It's that time of the year again

Flash back:

Some 10-15 years ago, and before that too.

21 days of vacation.

21 days of watching television for time unlimited, playing cricket, going for a picnic to a nearby beach, loving that visit the native place, teasing cousins, fighting and making up, falling down and getting hurt, enjoying fireworks till late in the night, relishing loads of sweets...

And hating just one thing - Diwali vacation homework!

And now:

The vacation has filtered down to just 2-3 days.

2-3 days of taking rest, visiting select friends, avoiding many visits, a quick shopping spree, hating late fireworks that spoil your sleep, cursing those sweets that spoil your diet plans…

Those 21 days might not come back. Perhaps even these 2-3 days, a few years down the line, when we become all the more busy.

Let’s enjoy this festive season to the fullest. Seems like bhaashanbaazi or as one of my close friends would say, “life ka funda”, but think about it. These 2-3 days will take another year to return!

Have a Happy Diwali, full of fireworks that mesmerise us, complete with friends and family, the ones who care for us and full of sweets that someone makes with love (forget diet for once yaar!)

annu as googlesearch dot com

Why me? And why not me? Nothing wrong with that but still I wonder if I have "GOOGLESEARCH" imprinted on my forehead. Or for that matter do I appear like a direction stand (whatever it is called, the one that has arrows pointing in different directions, indicating "this way Marine Drive", "this way Essel World" etc.)

While I am on my way to the railway station, walking fast on the streets to catch hold of an auto rickshaw, a healthy figure comes my way and asks, “Where is building number J 46?” “Oh ya, take the first left, then the 2nd right and there you will find the 6-storey building.” And yes, the only auto rickshaw visible in the vicinity disappears!

I reach the station, looking impatiently towards the direction from where the train should have reached by now. Then I look around, more than 100 faces! And whenever my eye meets anyone’s I get this strange feeling that she / he will walk up to me, look at me with hope and ask me the question which I avoid to be asked – “Er, is there a fast train after this?”

And my dream comes true! This is the only daydream… day“nightmare” that sees the light of the day. Then in the train, “Which is the next station?” When I get off and walk towards my office, “Can you tell me how do I go to the HDFC ATM?” Well… walk, run, hop, jump, fly… and if you intend to fly, please drop me on the way at my office’s terrace.

Then at office. You think I am spared? Ha! “Annu, is this Inorbit Mall close to your house? How do I reach there?”

History repeats itself on my way back home. And mind you, this happens almost everyday, in fact actually everyday. The extent to which it happens does vary though. Finally, I reach home. Feel like the GOOGLESEARCH website is temporarily inactivated. I mentally prepare myself to continue my involuntary social service activity for the next day, and keep the doors of this thought closed until I leave home the next day.

The doorbell rings, “Annu, good you are at home. Is this college close to your office?”