from you
during this period. hope u r ok. how about meeting online on Fri,
the 4th of June? eagerly awaiting ur comeback.



ash - For the past three weeks, I had been procrastinating reading
an article on ‘How to Avoid Procrastination’. All this time, the
magazine lay on my bedside table. Therefore, I reserve the right to
the title ‘Slack Queen’. The article proved to be insightful. One of the
psychologists opined that women often procrastinate taking life
altering decisions because of the fear of displeasing loved ones and
causing tension. This point really hit me hard. Also, it revealed that
my view that I perform better under stress is a myth. The logical
explanations behind this made me see my erroneous ways. Now, I
plan to pull up my socks and do some self improvement. All the
best to me and I'll definitely see you friday june 4th.



kband - Hi Invisible Queen,kept waiting for an hour but now i'm
givin up. Is it your son's therapy or sumthin else that kept u away?
This sure is gettin a bit jinxed. Send me a line as n when u can
sneak in here. Broken-hearted King.



ash - Extreme apologies for missing on today's date. There was an
unexpected call from son's school and I had to meet his teacher
this morning re: some service issues. Got late on my way at work,
I did think abt you while on the bus, wish it was that easier to dial ur
no. and inform you :) how abt monday 6/7, I promise my visibility
online. have a nice weekend.
************************************************************

Here's wishing you the Happiest of Birthdays ever and many many
more to come...and I'm hoping that the coming year is full of
everything that you have wanted and wished for. I know a mail too
mere thwacks my plans (if not your aspiration) I had for your
birthday. There is something, to my eyes at least, more exceedingly
pleasing, to appear neat and clean in your inbox..........and if that is to
be on your birthday, then i find whatever mighty i may do, may
simply be not enough. These lines are to wish you Many Happy
Returns of the Day. I pray that may God bless and protect you and
keep you sound in body and soul for many many more years to
come. And may you continue to work for the cheer you bring on the
faces of people confederated with you. May your own world be
successful and well as the plans you are maturing for yourself.



kband - Some of the best gifts that one can receive are those that
come from totally unexpected quarters!!! What adds to their
pricelessness is the sincerity of expression and glitter in their
feelings :-) Thank you very much for your warm wishes....
Diwali has arrived and streets, houses, not to mention the minds of
young n old alike, are being lit up with joy! May the same cheer
spread to you, your kid and family while we soak in the festive
spirit. Wish you - Eid Mubarak - in advance, our office remains
closed for the next 4 days. Have a wonderful time ahead.


ash - I remember I had missed your birthday last year. You
prolly thought I would heedlessly fail to remember this time
around too :) Thanks for the eid wishes, altho I didnt observe
a single day of fasting this ramdan I still will feast on Eid -:)
Wish you and your family a Happy Diwali and a prosperous new
year filled with warmth, joy, content and peace. take care.

Another Issue

(continued from previous post dated 16th August '06)
Valentine's Day ushered in feelings of closeness, union of the spirit
and bare-all emotions. I felt I could open up in a way I had never
done before and share my private thoughts to celebrate these
moments of mutual ecstasy.


ash - If I held a dictionary, wings out and upside down, and shook
the words free as if emptying a drawer; and all of those words lay at
my disposal; it would be hard to find words with such eloquence or
grace as those we say in silent embrace, with the touch of a hand,
or in the sweet supple utterance of the three little words we've come
to know so well: I love you.
Thank you for enriching my life with your presence; for being there
in your own unique way and for being my friend. huggs



kband - Whenever you are away for such a long time, the hydra-
headed monster called anxiety keeps rearing up inside my head. I
quash it with thoughts about your sprightly attitude, tenacious
nature and above all the willpower to overcome the toughest odds
- all melting into ur rainbow heart! Hope you are soaring the skies,
my love.
We are doing well with bulk of our time and plans being occupied
with the progress our daughter is making in life. She appears in her
term exams beginning this week and before we know it, she'd
already be in 3rd standard! However, she feels a bit lonely at times,
since my wife and I are away for much of the day. Though there are
numerous friends for company, she has confided in me that she'd
love to have a baby sister to share her dolls with :-) Now this is
something which has kept causing pinpricks as conventional wisdom
advocates a two-child norm in our families. I had been steadfastly
refusing this logic, guided entirely by instinct which made me feel
that channelising all our resources (which is definitely not in
abundance) would help get our princess the best in life. Though
I've tried to explain in the best way I can that rocking the boat
could prove infructuous, my better half does not agree, for quite
obvious reasons (which i suspect could also have something to do
with the earlier generation's stereotypical desires). So much so,
that she frequently gets depressed these days.
So here I am at the threshold of an important decision in my life.
Sharing this with you, for your valued comments and suggestions,
if u have any. And hoping for the best....



ash - Once again I'm on a slow run with mails. I know you'll bear
with me as always. My excuse ths time is I'm working short hrs
until 3. Gotta make it to the temple for prayers and programs. Its
the month of moharram btw which brings along with it a feeling of
great sadness and sorrow in the heart of every Muslim. We
commemorate Imam Hussain's victory in martyrdom and express
grief for the the first 10 days, (10th day being the day of martydom).
Well other than gaining some piety points, Ive been working a little
too hard on my web project. Now that they hired a temp assistant
for me to ease my load, it feels nice to meet the schedules on time.
Oh this gal I hired is so dedicated and fast, I'm almost out of
assignments for her :)
Son is doing just good. He turned 3 on 15th. We had a lil party
organized at Jeepers - an indoor family entertainment spot. It
was a day of celebration, gifts, fun rides, kids, and denial. Yes,
denial. he refused to eat a single crumb from his birthday cake
that he so fondly enjoyed blowing candles and cutting through.
And oh he wanted a horsie on the cake so we had to go by the
modern ways. You simply bring in a photograph, and, through the
magic of technology, its somehow transformed into a cake. Hubby
created a composite image on the computer, brought it to the local
grocer, and presto! One "horsie cake" for him.. His entry into the
new world called school is somewhat delayed as we are still working
on for the most appropriate services for him offered at the public
schools in our county. I marked my calendar for mid march, now
lets see if things go that smooth. That pretty much sums up what
I've been upto off late - And now my comments on ur imp issue.....
First of all, thanks dearie for sharing your life with me. I feel very
eminently honored that you care for my opinions abt ur most imp
decisions. There are times I place myself in the same set of thoughts
and questions about my life, I barely can think straight. I've
borrowed some time on this play :)I understand your dilemma, but
unfortunately there's no easy solution to this problem. Your
insufficient resources, as you mention is a common concern of
prospective second-time parents, but ask yourself does it really
make a big difference for you? Ask your folks around with 2 kids
who are less on finances than you and yet are bringing up 2 kids
decently. Think about your own childhood. You grew up with your
brothers and sisters, right? How did you like growing up that way?
I'm sure this is not the only thing you are worried about. I can
gauge there is more you are thinking - prolly some inner fear in
you. Are you worried that you wont be able to love your second
child as much as your daughter? While this could be an incredibly
common worry, the simple answer is that your capacity to love
your children, no matter how many you have — is infinite. Is labor,
pregnancy and painful delivery your concern? Since your wife is
the one to go through it, leave that decision to her. Consider tough
healthy pregnancy please, I've heard having babies after 35 yrs of
age can sometimes cause fertility problems for a woman or some
risk to the baby. So discuss your intimidating concerns with your
significant other, you'll probably find that even though she's more
gung-ho than you are right now, she shares many of those concerns
with you. Oh and if nothing else works, please talk to God....He'll
help you find peace of mind and grant you strength in problem-
solving and decision making. Good luck sweetheart :)



kband - After a long time, we had a really colourful Holi
celebration this year. Having spent over a year now at our new
apartment, families have started bonding well. So out went some
of the inhibitions as we welcomed the festival with gay abandon,
dance masti, tambola (housie) and community lunch. My inlaws
were with us during this time and they too revelled in the merry
moods. When they went back to Allahabad, where they have
moved recently, our daughter too accompanied them. Before she
begins a new innings in the next class, she wanted to make the
most of the break and for once we couldn't complain. My boss did
though, when I had to ask him for week's leave so that we could
visit Allahabad and get her back. Nevertheless, he relented and
we spent a few days enjoying the holy dip in Sangam (confluence
of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna), paying our obesiance to deities
at Varanasi, Vindhaychal and visit to sundry other places of
historical importance. Returned yesterday with special sweets
(called 'Pera') which my colleagues and boss seemingly enjoyed.
Hope you would enjoy the sweet nothings which i send u in this
mail:-) So, what goes on at NJ and NY?


(to be continued)

Going Nowhere

(continued from the previous post dated July 28, '06)
She went on a spiritual trip and came back rejuvenated. Even I got
(a) mobile, albeit in a different sense, but the outages in contacts
grew progressively longer.


ash - Was nice seeing you after so long. I'm back with all the
benevolence. The trip was good. no hitches thank god. Altho Iraq
is totally devasted, the great places of worship is mobbed with
Iranians who are now free to enter Iraq after decades of repression
under the regime of Saddam. The crowd at the shrines is over-
whelming. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims converge on the
Karbala and Najaf shrines, to pay homage to the revered heroes of
the Shia Moslim faith. Once in there, one can hardly tell the place is
war hit. I feel so complete after this visit you know. Another good
part that added joy with the spiritual highs was being able to spend
most time with my parents. Parting was moanful but glad to be back
cos a home is where your heart is even though you may have been
millions of miles away. How have you been? Are you enjoying the
chills of winter? Its lousy out here. Today is below zero degree
almost minus 8 or so and worst of all its snowing... Took me forever
to get to work. Am in a bit of constraint owing to the packed
schedule and a bundle of pending work. So, am keeping away from
msn fr a while. But pls keep up your mails. It always feels good to
see you in my mailbox.



kband - You must be still ducking under the pile of accumulated
workload, trying ur utmost to tackle the cob-web and making
desperate attempts to steer clear of the net prowlers! Hope u are
in the best of health and taking good care of urself to beat the
adversaries :-)
Y'day on the occasion of our anniversary, my wife gifted me a
mobile handset. Its the latest Nokia model launched in the market
and loaded with features. Its just what i wanted, including its
weight, colour, everything...probably the lady is finally learning
(or resigning!) to my obnoxious tastes. She has tried everything
earlier to make me or my style conform to the trends doing the
rounds, but invariably been frustrated. This time she has picked
up the perfect item, not too snazzy or expensive, to help me get
rid of my bulky companion (with extremely poor audibilty, u may
have noticed) which masqueraded as my cellphone :-0 Now even
I'm proud to be a part of the new mobile revolution sweeping
across our part of the globe. Prices are crashing, new items and
services are being offered everyday, hot ringtones are getting
downloaded before u could gasp in excitement - its what
everybody, from the lisping toddlers to the toothless milkman
seems to be talking about!!! My father, who once seemed
befuddled by the speed of innovative communication, is steadily
coming to terms with CDMA, GSM, WLL, SMS........
When do i hear a buzz from u?



ash - Congrats on the big day. Im glad you have yourself the
newest cell phone. Your story reminded me of nandu showing off
his new mobile, taking pictures and impressing his girlfriend in this
week's Jassi Jaise Koi nahin...episodes, wonder if you catch that one.
It seems today everyone has one cellphone. This rapidly growing
trend has many people exasperated, yet seems to have redeeming
qualities to justify its need. You be careful of your bills though, dont
let it soar meteorically. What did you gift your lady ?Ive been totally
terrible off late. Lotta things happening around me. Started with
mom in law's brain surgery..She had a brain hemorrhage 2 weeks
ago. Although her recovery is ok, she has to be at the re-hab center
for couple weeks until she gets ambulatory. Our schedules have
been a bit tight, hubby has deadlines to meet during this tax period
at the same time spend a good chunk of time with his mom. Next,
my work's keeping me tied as well. Suddenly the team decided to go
live with the production of our new site end of feb so that gives me
very less time for my page conversions. I have had a hellish week so
far. Fever seems to be an eternal companion. My throat is been ever
so pricky. So what if my blood pressure keeps getting lower all the
time? So what if my heart beat resembles a fast-beating drum all the
time? But to hell with sickness. So what if I am not 100%, my spirit
is unaffected…I am happy! Yes, I am. Yeeew haawww! And last but
not the least, the weather is playing games on us. We are hit by snow
storms almost every week. One pile of snow is not cleared and we
are dumped with another shower. HE is only testing our patience
with shoveling and bad commute I guess..son is doing good. He is
ready to go to skool next month. Im gettin anxious abt that. This
phase will pass too..Okay before I leave, let me say a tiny prayer :
God, thanks for making me quirky, it keeps me afloat. And that’s
all I need to be anyway. :)


(to be continued)

On a Roller Coaster

(continued from the previous post dated 14th July, '06)
For the remaining part of the year, we kept in touch mostly through
mails sent infrequently while passing through the amalgam of many
moods created through festivals, illnesses, birthdays, lost meeting
opportunities....as we decided to cling to each other for hope and
sustenance of our spirits.


kband - the long weekend is finally over! sometimes too much of a
good thing becomes unbearable, all these festivals we have are
shining examples of lassitude in our lives. diwali holidays are coming
up from 24th-26th so thats another hiatus to look forward to :-)
another problem we have during this period is all our clients (from
the govt sector) face acute paucity of staff (for obvious reasons) and
hence business comes to a virtual standstill! no wonder india moves
along as slothfully as an elephant :-)
however, on a brighter note, the hols this time were packed with
activities - community lunch on 3 days, cultural programs till late
into the nites, children's competitions....all culminating in the gala
immersion of the idol into the yamuna river y'day eve accompanied
by drums n dancing processions. u were on my mind all throughout,
I even tried to have a flash meeting with u on fri (in vain) :-( did u
come to office on the day?



ash - Hi dearest, feels goood to know tht in midst of ur busy holiday
schedule you spared thoughts for me. I've been badly bitten by the
flu bug. Was out sick from friday until monday. Got back to work
today, but I guess Im not yet 100 percent. So you see in a way I too
did manage to get away with a long weekend. Although mine was not
as pleasant as yrs, you were sauntering on my mind. I had this
visceral feeling I might miss you online one of the days and there
you mentioned yr flash show abt friday. Well, I'm eagerly waiting to
be in ur arms once again, so try a lil harder to log on soon..love,

************************************************************

Accept my apologizies for this delayed mail, not that I was remiss
but situations around me have drastically changed. First I was away
from work for couple days. Change in weather got my son down with
viral fever, so was home taking care of him. He is doing better now,
but there was noway I could steal time to get online from home.
When I returned back to work, I noticed we are now behind
something called a firewall, which restrains me to use services like
messenger and sites like hotmail. We do have a proxy server via
which we can connect effetcively to both hotmail and msn. As soon
as I find out the details abt it, I will see you online. Until then lets
keep up with the mails. Hope you are taking good care of your home
and family now that the lady of the house is down with jaundice.
Give my love to ur daughter and please don't stop writing.



kband - it was really nice to have caught up with u again the last
time after a while..it refreshed me in a manner only u can make
me feel ! saw Jogger's Park - the movie last nite..its still haunting
my mind. could identify with the emotions dreamz desires
hasraatein...are the domain of the gods, whereas the society and
its norms are man-made. so one has to bear with the inevitability..
this is gnawing at my soul, the movie ended toeing this line, i want
the flames to be lit forever, is that such an impossible mission???



ash - Was equally delighted meeting with ya again. Am breaking for
Thanksgiving holiday ths week, hopefully we should catch up next
week sometime. Love has many forms..., so goes an old adage. It is
only when love manifests itself in the form of relationships that we
truly begin apprising its endowment and distinction. I havent seen
Joggers Park yet, but have heard abt the story. Our association
resembles a guitar, the music of which may go off now or then but
the strings shall remain forever. Lets make it an ineffaceable bond
and that's no mission impossible..

***********************************************************

I kept trying your cell phone for a long time, unfortunately I could
not get connected. Just wanted to make up for my thoughtlessness.
Anyway heres wishing a special man in my life a very very happy
birthday. Now tell me what was it all like? How did you celebrate
and what was yr fav present? Birthdays are such special events in
our lives whether or not its a celebrated day. Dont think there is
any one out there who would be indifferent to its existence. Things
keep on changing, yet so much stays the same. This is the time
when the slowest thoughts run through the years.. You remember
innocence, smiles and sunshine, heartbreak and long phone chats,
time wasted, life enjoyed, stupidity surrendered, sanity recovered..
those were the days rite? .. ah but they had to end..so what do you
wish for this year ?

***********************************************************

Sorry for this delayed musing. These days whenever anyone asks
me "How are you?" my standard answer is "Tired". And that's
never been so. Why this tiredness, I ask myself. Its true, I am
tired. Mentally as well as physically. The physical tiredness can be
given assuage, but what about the mental one? How can I send my
mind for a vacation? Even when I am asleep, the mind isn't at rest.
I am plagued by garish dreams...strange plays of the over-
imaginative mind. I am not sleepy, but not really awake. I am not
sad, but mostly I am not completely happy. I've been running
around doing things, but I could very well do without it when it
gets over!! So much has been happening in the past few weeks,
my mind can barely keep up. There's so much activity...such a lot
of chaos. There was so much love that drained out...and then so
much more love that was pumped in. At one moment, I had lost
all my faith, all my wish to open up my heart again...and in the
next moment, I was surrounded by the most loving people, who
pulled me out...who made me float. Life sure is a magic potion. Its
bitter when you first taste it, but when it goes down and settles in
your stomach, you are blessed with the strangest of powers. I have
my powers too. (No, not the GraySkull kinds :P) My strengths are
in my easy healing heart, (I forgive, but I don't forget) in my need
to love, in my urge to smile...I will survive, to only see a better
tomorrow...



kband - Was online y'day for abt an hour (9.30 - 10.30 AM ur
time) waiting for u to show up, but it wasn't my lucky day!
perhaps u had taken ur son for the session, perhaps u had a
breakfast appointment, perhaps......my mind has been vitiated by
thoughts of what may have happened to u since i read ur mail. the
subtle interplay of contradictions within ur mind were portrayed
with ur characteristic elan, and though the silver lining in the end
dazzled blissfully, yet i just cant get over the underlying agony
which had been wreaking silent havoc on a soft and sweet heart!
hope to hear lilting, vivacious tunes emanating from its innards
again.
I have been on a roller-coaster too, but of an entirely different
kind. its the journey to and from each day between home and office
on notorious delhi roads spangled with potholes, dug-up sewers,
mounds of semi-filled cable trenches, fly-overs under construction,
not to mention the callous civic attitude - its one heck of a ride!!!
look forward to the realisation of the MRTS dream, meaning the
Mass Rapid Transit System (Metro Rail for the uninitiated). we
also hear that by 2010 delhi will leap-frog to becoming a princely
capital as the commonwealth games get staged here....till then we
gotta take the ups and downs in our stride.



ash - You say the nicest things ever! :) Ur easy healing heart and
warm nature will never ever let u down. Sure these small ups and
downs will becomes very insignificant when we see the bigger
picture...


(to be continued)

Back Again

(continued from the previous post dated 16th June '06)
The interruption was jarring, to say the least, but very soon we
were back in our attempts to make up for what we had been
missing badly. A long distance call renewed the conviviality.


kband - I do realise that to connect effectively over long distances,
msgs thru mail are the ideal medium. though the other forms of
instant communication give u the window to exchange quick
reciprocal thoughts, sometimes u'd rather want a wider 'view'. u
can then imbibe the myriad flavours in a slow, deliberate manner,
play them repeatedly as u wish and let the feelings sink in gradually
to the depths. a passive situation no doubt, but with a greater
interplay of deep-seated passions. and for people like me, who like to
weigh the words before they expose their ignorance, some quantum
of balance is restored perhaps while the thoughts that are in a state
of disarray are sorted out and arranged comprehensibly (?)
so though i'd like u to pay no heed to the gibberish that i was blurting
out y'day, there may just be a pattern emerging out of that
kaleidoscope. can the moments and days of ephemeral pleasure
converge into a joy forever? could the longing for each other cross
that vital threshold, that one could long for nothing else? for the
moment though, i feel elated that u consider me important enough
among many others to get some space in a corner of ur heart.
believe me, i dont want the heart to miss a beat.........



ash - My heart never missed a beat, where and how did urs ? I
want you to follow ur heart and not go against ur resolve of seeing
me online only cos I want so, but I'd really wish to talk to you in
this regard whenever you feel like. As for me I simply cant stop
thinking of you and ur mail with unexpected thoughts that skid on
me this morn. It must be something with me that I couldnt keep up
to you really and that feeling is killing me. Forgive me if I hurt u dear,
be well.



kband - Hope after I spoke to u y'day, u would've been a bit
placated and perhaps changed ur opinion about me and my ways.
I won't ramble about this any longer - i've been expressing my
opinion about how much ur mails fascinate me and how i love to
read them as well as write back. The habit of chatting, I feel,
perhaps, slows down such a habit and makes u pine for more -
more attention, more intensity, more expression. Unless the
entire gamut of feelings is explored in every sense, the void
continues to remain. To me the words u pour out in ur mail are
precious pearls which you have carefully culled from ur heart
exclusively for me. They signify undivided indulgence,
unmitigated pleasure ! Let us elevate ourselves to this plane
and experience the undiluted joy of togetherness.
Wish to assure u once again, i care for u ever so much that i can
never think of deserting u. Its all about finding out how to make
our hearts beat together, how to make our bond stronger and
more meaningful. Sparks dont matter, turbulences can come and
go, the journey can be made joyous only with faith and love.
U with me?



ash - It means a lot to me to know you understand and to never
second guess that you appreciated and accepted me for who I am.
Neither of us are perfect, but as we continue to grow and change
as individuals I hope our relationship will continue to grow stronger
and become more beautiful. Although I miss you around online it
gives me a feeling of security that we remain near in heart at all
times. I'm with you and lets stay together regardless of what
happens.....


(to be continued)