Wisdom for the Day

Smile on a Monday morning, because who knows, by the end of the evening you'll be frowning again.

Do not call a spade, a spade.

Mundane conversations with strangers are better than arguments with  your mother.

No matter how much you decide you won't let something bother you, it will bother you.

Ignorance is bliss, only for a while.

It all adds up...and the answer is never 42.

It takes more than a happy-songs playlist to put the spring back in your step.

Hopeless as we are, we always peg our hope on Hope.

Give me Hope, Joanna!

I miss

• Driving down roads - crowded or otherwise
• Watching countless episodes of a sitcom - back to back
• Polishing my silver earrings and bangles
• Painting my toe nails
• Laughing with my folks
• Scanning the piles of books in the pavement shops till the book beckons and finds me
• Pink colored bubble gum that came in a pink and blue wrapper. Before Boomer. 
• Shopping for saris for mom
• Drama - in all forms and sizes 
• Listening to my grandmom's stories
• Attending random film fests in the city
• The insanity of my hostel days
• Not having friends around me all the time
• The magic of comforting conversations 
• Writing, simply.( I seem to resort to boring lists very often these days) 
• Having time to think, make up, wonder
• Talking to you, you, you and you!
• The woods
• Hmm...appreciation.
• Playing hot hands
• Reading poetry
• Eating out, travelling, eating out, travelling. 
• Looking at the moon.

Gosh. It's plain and clear, a six day work week is injurious to health. 

All in a day's work

7.30 a.m. Text Received.
"Anther dull, grey, smog filled morning. How far?"
   " 10 mins away, but half hour of traffic piled up in front of me. How 'bout a sunny side up with some hash browns?"
" Wt! Why remind me of hash browns n coffee n town when you and I are caught in traffic snarls en route to work?"
   " Letssss go!"
"Pch. Duty calls. Let's bunk a working day next week for a scrumptious morning meal."
    " Deal. I can't bunk Mon, Wed, Fri absolutely. You?"
"Not Tues, Thurs, Fri.Absolutely NOT"
     "Wt the ...!"
"See you in ten. Not the hash browns for another week."

********************************************************
5.20 p.m. Tired, fed up, craving coffee and hash browns.

Day 3. Consecutive Meeting no. 3. At the same spot.
(I Flash a smile 'coz I'm a nice person and oh-so-bored)

(Familiarity could breed friends.And of course it does.)
" Hi!"
   "Hey!"
"Late today?"
   "Yeah a bit."
"No bus?"
   " Not in the last ten minutes."
"Oh!"
(hesitant silence)
"What's your name by the way?"
    "Jennifer. And you?"
(incoherent mumble)
    "Sorry?"
(a phonic jumble)
     (Very apologetically)"How do you spell it?"
"S-h-r-u-g-a-l"
   "Ah! Very unusual. What does it mean?"
"It's MY god's name. "
   "Oh. Nice."
And the bus arrives. S-h-r-u-g-a-l offers me a seat but no more talk.
Probably 'coz I didn't have a god for my namesake.
But I  thank him and his namesake for the seat :-)

****************************************************************
8.00 p.m. En route to the local grocer. Pavement.

Day 2 after a random, brief walk under the umbrella over 2 months ago.

(Again, I smile 'coz I'm a nice person and I'd forgotten familiarity breeds friends.)

"Hiiiiii!"
  "Hey."
"Should I call you didi or aunty?"
  " Neither, Jennifer. Did you reach school in time for your basket ball practice?"
"Not Basket ball. TT!! Thanks for letting me walk with you that day.
  "No problem! Which grade are you in by the way?"
"9th. Don't you stay in Silver Arch?"
  "No I don't."
"Can I have your number? I promise I won't give it to anyone.
  (puzzled) "Hahaha...but why do you want my number?"
"Arre give na. Ok, you don't want to give? Ok you store mine. Here.And my name is Nikita."
  (I feel bad) "Do one thing, I'll give you mine. And you give me a missed call, I'll save it."
"Ok!! Great! I'll add you on FB ha."

Reason no 36286352 why i like my city - It's as easy to pick up and drop a conversation with strangers as with friends.