let time fly…

It started in a fraction of a second, one comment, one reply, one argument, a race, some itches, some scratches, suddenly a few hugs, a few jigs, a few stolen pieces of cakes, mad scrambles, poetry that would put Ghalibs to shame, inane laughter that went on and on till people drove us out or joined in…

A meeting fixed, a real hug, an embarassed guy, an all the time both talking meet, another bout of sms’ and calls, late night chats, coaxing each other to stay put in the jobs and helping each other to get out of jobs, being sponges and yet squeezing hugs exchanged in zillions !!!!!!!! Sigh…. I never even realised I was such a sucker for all the mush !!!!!

Has ever one person made you realise your own self so much ??? Never knew I was a looney, never thought I could be fun too, never thought I could actually revel in the madness. Shreiking out loud was never as much fun before !!!!!!

You make me smile no laugh, giggle all the time. You bring out the lil mad boy (read brat) in me that looses all his shyness, suddenly I am like the eternal teenager, you make me realise I can be good… actually discovered that with you

I never had a nickname and you gave me one, the most loving one at that & Do you remember those late nights at the airport !!!??? You *REBEL* and I love you so much for that.. ! That pride, that feeling of being so so special is hard to explain.. ! Never will, but that feeling will remain for ever.

Being lost in our dream world, making all the virtual train journeys and fighting for the window seat or for the armrest in the movie theatre… ! Our cottage in Manali !!!!!!!! or Corbett !!!????? we are yet to decide right ??? The wood chopping and you tiring sitting on the slopes !!!!! The you should have been my neighbour wishes… !! Sigh… I have never been loved like this…

I am waiting…

I am sure our time in the sun is near and will come again soon… !

Touchwood !

teaser yet again…

Yes, thats what is on the cards, another humdinger, another free stress test for all cricket fans awaits. Cant wait for the clock to turn 9.30.

Tantalisingly poised is the second test in Bengaluru, I just hope we wrap up the first 3 wickets as soon as possible and another great chase gets on the way.

There is something very peculair about 4th innings chase. Even a score of 150 to get in the 4th innings has proved dicey and tricky for one and all. The beauty of Test cricket is such. It is very important for the fans to realise that 4th innings are not easy, not only does the pitch have wider cracks, foot marks and variable bounce more than anything its immense pressure on the players who have been stressing it out since 4 continous days in the sun. The hardwork of 4 days hinges on the last day.

As we just saw, how Marcus North found after his first innings century tha the second innings was completely different. The ball he recieved would have dismissed many a left hander as Harbhajan just showed that he can still be as deadly as he once was. As much as Sachin & Vijay toiled for their double hundred & hundred respectively, they will have to do it again. It counts for nothing in the 4th innings. The opening stand will be crucial, early wickets can make people panic and this time we have no VVS. We have two newbies in Raina and Pujara which puts more importance on a good opening stand.

Australia already has 185 on the board and they will try their best to post over 200 for us to chase. A few early wickets and it will be really tricky from there. Sehwag can be the game breaker, if he can bat for about 30 overs, its game over… Lets not speculate too much and just let the match start.

India and Australia as Test opponents simply are the best that I have come across in Test Matches in the era that I have watched. The desperation between the two teams to win is unbelievable and the amount of excitement that these two opponents have created in the last 15 years has been awesome. Another riveting finale awaits… and I am like a cat on a hot tin roof !!!!!

office will have to be bunked today… someway or the other… !!!! Sigh….

Navratri’s and eye candy !

Its Navratri time, this is one time, when Gujarat has a night life. The importance of which is being realised by me only now. I have been having a pretty jam packed schedule and have been working a bit late these days. Have not been able to spend a lot of time at home with my son or wife. Infact I just realised one day when I went home in the noon for watching the climax of the Mohali Test, that for the last two days, I had only been watching my son, when I get him ready in the morning and drop him and my wife, who works in the same school, at their bus and by the time I return home at 9.30-10.00 he is already asleep. Almost no time with my wife either, as I would have some or the other work that I would bring from office. Even if no work its like watch Tv and sleep !

A pretty tight, boring and taxing schedule. Then came Navratri, and going out with my wife every night for a few days and sitting listening to garba’s, eating awesome gujarati snacks (viz. khichu, locho, idla) and ofcourse watching chicks who all come dressed to kill !!!!!

Both me and wife, actually appreciate now, how important it is to have a night life, especially for working couples, a place, a joint to go to at night where people would be there and you can sit, chill, chit chat, have a snack or a drink and go home having vented your frustrations, having had some fun and having made some difference to the usually mundane life. The problem generally is we dont have restaurants that are open late night, plus even if you manage to find one, you cant find company every night. But thanks to the Navratri we have a great time atleast for 9 days. The other advantage of small town Bharuch where I and my wife grew up is that we feel very important when we go to the Garba’s for the simple reason that we find so many people who know us.

Be it the firm hand shake by old school buddies and teasing him about his pot-belly or “kem cho” to all adults or “kevu che bhai” or the young girls shrieking “HIIIIIIII” followed by “DhirenBHAI” this incidentally sends a beaming bright smile to my wife’s face.

Apart from the small sad stories, its great to sit in the cold air, with winter approaching, listening to garba, and watching lovely lovely girls who dress at their best and discussing them or cricket or something else with friends and chit chatting and laughing is awesome. Invariably we manage to sneak in and find an advantageous position to sit (Influential, I am you see !!) For those who want to ask if I dance, no, I and my wife have two left feet and we resort to making fun of people who cant dance but still try… Yea we are pretty mean and I know …

After the first day, when I was finding spotting girls a lil difficult, I went to my friend who is an opthalmologist. I had been having a mild headache in the late evenings since a few days and also finding difficult to identify the 6 from the 9 when I was reading scores. Eventually after the check up I came to know I require -2 power in each eye !!!!!! I knew I needed glasses since long and had been avoiding it, but now I have a great head start !! the doc told me to wear it all the times, which seems impossible, as I cant bear it !

As much as I wanted to have glasses when I was a kid in school to misguide my teachers that I was a studious guy, I dont want them now but have to wear them…

My kid already calls me “Chashmish Chachu, Biladi nu Bachu” no I aint gonna translate that… I guess you figure…

Before I leave, here is a swinging shot of my friends who were revelling at the garba’s