To Cut A Long Story Short.

I seem to be on this path of reminiscence, lately. One of my most recent blogposts was about the Incidence perfume, which I related to my father's memory. And this blogpost is going to go much along the same tangent - not about perfume, but about a writer.

So, like the title of one of Jeffrey Archer's short story collections goes, to cut a long story short, I met and interviewed a world-famous author today. And if you haven't guessed it already, it was Archer himself, who was in the city (as part of a nationwide tour to release his new novel Only Time Will Tell). 

He's rude and sarcastic, and even has that typical dry British humour, but he is amazing nonetheless, questionable personal life notwithstanding.

My father introduced me to Archer's writing when I was about 12 or 13. I even remember the particular story - it was One Man's Meat, the story with three different endings, from the collection Twelve Red Herrings. And while I have read a couple of his novels, I still prefer the short stories because of their masterpiece twists at the end.

It's an experience to come this close to a man whose writing I'd hugely admired. And I am kicking myself for being the world's biggest idiot - right when I was walking out of the auditorium, he was walking in with another man, there was no one else around and I should have asked him to take a picture with me! But I froze and gawked at him like a complete loser. He smiled at me and walked on. What an opportunity to miss. Still. Memories are very solid things and maybe someday I shall tell my children that I interviewed Lord Jeffrey Archer himself!

For the meantime, since my fondly-imagined children aren't in the picture yet, I shall content myself with thinking that my father would be so proud if he could see me now. He loved Archer's writing, and to think his daughter actually interviewed him today.

It would be his 52nd birthday tomorrow, and I think this actually makes a great present. Cheers to you, Height. Happy Birthday.

Objects And Associations.

It's strange how we have certain associations with certain objects. We can't resist that pull - of memory, of familiarity. That inexplicable need to hold on to a material thing because it reminds us of something, or someone.

I remember the first bottle of perfume I ever received. It was called "Incidence", and came in a pinkish, translucent triangular bottle. The smell was subtle, floral and oh-so-feminine. My father'd given it to me on my 15th birthday, he'd wrapped it carefully with a little note on top of the package, that said, "Happy Birthday, for my girl- who's fast becoming a woman."

I didn't keep the wrapping paper. And somehow, regrettably, I misplaced the note. But the bottle I kept for a very long time, even after the perfume had run out. Because that was the last present my father gave me- he died two months later, leaving me with an irreparable sense of loss and among other things, a bottle of perfume that I used very sparingly, almost as if to hold on to a part of him.

And so, I kept it. That empty bottle. Sometimes, when the pain of his absence was sharper than usual, I used to just smell the nozzle of the spray - the fragrance gave me comfort. And it took me almost a couple of years to find the strength and the will to dispose of the bottle. Today, even after the different perfumes I've used - Nina Ricci, Yardley, Escada, Elizabeth Arden, Poison, and Burberry's, that one bottle of Incidence still remains my most special.

I'd thought that perfume wasn't available anymore. Today, I found it, at a store near Lake Market. Needless to say, I bought it. I've just sprayed it once, on my wrist. And every now and then, I'm sniffing my hand. It's a sense of delight I can't explain.

The New Year's started on a good note, I think I'll have a good 2011, but this little object, this seemingly unimportant bottle of perfume - it's given me enough happiness to make me smile for the next few months. Letting go is a part of life, but so is holding on. It's what makes us human.

Park Street - A Walk Down Memory Lane.

I spent some time in Park Street today, after ages, and I was surprised by how many memories came flooding back. Each flashback more powerful than the last.
People associate Park Street with the tempting restaurants, the party mood, and of course - the cheap alcohol served at OlyPub, but somehow - Park Street to me has always held a different meaning. I always associate it with my father, and the times I spent with him.

I remember you walking me into Paragon, that games-shop near St. Xaviers, and buying me toys. I remember you taking me to Hobby Centre for icecream. I remember the numerous lunches at Bar-B-Q, and I felt you there with me today when I went with Ma for lunch, after 10-odd years or so. I remember you buying me "Amelia Jane" books from Oxford Bookstore. And I remember you and I walking down Park Street- silent, just enjoying each other's company, after we'd watched "The Lord Of The Rings".
I miss you. But I'm glad I have the memories to hold on to.

All the world's a stage...

Have you ever thought back on memories and actually laughed aloud? Ever embarrassed yourself so much that you felt you should lock yourself away for the next three centuries? Ever had such good times that you wanted to relive them again, no matter what a fool you made of yourself?

That's what festing meant to us.

I long for the Impact practices again. The endless class bunking, the rushing off to Cafe Coffee Day under the pretext of script writing, the 'jaali' dialogues, the staying back after school, the costume decisions, the general confusion, and the actual Impact itself.

The first Impact we did was rather a good one, but we didn't win. It followed the theme of "What happened after 'happily ever after'?" What happened onstage is anybody's guess. I ended up seducing Annesha, and dancing with her to 'Rock The Party', Priyanshi got catcalls and cheers, and Aditi Kalra disrobed to show herself wearing a polka dotted shirt and jeans, and urged us on to 'party tonight'!

Somehow or the other, I always ended up with the role of either the Prince Charming (played it 3 times), or the sexy but empty-headed heroine. During one Impact, I actually endorsed Veet (believe it or not). I walked onstage, saw I was unwaxed, screeched, ran offstage, and came back and seduced the audience with "For smooth, shiny, silky skin- use Veet!"

And then there was the mother of all Impacts- the Syzygy Impact. Thankfully, I was down with chicken pox, and couldn't participate. God's grace- I call it. Shweta lost her voice, mimed everything, and Priyanshi read everyone else's lines as well as her own, forgot something somewhere in between, was prompted by Priyanka, couldn't understand her, and said a rather loud "Huhh!" into the mic!

Believe it or not, we actually won the Callisto Impact. I played Baby Doll- told you I always got the role of the bimbette! Annesha and Shweta played Bappi-da and Mithun-da- those two were just made for the roles. I remember cavorting with Shweta onstage. Shweta had some line like "You are the Apple Ipod of my eye." I rest my case.

I vaguely remember one Impact where Alokita played Yoga Bear- the all-purpose cardiovascular bear. She exercised onstage to "I Like To Move It". The very same Impact had Priyanshi playing a dead blackbuck. I don't remember much of this particular one. Maybe my memory has blocked it out.

And last, but definitely NOT the least, I went onstage for Western Music once! The team was one member short, they dragged me with them, made me the second backup vocalist, and instructed me to lipsync. And lipsync I did. Probably the most wackiest moment of my life. Correction. The second-most wackiest moment of my life. The wackiest was when we actually ended up coming 1st! I was referred to as the School Band's lucky charm after that- because that was the first time they placed 1st!

I miss festing. *sigh*

And so this post is a tribute to good old days gone by. A tribute to my Impact Team. To Shweta- the shamajik projapoti and the eternal Mithun-da. To Annesha, my favourite Retard and Bappi-da. To Priyanka- I still remember her dancing around with a stuffed toy, acting as Maneka Gandhi. To Priyanshi- no one forgets lines quite like you do. Love you guys, and loved the times we had together, no matter how embarrassing they were!

The First Entry!

What do I write about? What should I talk about? My head was filled with thoughts like these, just minutes after I had created my own blog. And then: did it matter? Would anyone read it anyway? Wouldn't I be classified as "just another of those jobless bloggers"?
I bugged a certain Grizzly to give me topics. Rejected one after the other. And then he suggested writing something for all the people I'm going to miss after school. And that got me thinking... And that, in turn, got me writing.
So here is a short something for all my friends. We have done everything together- read Enid Blyton, talked about movies, gossipped about everyone under the sun, gone to fests, participated in them, discussed in hushed whispers the much awaited "first kiss"... And this is for them. The people I will miss after I pass out this year. (It's not in any particular order, though- I'm just writing as they come to my mind.)

AAFREEN - Those Political Science classes- will they ever be forgotten? I hope not. Here's to your 'stories', your heated discussions about anything you believe in, and to Spectrum, of course! For we haven't been friends for a long time- just since Class VI, I think- but we have had nice moments, haven't we?

ALOKITA - My eternal Nightshade... From stealing your pencils and erasers in Lower Infant, to reading Mr. Twiddle under the desk, from doing disastrous Impacts to doing a pretentious play, from crushing on various guys to bitching about the same ones a month later- we have truly done it all. May you find a real-life Georgette Heyer!
P.S. - We still owe each other a kiss!

TANIMA - My best friend through thick and thin. She was the one I bored MOST with all my talk about Kshitij and his deodorant, and then later, about Saikat and our 'amazing connection'! I have crashed at her place every once in a while, she has called me up at random times to talk, we have had funny 3-ways with Ritu on MSN Messenger, she has ragged me at every possible opportunity, and as always- I usually do not understand what she's talking about at any given time. But we have gone through too much together, too much to talk about.

NAMRATA - My strangest friendship ever- it has been with her. She is probably the only person to have had hated me like a worst enemy, and loved me like a best friend. Class XI and XII brought us closer. And now she is one of the people I shall miss most after leaving. My partner for bunking, passing notes, and the eternally patient listener- a true best friend.

TANYA - The famous '95th percentile'! Her shoulders have always been there right in front to feel up! The girl with the most attitude, and probably the most amount of brains- that's Tanya for you. Never minces what she says- be it good, bad, or ugly- she is, like me- thoroughly in-your-face. And yes, the sweetest smile ever.

PRIYANSHI - We have had our bad moments, and our good ones. From JG's Elective classes, to 'Pocha Cake' during Spectrum, from bad Impacts to "You probably TRIGGED it!", this has also been a friendship worth remembering. Pansy- the girl with the golden voice and the platinum pride.

TAPASYA - To the friend who never bathed, never tied her hair, and never washed her uniform- and yet still managed to get one of the nicest guys around! I marvel at the power of miracles. No one- not even me, has been able to surpass her bad attendance or her phakibaji! And here's to your Economics Honours!

SHABDITA - The girl I loved to hate. Need I say anything more? A short and sweet friendship, and hopefully one that will continue. Love you, Shabs!

RITIKA PATNI - Our aspiring lawyer! The girl with different earrings, oodles of attitudes and confusion, and readiness to bunk any kind of class! Remember the day we managed to get out of school, go to CCD under the pretext of writing an Impact script, and then had nothing to show at the end of the day? Good times!

DHARA - My 'dim-witted pretty other half' - in Tanima's words. I have just three words for you- "How is Kashyap?"

PRIYANKA KUMAR - My co-scriptwriter, the best one I could ever have asked for! This is one girl who understands me like few others, and one girl who can give me an inferiority complex with her English- again, like few others!

ANNESHA SIL - The eternal Retard, the spoilt brat- whose house we landed up at for kebabs and 'Impact Practice'. When is my private farewell?

SHWETA SEN - The shamajik projapoti of our school. I have not known her too well, but she still remains one of my most favourite juniors. A guest appearance in school, and regular appearance at Venom- she rocked as Park Street!

WAMIKA MIMANI - "How art thee, Mrs. Norris?"

And that, as they say- is that. I shall miss you all. But we will keep in touch, won't we? WON'T WE????!