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Strange phrase....is it not?

The moment we hear this, somewhere in the corner of the mind, a male devil says..ahaa, loads of fun and responsibilities none. I dont know how the she-devil might react but just making a WILD guess... must be something on the same lines. Fun, frivolous time and then forget.

For those of you who might think there is something else to it, continue reading it. For those who think I am absurd, there is a small cross in the right hand corner of the screen which will give you freedom from absurdity. The choice is yours.

I discovered something else, a different meaning to the phrase. This phrase was like a barrier to the extent we might be able to think. I dare to call my night in Mumbai as a one night stand, but certainly not the one time night. I had loads of fun....fun with a connotation that the phrase might never be able to signify. Forgetting it----Forget it. It is now a part of my life, embraced in my arms, embedded in my mind and etched in the heart. I might hurt some one by the usage of the phrase.. BUT I hope that YOU will understand me.

Taking off from the timeless flights.............

We walked towards the airport and it started drizzling. The weight of the small droplets on the shoulder, felt like the weight of the world. But we continued. I dont know how much we walked, but then the distance never meant anything. She talked about how she dances and funny enough... every step that I took that night, had a rythm I had rarely felt. Its strange that I dont recall anything specific that we had a conversation on, but what I do recall, how every second felt.

We reached there and then crossed the road to land in an unknown territory..."I wont have a coffee, I am not feeling like having it", she said. I looked at her and my mind in a flash reached to the disco..."nope!, not a disc. I wanted to walk", I recalled. I smiled. I am sure she understood it as yes, unlike me. We walked back.

"What's your plan?"

"Well initially I had thought that I will stay with you till 12 or so and then get back to Anshul's.... B U T... will it be advisable to go there, especially when I am planning to take the first local in the morning. I know how he sleeps. Better not to disturb him", I responded.

"Hmmmmm", she said. I think she said that. Was I suggesting something that I should not have? I didnt know at the moment. I told myself, how uncivilized, ill-mannered and insensitive I was.

"I will go to Kurla station and stay there. Will then take the first local. What say?", I asked.

She looked at me and this time she didnot smile. Her face was a little stern.

Time just passed. I dont remember what she said, how she might have felt, and how I reacted.

"Long time, I had been on a Giant wheel", I said.

"Yeah", came a reply.

"But Its not that good. I am not having my stomach left behind feeling. Howvever...I am absolutely loving it", I continued.

"Lets get our names done on rice", she said.

I smiled.

Wondering on how is it that we discovered the fair, right before what could have been a long story cut short.

It started to drizzle again. I offered her my coat.

"I dont want to look like an idiot having a coat on my head", she retorted.

"Give it to me, I dont want to look like an idiot getting drenched", she complained.

That night was making me smile a lot, so I smiled again.

From there, we walked back. And we reached, where her place was. "But it is not even two",I thought. Now I can see the folly in my thought. 

And then, I bid adieu. After a long talk ofcourse. Reached the station early morning.

Tried dreaming, as if I needed to. Boarded the train, and off to a different world, a different Mumbai.

Half asleep but fully aware of how people might take it, if I told them.

Should I? Why should I even tell anyone about this? What has anyone else got to do with what I do, how I treat things? What difference does it make even if they know it?

"Your life at any stage in life is never your life", I remembered telling Lekhni.

What ever that might mean, what ever you might think, whatever you might treat, I needed to tell this. Not everyone but definitely to some. I needed to tell you.

Mumbai... the city of dreams, the city of dreams come true, the city of strangers......

strangers...... hmmmm.... well not any more.

Its always hard to determine whether the answer is yes or no, when what you get is only a smile as response. Can it be a smile of a person who looks down on the suggestion thinking, "What a pathetic idea. How can he even dare say so? Must be out of his mind and let me pity him", or it can be just the other end of the spectrum, "Ok, How does that matter? Lets move on. Might be a nice idea".

And we decided to walk. Not knowing what was on her mind, but we decided to walk.

For all of you, who are lost and doesnt understand what I intend to speak about, please refer to the post Amchee Mumbai.

"We will take an auto and then get down near Andheri. We will walk from there uptill the International Airport and then have a coffee together.", she said.

I nodded.

I dont remember what we talked in rickshaw. I dont care whether I remember it or not. I do remember (most part of the night) and that what, to me is a little more important.

We got down somewhere in Andheri. To be exact, right in front of her abode. And then we walked towards our immediate goal. Airport.

All this while there were things that we were talking of, which I intend not to share, because that is not what the blog is about. Its about how I felt...... just being there or should I say....being lost. Lost in a charm, where I cared about nothing. I was feeling as if after a long time I have started to re-discover my self. Talk to myself. And spend time with myself. She was just a medium, who made me scratch the dusted past and see the silvered shine that lay underneath.

to be continued.........

I dont know how people might take it, or consider it, or think about me, or even talk about it because it just doesnt matter.

Someone's or anyone's belief was never a criterion to blog this. You may and you may not, read it, I leave that to you.

I had been  to mumbai, the city of dreams, the city of " no one is for you", the city of joy, the city of "hit on the face", and the city of strangers..... strangers..Hmmmm may be, or may be not.

I met friends there. Friends if I can call them. However, what I write is not about friends, its about a "stranger". Her name is Lekhni Sharma. Met her after 10 years, and before that; we never knew each other, so 10 years is only a modest estimation of the time gap.

Had met her a day before too, missed the blueberry muffin but made it up by sharing some nice chat across the stout fellow and the grumpy lady in the bus and some sweet support when she actually carried my bag for some time. Not to mention the time she spent with me, so that I can find the address I was looking for, in Andheri. Took some time but finally she made me reach where I intended to go. To meet old friends.

But this blog is more about the next day. The best day in quite a while and certainly not to be forgotten in this life time.

I was in a bad mood. And then decided to call her, not knowing whether she would be there or not. My sheer luck... (i can afford to call it luck now) she was free. We met, we talked, rather she talked. It was a new experience for me as well as its me who generally takes charge of the conversation. Not that day. I prefered to listen.

She talked about this and talked about that and things I cant even expess. Then she said somethin which clung to my mind. Can we actually walk back from Juhu to Andheri? I didnt find it right and decent to ask the lady for a walk of more than an hour. I decided to keep my mouth shut.

"Lets go to the disc...", she said and I started walkin towards the same, only to realize nope!, not a disc. I wanted to walk. I told her.

to be continued.....

 

Hi. I recieved it as a mail. i think that this mail echoes my views as well. Just read on.

Dear Terrorist,

Even if you are not reading this we don't care. Time and again you tried to disturb us and disrupt our life - killing innocent civilians by planting bombs in trains, buses and cars. You have tried hard to bring death and destruction, cause panic and fear and create communal disharmony but everytime you were disgustingly unsuccessful. Do you know how we pass our life in Mumbai? How much it takes for us to earn that single rupee? If you wanted to give us a shock then we are sorry to say that you failed miserably in your ulterior motives. Better look elsewere, not here.

We are not Hindus and Muslims or Gujaratis and Marathis or Punjabis and Bengaliies. Nor do we distinguish ourselves as owners or workers, govt. employees or private employees. WE ARE MUMBAIKERS (Bombay-ites, if you like). We will not allow you to disrupt our life like this. On the last few occassions when you struck (including the 7 deadly blasts in a single day killing over 250 people and injuring 500+ in 1993), we went to work next day in full strength. This time we cleared everything within a few hours and were back to normal - the vendors placing their next order, businessmen finalizing the next deals and the office workers rushing to catch the next train. (Yes the same train you targetted)

Fathom this: Within 3 hours of the blasts, long queues of blood donating volunteers were seen outside various hospital, where most of the injured were admitted. By 12 midnight, the hospital had to issue a notification that blood banks were full and they didn't require any more blood. The next day, attendance at schools and office was close to 100%, trains & buses were packed to the brim, the crowds were back. The city has simply dusted itself off and moved one - perhaps with greater vigour.

We are Mumbaikers and we live like brothers in times like this. So, do not dare to threaten us with your crackers. The spirit of Mumbai is very strong and can not be harmed.

Please forward this to others. U never know, by chance it may come to hands of a terrorist in Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iraq and he can then read this message which is specially meant for him!!!

With Love,
From the people of Mumbai (Bombay)