Certain people take certain places in our lives. Each place will be special in its own way. The place your mom would have in your life, would be different than the place you would have for your dad. Its just different. None would be better than the other but it would be special in its own way. In the same way I have a special place for my girl friends (no offense meant to my guy pals as I do luv them as much. My child hood best friend is a guy whom I have grown up with & whom I dearly adore, but this one is just for that section in my life which has its own place) So this one is going to be for all my girl friends.
*** Disclaimer***: The below has been completely penned down based on my distinct memory of few instances 🙂 which is sharper than a Swiss knife – Pun Intended. So, there may be some things less or more that some of you may remember better than me.
Starting to list down all the things that I should have openly expresses gratitude for and I never did; either because I decided to be merely stupid to have not seen it OR even maybe seen, and realized it but never appreciated it OR just worse, been a complete coward for not having been able to express it loudly and now penning it all down.
I say; finally I think, I am putting my blog to some good genuine use. 🙂
So what is that can be the first thing on my list…Oh! I know! What it is:
Food: My penchant and love for good food is something, that has always been acknowledged and taken care of. If I am over at their place (SRP), or I am out with them. For some reason they have very gracefully put up with my fussiness with food which has usually followed my mood swings {TSB, SS}. To clarify, I wouldn’t be that moody with anything, as I would be with food. How wonderful it is to have such gal pals around you, who without you having to express anything will know, what I would prefer eating (US, TSB). Again, I have to openly acknowledge and appreciate the times for having to put up with my absolute impulsive food craving for something specific {TSB, SS}. How annoying can it be for those around you – if for non stop 15 minutes, you would have cribbed and nearly chewed their brains out, that you were hungry and right when the food will be served to you – you will just eat a bite and remark “I am not hungry anymore”. Yes, I can be worse than a pregnant lady when it would come to food mood swings.
**TOUCHWOOD** I consider myself very lucky. Whenever, I have had made that one phone call to anyone of these girls…they have not only put up with this kind of a strong mood swing, but have either accompanied me to the specific joint (SS, TSB, BB) OR have come home to pick me up to take me there (BB) OR even BEST, have specially made me that exact dish (SRP, TSB, US) and have had me over to their place and treated me no less than a queen {SRP, TSB, SS, US, CR, NAP, ASD, DS}. Gosh! I luvv them so much.
Birthdays: You got to be kidding me on this one! I literally had to fight with myself if, I should be putting this one right on top; before food. But, my food brattishness was even bigger than this. If there is anyone in this GOD DAMN world, who would have really looked forward for getting old…its surely ME! Why?
Well, the reason were these gurls!! I mean, seriously!! My birthdays, along with it being special and they making it special in their own way, were also VERY ADVENTUROUS! Those were the days, when my birthdays were dreaded by all of their parents!!
LOL, as it poured cats and dogs on that day! Every single 16th of June, was the day, when God – The Almighty had decided that he would make it challenging for all of us to get together by bringing in hail storms, wind and flood! But we defied all those odds. We not only met, laughed and celebrated that day, but continued laughing over it much after, till today. Take me very seriously on this, this happened every 16th of June, every single damn year during those days. And now, that I don’t have all of them near me (read- geographically), it bloody doesn’t even pour a single drop on 16th! Guess, it was them!!
It always was celebrations galore in this group as we were two of us born on the same day (NAP). It was/is strange feeling. If she wished me “Happy Birthday”, the response would be “Wish you the Same”. It was like wishing someone one “Happy Diwali” and the response promptly would come as “Same to you”. 😛
The adventures went to an extent that we nearly either had to change our routes to get to our celebration place, or change the place itself or had fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers (SRP) coming to pick up a gang of 8-9 girls in one car in the heavy downpour.
The highlights of 16th June as I remember them:
Cakes were made for my birthday (TSB) and brownies & chocolates delivered to me personally (TSB, SRP), not to mention the hand made really beautiful cards with really amazing lines personally hand printed on it (SRP, SP1)
Going that extra mile to have jackets customized to suit my tastes and personal attention being put to it to suit my personality (AA).
Taking days off from work to go perfume shopping for me; knowing that it will take them the entire day to just get the ‘right fragrance’ (AA, AR, MN).
Sorry CR, for upsetting you when we were to land up near your place to celebrate my birthday and we couldn’t due to the heavy down pour. I am sorry that it really hurt you and you felt really down; all of it right on top of the high fever that you were already going through.
Last but not the least…The laughter! We have laughed and laughed and cheered and smiled enough to let everyone to look up and take notice of our presence.
Plans: Most of these girls love an organized, well planned outings. I somehow have never fitted in that square. I have usually loved making impulsive and last minute plans, which probably have either resulted them changing the structure of their already planned day for me or them having to canceling/postponing some of their plans (CR, SS, US, AA, ASD, TSB, ML, AR, DS) – Don’t blame me for the last part, you got to admit, my plans have been more exciting than the regular chores 🙂 Oh! not to forget mentioning that they also give random surprises by landing up at my door unannounced at wrong times {talk about being organized) when I am in my ‘oiled hair’ state. {I just hate having anyone to see me, when my hair is all oiled – don’t ask me why! I find it completely embarrassing} And they find it absolutely amusing seeing my embarrassment which I just don’t find it funny at all! Huh! (SS, TSB).
Traveling: Not in one bit least, we would have felt embarrassed in creating the most nosiest scenes in restaurants celebrating Valentines day or was it sitting right on top of the Double Decker BEST bus; making the conductor literally pleading us to go slow on our noise levels (NAP, CR, US, SRP). Ensuring always that there is enough change for the bus (SB) without me having to worry about getting any. The travelling part at times entitles you to carry loads of stuff like rough scribbled papers, maps etc – I have never bothered trying to keep it safe or in a place where it can be easily found, but ain’t I lucky to have people who have done that, irrespective of me having to say a word or having to worry about me losing my stuff (SB, TSB, SS – yellows in tow :P)
Shopping: Oh! How can I forget? I am no more allowed to buy the funky whacky one liner T-shirts (that I still find so cool)! (ML) Am I complaining? No! Not at all! As I love what they like on me as well (ML, TSB). My sincere confession – I just love kicking up some storm with them on this, most of it has been; ‘Just for the Heck’ of it – without any valid reason (SN, ML, TSB). I am serious! Hopefully they have realized it by now. And this is something that I am proud of myself, as probably this is the only ‘ONE’ point that I would have acknowledged during our shopping sprees having openly expressed and appreciated what they have picked for me (ML, TSB, AA, SS). The instances of just going on an impulsive shopping spree based on realization of a sudden requirements (SS, SP, SC) or having to sit and rack your brain over my outfits (PS, SN) is not an easy task for anyone to manage. You need some grit and style factor with me on that and my girls have it all. 🙂
Movies: I think, right from the time I have known all these girls; I have seen more FLOPS & pathetic movies than any of the sensible ones. Am I complaining NOW? No! But I have done my fair share of teasing them, for having taken me to some god forsaken movies. Like I said above, I have done most of my cribbing (read- not all of it) based on ‘Just for the Heck’ of it – without any valid reason. How about, hearing one more on this one:
Our lady (SS) goes to the theatre and instead of booking tickets for movie ‘A’, she comes back home, without realizing that the guy at the counter has given her tickets meant for movie ‘B’. The next day at the theatre, the Pandora’s box opens and we assure her that we were ok watching any movie BUT our relentless girl just can’t control those unstoppable tears – on “how can she not check what was given to her”. The wastage of tissues on this event made ‘ME’ cry. I am rest assured and can confidently sign on a stamp paper stating she wouldn’t even cry so much on her ‘vidai’ (an Indian tradition where the bride is bid adieu after marriage)
In all sincerity and honesty, I now admit here – that more than the movie, spending time, being with them and having them around me was more important in all aspects and at all of those times (BB, TSB, SS, CR, ASD, US, AA, DS, SRP, ML) – take this now, as my last confession 😉 and doesn’t mean I am going for another FLOP show.
Conversations: Jesus LORD! Again, there was a fight on this one, for its priority order and for obvious reasons. Like I preach, there is no relationship without loads and loads of conversations behind it and with your girl friends, the conversations can just be so priceless. Their personalities trigger a variety of topics and discussions. So I have my exclusive types of conversations with my exclusive girls:
1. The Brain and Mind Stimulating Conversations/Arguments: – Something that would have tickled my brain to an extent to actually make it think and get race power energy to the thoughts. Something that made me change aspects and gave me new perspectives and arenas to explore (AA, AR, CR).
2. The Love Preaching Conversations: – The ‘Love Guru’ kind of stuff. Where nothing else is discussed but lovers, failures over shitty people, on why the heart hurts so much always and OMG!! the most important distinctive feature that would be discussed at the end of it (painful really) would be “when will you (read – I) think, about getting into a relationship” UFF!! (SS, TSB, SL, CF, ML, SB, US, AR, AA, BB, SP, SD, SP1) It so much better and easier discussing just them, and not me.
3. The Hard Core Philosophy:- This one would be my all time favorite topic of discussion. Anything to do with philosophy which lands up having to put my analytical and logical skills to use. A conversation that pricks enough to make you change for the better. A conversation which the world may not agree to because of either the cultural and traditional tags attached to it or simply put – a great deal of narrow mindedness. Having a conversation that entitles you to break these social barriers for ones happiness …oooo makes me all excited (SC, CR, AR, SS, TSB, ML, SB, SP).
4. Heart to Heart Talk:- That kind of a conversation, which would have had them or me just pour our hearts out. It never mattered what the topic of discussion was; if the topic made sense or not. These conversations made me learn the “Art of Listening”, which I can say with pride that now I finally carry it in abundance (AA, SS, TSB, CR, US, ML, SL, NAP, DS, SP, SC, MN, SD, SC, SP1).
5. The Gossip Corner: If its not gossip, it just cannot be anything else. Being just plainly ‘bitchy’ about someone who must have caused a great deal of harm and removing that stress out can really help at times. The girl to girl gossip corner talks can sometimes be very healthy for the heart and the mind (ML, TSB, SS, CR, SP, NAP, PS, SL, MN, AA, SD).
6. Absolute Nonsense: – (ASD, PS) This one just had to be an exclusive one. I don’t think, I would have ever spoken ‘this kind and level’ of a nonsense, crap, and just senseless conversations with anyone else. These conversations are fun as one thing leads to another. It’s like your mind would be jumping from one topic to another irrespective of any link. The never ending laughter and giggling like school girls will be the main highlights along with words that just don’t make any sense or have any logic attached to it.
7. Partners in Crime: The devilish instincts of just planning something against about someone you would just hate or love; the never ending ‘drinking shots’ competition or being upto some naughty pranks. The conclusion at the end of it all would be – “your issue would have been resolved” and you would have also had fun at the end of it as well. The thoughts and activities that get materialized during these conversations would outstretch ones creativity beyond the realms that one could have ever imagined (AA, AR, MN, SN, PS, SD).
Health: Straight out from a movie “In sickness and in health” – friends are those who have seen it all. It just makes me nauseas, if I have to even ‘think’ of visiting any doctor or enter a hospital. Hue and Cry would be made on my carelessness for not taking my medicines on time, when I fell sick (TSB, SRP, CR, SS, ML) and nearly emotionally black mailing me to ensure that I go and see a doctor (AA, MN) Every phone call would have driven me nuts…when they kept a tab on what I ate right after I recovered (TSB, SRP, SS, SP1) to where and what I was doing. After a really bad scary allergy on my health thanks to a fried prawn chip that I accidentally ate; on this certain vacation; before I had my hand out to grab a chip; the chips were eaten by them just to test it; if it was prawns or not! (TSB, SS) They just simply cared and still do way too much! 🙂
Hair Cut – I do carry a complete obsession with my hair. It has to be right and just right. The hair stylist has to be someone whom I can trust and I am confident about. Its a huge risk with some one like me…don’t think I will ever be so possessive about my husband as much as I am about my hair. Even after knowing my high maintenance attitude with my hair, these girls seem to be more possessive about my hair than me. (TSB, ML – the deadly combination of a yellow and a blue. Save me lord! :P) Ensuring that, I not only grow it – 6 months my hair was under constant surveillance on its length (ML) but also taken a risk (knowing very well, that I can throw a big racket, if something had to go wrong with my hair) and being confident to take me to a hair stylist (TSB). Someone; I would have never tried before. It has also been ensured at times, that the hair stylist has been delivered to me, right at my door step with clear cut instructions as to how my hair has to be cut/trimmed/styled (ML).
You got to to take my word – my girls are just awesome of the lot that anyone would ever have!
Now for the fun part, if at the end of every expression-full line, you were wondering what are those codes that are mentioned in the bracket – well, they are the Abbreviations of names – of those wonderful girls in my life. It has been placed right after the described instance as I have remembered. Ha ha ha. So maybe, if they are reading this, they would land up reading this post once again, just to again check where all their names have been highlighted. Fun, isn’t it?
KA – How I wish you were a gurl!! Except, for the hair cut part, you have done it all; along with leaving notes on my pillows 😛
The Key (in no particular order):
|
Code
|
Name
|
|
AA
|
Anjana Advani
|
|
AR
|
Anjali Raisinghani
|
|
ASD
|
Ami Shah Doshi
|
|
BB
|
Bijal Batavia
|
|
CF
|
Charmaine Fernandes
|
|
CR
|
Charu Raghvan
|
|
DS
|
Dhruti Shah
|
|
ML
|
Mili Lalwani
|
|
MN
|
Mona Nandwani
|
|
NAP
|
Nandita Alla Patury
|
|
PS
|
Payeil Sanghvi
|
|
SB
|
Seema Bhavsar
|
|
SC
|
Shital Chedda
|
|
SD
|
Smita D’Souza
|
|
SL
|
Shruti Lakhotia
|
|
SN
|
Shivani Narang
|
|
SP
|
Smita Pillai
|
|
SP1
|
Suchitra Poojari
|
|
SRP
|
Suprabha Roongta Poddar
|
|
SS
|
Shibani Shenoy
|
|
TSB
|
Tanuja Sharma Baldota
|
|
US
|
Umi Shah
|
|
KA
|
Kumar Advani
|
When people ask me how is it possible for me to always choose to look at sunny side of life; after reading all of the above, don’t you think I have made a sensible choice. Why will I pay attention to things that are wrong; when I have so many things which are just so perfectly right in my life?
PS: This post took nearly three weeks to take the shape that it has. I had my bouts of breaks to ensure I am in the state to do complete justice to this post and have enough space to be able to go back in time to recollect some of those finer points. This has just been the 2nd post so far, where after penning & editing it – I felt completely satisfied as a writer. Blogging finally put to some really and really good use. Thanks Sheece, I owe you one for getting me off my lazy bums to get these results.
Empowering Roots... 
Recent Comments