Of hassled bus drivers and columnists who rise fro…

Of hassled bus drivers and columnists who rise from the dead...
Some of my friends would have heard of that all time fave Indian columnist of mine, the wonderful Behram Contractor. My fascination with the man started when I bought an anthology of his best columns a couple of years ago from a stuffy little book store behind the elevator in the City Centre mall in Thrissur. Being the only non Jeffrey Archer english book on sale helped my decision process immensely. Well, I read through the entire book on sitting. Since then I've been singing posthumous praises of 'Busybee', from pillar to post and an IIMK interview in between. Under the circumstnces seeing a column written by him published on April 26th was ghoulish at first sight. That it had to do with the current elections was positively revolting. I wondered, journalism brilliance from beyond the grave? Wasn't the book a tribute?

And then it hit me. Behram Contractor was as alive as can be. The book I read was not a fond memory, but a standing ovation. First there was shock, then was reconciliation and finally there was sheer joy. (All wannabe authors describe emotional upheavals thus...) I intend to speak to my hero atleast once before I go back to IIMA. And then slip him my resume.

You dont need be anti-social, perverted, or be a pickpocket to get thrown off a bus. Mere animated conversation is enough. Suddu and yours truly were enroute to Linking Road Bandra in a red behemoth, when the bus driver suddenly whipped around and told us to... err... Shut the f@#$ up. Our conversation regarding the joys of hernia mesh selling ran into an iceberg and promptly sank without trace. A few tense moments. The bus driver feeling bad for his outburst. Both of us had the sheepish look you have when you wake up in the morning and discover that your were dreaming the piss pot and it actually wasn't there. He then apologised. 'All this traffic and car horns and your loud conversation. I am sorry. You may now resume.' Try telling the S.S. HerniaMesh that. Yet we whipped out our best 'Ahh.. but the bed sheet was being thrown out today anyway' smiles and hopped out at the bus stand with a few 'Thank You Bhaiyyas' for good measure.

A month into my internship. And I am off to Pune tomorrow morning. Hope I have better luck with the doctors there. And lets hope the weather is better there too. However a room in The Central park Hotel promises to make amends for Wilson College. They have a bed, air conditioning and no dead pigeons in your room at the Central Park. Shocking the luxury hotels give you nowadays.

Oh btw, I celebrated my 25th birthday with a trackball cum optical mouse for my laptop. Yes now I am older, but I can 'easily operate computer equipment on absolutely any surface and use 8d zoom to enjoy a new computing experience'. But the fine print clarifies: 'Mouse works well when used slow on white surfaces with textured patterns. Not on reflective, or red surfaces.' There goes my dream of racing my mouse on plain red reflective plastic surfaces. Dammit!!!

Chalo off I go to take a shower and plan the rest of the weekend. I foresee much partying, fun and frolic. I foresee doing it with the 300 bucks I have. I hate it when my mind gets all unreal on weekends.