The Attack of the Roaches... (A short story inspired by a true story)

The other day, I was working rather late at office and had a zillion things on my mind that I had to do before going home. So, as soon as I left work at around 3:30 I planned the remainder of my evening accordingly. I reached Grant road station within an hour and realized that I have ample time left to complete my chores. So, I headed towards the electricity dept. to pay my humongous and already-late bill. Since I was short on cash and had to still go to Fort to run some more errands, I went home (5 min away) and went into the kitchen, drank water, emptied my bag and collected the money. In fact, I’d reached the door, when I realized that I hadn’t collected the money. Anyway, then ensued a nice journey to Fort on the BEST bus, where I was reading my much-cherished Malory Towers. I completed my errands and was home within an hour.

Yes yes, there is some purpose behind my relating this entire Raam Kahaani, and that is to bring to your notice the time difference between the two instances when I went home in that day (and I confess, also to keep you in suspense).

Okay before I go on to the highlight of the day, I would like to emphasize that I am cockroach, bird, and any-huge-insect-that-flies phobic and I jus can’t take dirty, creepy insects in my house. Also, I’m a cleanliness freak and clean my kitchen thoroughly everyday (much to the consternation of my roommate!)

Anyhow, getting back to my story, when I came home the second time, I went into the kitchen to have water. The moment I entered, I saw this huge, almost-two-inches flying cockroach on the floor. I freaked, but immediately took the can of “HIT” and sprayed the damned insect (though “smothered” would be a more likely word choice). Then I saw another one of the same size and did the same thing again. I left them there to die (sadistic ol’ me) and closed the door and went in to the room. After a while, I opened the door again and saw around two more cockroaches scurrying about, trying to get away from the cloud of HIT. But they couldn’t and they too died. By the time I sent an SOS to Pragya (my roommate), I had counted almost 12 cockroaches. I couldn’t, for the life of me, comprehend how so many cockroaches could have been there in the kitchen considering I had jus cleaned it (very thoroughly I must say) the previous day. Then I saw that the drain below the sink was slightly open and realization dawned that this entire khandaan of cockroaches had come out of there (for a picnic, perhaps??) and ended up being massacred. Soon we swept the floor of around a little more than TWENTY cockroaches and closed the drain. Aaah, it was a nightmare come true for me. I felt like I was in an ET movie.

How I celebrated Women's Day...

This was an idyllic weekend, a long one too!
So it started off with work :). It was a very very boring day at work (as usual), where I faffed a lot, but still got something done. I left early from office and met up with Priyam and Pragya—two of my closest friends in Mumbai. We took a ferry to an island just off the coast of Mumbai. It’s called Manori— a small, idyllic beach spot. So we went to this not-so-dingy hotel and booked a room. The view was wonderful and the smell of brine and sand came wafting thru, the “backyard” of the hotel was like a playground, complete with hammocks and swings, and a merry-go-round and see-saws. Oh and what a return to childhood!!! We played on all three, laughing like little kids, while swinging high, merry-go-rounding fast, and see-sawing. The sheer exhilaration of doing something completely mundane, innocent and free is something I just can’t describe. All three of us cuddled up into one hammock (a miracle it didn’t break!) and just chatted, beneath the moon and stars and coconut trees if u may please. We sang together after a long long time—songs long forgotten, loved, nostalgic. We wanted to be up before the sun so that we could go to the beach. So after a very sleepless night (thanks to the dust mites) we woke up and reached the beach, which was just behind the hotel. The serene landscape, the horizon—a wall between two shades of blue; its been long since I felt sand under my feet and waves lapping. The salt in the air smelt heavenly and all I wanted to do was lie down on the beach with the waves all around me. We walked along the shore till we came to some rocks and sat down there, looking across the ocean. Empty thoughts…calm waves…not a cloud in the sky… just the three of us—Dil Chahta hai style. When we went back to the hotel I again sat on the swing again. I felt like I was flying, the sheer joy, the freedom, the sheer happiness as I was flying into the air and back. I laughed like a child, all woes and problems forgotten, childhood memories came back to me, I wanted to swing again and again till I could swing no more. But then, the sun came out and was scorching everything in sight. Soon we found ourselves back on the ferry feeling like we’d been there for a week. Oh, but what a relaxing week, and what a return to our childhood on Women’s Day!!

life...

Life is full…

Of love lost and found,
Of friendships sealed and broken,
Of feelings felt and numbed,

Of being loved and mourned,
Of being caressed and stoned,
Of being wanted and abandoned,

Of being remembered and forgotten,
Of being respected and insulted,
Of having been there done that,

This world is full of opposites,
And so are we

Of having lived and died.

Career

Okay, so here’s the deal!

I have a zillion dreams…

1) I want to become a clinical psychologist. Work with people, listen to them, and help solve their problems. I want to assess them, interpret their personalities.
2) I want to open a small deli cum confectionary of my own, complete with baked brick walls, and splendid aromas wafting from the kitchen. Concoct amazing delicacies, experiment a bit, and introduce various foods from exotic lands. It’ll be this cozy little place, more like a home, where ill keep those soft couches that one sees in “Crossword” and small, round glass tables. The dim yellow light will add to the cozy aura and the warmth from the oven in the kitchen will give one the feeling of being in their mom’s kitchen.
3) I want to get into editing (something m doing as a part time job) because, I have this really irritating habit of correcting my friends’ English every time they say it wrong.

So wherein lies the problem??? Hmmm the first option doesn’t have much money in it. The second option needs a lot of investment. The third option is the only place where I can get the money to probably fulfill my second dream. But then, I don’t want it as much as I do the first and second options. Also, I’m afraid that ill just get sucked into the comfort of having a stable job (god willing) and may become too lethargic to actually pursue my first two dreamsL
So does it seem like I’ve gone back to square one?? I think so L

You...

The simple gesture of holding your hand, the sweet smile I see in your eyes. It’s a wonder I don’t fall in love over and over again. But then, I think I did when I last saw u-the proverbial birds chirping, winds blowing, violins playing, bells ringing.