Worth(less)

Having a hefty bank balance is everyone's dream. Nowadays, the banks have program where one can introduce the early saving concept to the kids. There are umpteen books and seminars of how to get rich fast. There is one seminar hosted every quarter by Warren Buffet, which reveals his secret of getting rich and would help us becoming one. I got an invitation for this last spring. I wanted to attend it just for the heck of it but the day/timing did not suit me. Later I realized that Mr. Buffet made half the fortune from the entry fee required in all these seminars.

As a kid, we did not have the formal pocket money concept. We asked for money from parents when needed but if the frequency became more, it was met by cold stares and questions. So somehow, we were always within the limits of our spending expenditure.

When my brother was in his preteens, my dad decided to open a bank account for him. Though I was much smaller, he opened one for me too. In those days, an account could be opened with Rs. 5 initial deposit! Few years later, my brother had some ceremony at home when lot of people gifted him with cash/check. He also won cash prizes on various competitions, which he promptly deposited in his account. In his college, when he got another proper bank account, we decided to close the accounts in our old bank. My brother checked his balance and was very pleased. It was approx Rs. 3000, a fine amount for a teenager just starting college. I eagerly waited to see my bank balance, only to get disappointed. My balance was Rs. 5.75. 75 paise gained on interest accumulated over years! Some interest rates they had!

Same pinch.... Ouch.

Assurance is all we need as humans. Not only do we feel good when once in a while someone praises us and lifts up our spirits, but we also look for similarities with a celebrity for a name, birth date or even a birth month.

My friend is a huge fan of Amitabh Bachchan and is very proud to be not only Libran but sharing birthday with Rekha (for obvious reasons). Most of my Libran friends are just happy sharing their birth month with the Big B. Amazing how a single man can actually lift spirits of hundreds of people doing nothing except being born. Similarly there are Leo, Scorpio and Aquarian friends raving about celebrities sharing birthdates and names.

I know 3 people born on Feb 5. I have known them over different time spans and my interaction with them have been in different levels. In fact, one is a celebrity with no interaction expect opinions formed on hearing and reading various interviews. When I realized yesterday that a colleague of mine with whom I used to work years back was also celebrating his birthday, it made me think about how nice these people have been and how I feel good just by knowing them. All three are very matured, calm, compassionate and broad minded. I felt that if I ever meet anyone else in future born on the same date, I would definitely strike a cordial friendship with her/him.

It is just a great feeling to share something as simple as a name or birth date with a celebrity one admires. Hoping to share a great space with a great personality, I searched for people born on my birth date. Maybe next time, I can rave to my friends about the nice celebrity club I belong to. I searched the net for the people I would have loved to share something in common but in vain. Finally, I seached for people born on my birth date, only to be disheartened. I share my date with two people I absolutely detest and have no common ground with them - Bali Brahmabhatt and George Bush. Who cares about sharing a birth date with a celebrity? We are all individuals with unique personalities.

Utterly, butterly, Oops

Everyone loves well groomed hands. This is one of many aspects of life where the Onida advertisement seems so true "Neighbour's envy, Owner's pride". Years ago, I used to associate long, thin hands to those of an intellect mind. Maybe because the fictitious character, Sherlock Holmes, whom I used to admire in my younger days is supposed to have one. In the Sherlock Holmes series where the lead character was played by Jeremy Brett, the first thing to catch my eye when Holmes would snap the fingers saying "Exactly Dr Watson" were the long fingers.

As a kid, I remember having very slippery hands. I had so many disasters at the dining table, spilling the water all over that my dad nick-named me "Butter Fingers". For a few years, my mom refused to serve me water with dinner. I used to have a friend in my high school, whose hands used to tremble even in summer. The doctor could not detect anything wrong and she has been doing perfectly fine. What used to amuse me was the precision with which she would dissect a rat in our Biology practicals, while my hands, otherwise looking so firm would be trembling within. Though I feared the worst in my pregnancy, my hands were so stable that even a butter did not slip through them.

I had forgotten about this aspect of my hands till today. I had come to office after a long weekend, ready to start work with an enthusiasm that only New Year spirit can beget. I got myself a nice cup of hot chocolate and logged on to my computer, only to spill the hot drink on the keyboard. I guess this is what is starting the New Year with a splash.

Driving me crazy

To be very honest, the only thing I know about cars is driving it. I am pretty challenged if a conversation revolves around anything except this. I have had few experiences of car breaking down. Thankfully in all occasions, either a friend was around or I did not have to leave home. As long as it does not part with me midway, I am fine with it.

Last winter, one evening I was driving back from work and was stuck in a pretty bad traffic jam. There was a 5 way circle (Golchakkar) which I needed to cross. There was no traffic light and basically everyone had to respect each other and yield in order to cross this. In a nice afternoon, this drive would be a breeze. But not today. People were getting aggressive in squeezing their way through. I was no angel.

After about 1 hour, I was able to come at least close to the circle where I had to turn right. Just then I saw a huge truck in my side. I could see that it was coming closer to me. The driver was also trying to say something, making gestures. On a normal day, I am pretty good at roads and yield to people. If someone wants to go straight but is in a left only lane and lets me know, I am more than happy to let him/her go before me. But it was different today. I tried not to look in that direction. I could see that he was trying hard to catch my attention but I still ignored. He even pulled down his window and braved the winter chill to tell me something. But all I gave him was a deaf ear. It took me long to come to this distance and I am not going to yield to anyone. Finally I came closer to the circle, turned right and zoomed past. The truck was soon out of sight and I heaved relief.

We have grown learning to be aware of strangers. I am somehow very careful regarding trucks and trailers just by their gigantic size. Maybe I should stop judging drivers by the vehicles they drive but I feel I am more comfortable with a person driving a car than a truck.

I was only happy to reach home. In the morning, I again started my car to go to work. I realised that something did not sound/feel right. I stopped and checked and figured out that I had a flat tyre. There was a big nail in the tyre beneath right passenger's seat(In US, it is left hand driving) . I then realised what the driver of the truck was trying to tell me for which I paid no attention.

It seems that in dire consequences, one is supposed to drive a car with flat tire for maximum of 5 miles and that too at a very low speed of approx 10 mph. Well, ignorance is bliss. I reached home driving a car with flat tire for 30 miles at a speed of 45 mph.

Searching, Searching

Mornings are becoming chillier now. H has to wear a light jacket while catching the train to work. Since, me and kids start a little late, we are still giving our winter clothes some rest. Today morning , H asked me if I had seen his green light jacket. I told him I did see him wearing it when he came home yesterday. Last evening, I had to go out. So, as soon as H returned from work, I was more than happy to hand over the kids' charge to him and rush out. I saw him for fractions of seconds while he was giving me directions on how to reach to my destination. Since he is always in a hurry in the mornings , I am the one who has to search for anything he is looking for. To be honest, this is not the first thing I like to do to start my day. Anyways, I go on a jacket-search and could not find it anywhere in the house. So, I tell him maybe he lost it while taking the kids out yesterday evening. I also give him my piece of mind of how he could keep it in the closet and spare me this misery of searching. After dropping the kids, I came to my work. When I opened my email, I saw one from H saying that the jacket was lying on his office chair and wondered how I saw him wearing it yesterday evening. Well, hmm (blushing).