It’s the end of my third week in New York. It’s a big change in every possible way, but I am not daunted by it. Travelling by public transit was what really got me comfortable.
It’s what got me to know Chennai, (don't ask me directions, but I get from one place to another on time every time.) Public transit is efficient, hassle free and it keeps the maps and roads out of your head (this was my experience in Chennai). When in New York you add to it 24 hours subway service, double the level of filth from MTC busses and contain it in an enclosed capsule, quadruple the amount of commuters, and halve the time of travel. Give and take it’s the same experience.
The weather here is computer controlled. I head to office at 6.45 every morning. I wake up at 5.30 and after stretching just enough to get into the shower I am in front of the TV by 6.10 to catch the weather forecast on NY1 [for some reason this comes on channel 11]. They haven't been wrong even once.
"Today they predict rains tomorrow, and in the evening I go to the dollar store and pick up an umbrella for 99 cents." -- Mental note made on 3rd May.
Wow, wonder how the weather men at NDTV, DD Podhigai, CNN IBN etc goof up so bad. But ummm..., Sun TV. I am sure they are way more accurate about Chennai weather than any of the other Indian channels. Yeah they may occasionally show Delhi in Rajasthan and Ranchi in West Bengal, but who the hell cares. We all know anything North of Hyderabad really isn't counted because they are all Punjabis, except for the rest who are family of Kaushal Sanghavi and that just makes them Guajarati. Or is it Marathi?
The most important thing about life in the city that made me feel right at home is Ultimate. The practice grounds over hear are no better than the ones at Gandhi Nagar, though I haven't seen Randall's Island as yet. This weekend I am playing my first Mixed Division league game with Hells gate Ultimate at Randall's island. The game I played at Central park was over rated and left me disappointed, I expected something better than Bendy's at Kodai, but this one was like Bendy’s' with male pattern baldness. I have been here just two and half weeks and I have had as many games as I would have had in Chennai. Just like home, except games are in the night instead of the morning and instead of heading for coconut water and idlis after the game the team heads for beers and fries. A change I can live with.
I am terribly forgetful, in Chennai it was easy to cover for but out here it’s different. Yesterday was the worst attack of absentmindedness, I walked out to the subway a block away without a wallet, I had to walk back in and get the wallet and then in the evening I walk to the subway from work without my laptop, I had to walk back in get the laptop.
Well it’s because my hands are full trying to remember each and every daily chore I need to accomplish from the moment I wake up to when I shut eye. It’s far from natural. On my way to the train, I feel my pockets every 10 steps [the jacket pockets just add to the confusion]trying to remember which one I put my keys in, which one has my monthly pass , which one has the wad of tissues, which has the earphones, which has the phone..Yup nothing goes in the same pocket. I am such a wreck till I get to the subway, but then I reach out to the right pocket pick out the pass swipe it clean and walk out through the turnstiles. Well luckily it all turns out fine. Now why don't I miss a thing???
Miscellaneous list of other things that haven't changed
Nose bleeds, access to anti histamines, cold hands in office, punctuality, dislike for cats, love for dogs, No hair cuts and so on..
April 22nd . After a terribly long day in the sun with an office outing, I was all set to watch the big IPL Semi Finals at home. CSK taking on Deccan Chargers, it promised to be a great match, as it turned out to also be.
My mom was finally on her way back from UK after being held up for more than four days on account of the volcanic activities in Ice Land. It was a relief to know that things had worked out in such a way that she would be back before I left for New York on May 1st.
My dad was going to pick her up at the airport, and we decided to have an early dinner. I wanted no interruptions so agreed to get an early dinner. Rashmi had also plans to watch the game at resto-pub in the city with some of her mates. We were half way through our dinner when I received a call from the retirement home where my grand parents live. My dad answered the call and said that he would have a look in on the way to the airport as Nana (granma) wasn't quite well.
Two overs into the game I had an urge to check up on my granma and I called dad, only to find out that she had just passed away. I heard it but it hadn't yet struck me. I called Rashmi to find out that she was on her way back. I rushed down and informed the cook telling her that I was leaving for the home (its about 2km from my house.. She was shocked as she had just visited my grandparents at 5 pm that evening and had seen her walking around and chatting with her friends.
I mindlessly rushed into my room changed into a pair of jeans, did my hair, collected my wallet; feeling nothing but adrenalin all the way to the gate. Just as I was locking up I got a call from a close friend who had missed the starting of the match and wanted an update on the scores, I wanted to just give him the answer he wanted, but the words that came out were, "hey Bajj, my granma just passed away...". My friend went on to speak for a few minutes, but I just could not follow up and reply, Nana's passing away had just sunk in. And it hit me hard, I excused my self from the conversation and continued to the road barely crossing it ,unable to see through the tears that had welled up. I caught a rick, and headed on the longest ride of my life.
Yesterday was Tamil New Year’s Day and more significantly a holiday.
A holiday that began and ended with trips to and from Besant Nagar.
A hot morning Frisbee game at the Besant Nagar beach.Rode back home. I go spend some time with the grandparents, cut my hair, and then I spent the rest of the day, catching up on sleep.
Arun texts me at around 5.30pm says he is getting out of work early, we plan to meet up at the beach for a drink.
Bessie is a great locality. A place that I have grown up in and I must say a place I am most comfortable with. It's 7.30 and I am early. I walk the stretch from the Spencer’s daily up to the Vinayaga temple. I walk across the road. Walk left to the bus depot and past Besant’s [a fast food joint.. one of my haunts since turtle walk days back in school]. The Liquor outlet here is horrible; hardly get any thing you want. The booze I was carrying [left over from Saturday night] wasn’t going to be enough. I pick up another quarter [Chef]. I turn around and walk it back down the stretch to Spencer's Daily a bit more conscious this time that I wouldn't be seeing it again for a long time to come.
I stop at Maharaja's Store,walk in and out. Give a smile to the owner, who's probably seen me walk in as a kid many times, and probably recognized me from then. I walk past Vishranti and the little Book cart that used to thrive during the harry potter craze. The pirated books sold faster and than the hot stuff from Vishranti. I look heaven words to Eden's the most overrated place I have ever eaten at. I have a lot of friends who swear by this place but there is nothing like Besant's. I make an quick note to head back to Besant's after the drinking session. I see Varun backing his car into a parking spot at Spencer's to pick up some Groceries. Lekha his wife is around the corner and he is supposed to be efficiently using his time to jump in and out of Spencer’s. I stop him for quick chat. I get distracted. As he talks I see another familiar face, a girl from one of Abhay’s parties. I get back to the conversation just in time to findout that he was winding up. Arun mean while is walking it down from Adyar Bus Depot. I wander around outside till he reaches Spencer’s. We get ourselves two half litre Pepsi pets and spike one bottle on the way to the beach. After some walking we find a half empty spot. Yes we totaly forgot it was Tamil New Year’s Day, large crowds at the beach are expected.
One bottle downed talking about fun stuff. Arun’s girl problems and my lack of as many, my hair and his lack of as many. After struggling to open the second for some time we open it with Arun’s keys [later find out that Arun dropped his keys and lost them that night]. We walk up to the fish stall, and select one and ask the owner to fry it for us. Also order a plate of Kalamari. We wash down the fish with the rest of the drinks. And take a long walk towards Cozy corner. Then we head down towards the Fruit Shop and walk back to Besant’s for dinner. Besant’s has come a long way from being a road side stall. Its got an A/C joint now. We walk in order a chicken noodle and a beef fry and down it.
Having dinner at Besant’s I realized that I had had an amazing round up of Bessie that night. I walk out and send Arun packing in a rick. I walk down to Adyar depot on the way, try calling Shilpa [hard to get at best of times] and send out a bunch of drunken texts to Divya about Besant’s food and not getting a bus. I get a share rick and whiz back home.
