Tidbits

I did it yesterday. Bunked office. Just like that. The decision was taken after realization dawned on me that you cannot add anything to, or subtract anything from, infinity, and expect a difference. So a day playing hookey would basically make no difference to the volume of work on my lap(top), but it has the potential to recharge me for the endless monday mornings lying in wait. Now it is saturday evening, and while I am not very sure whether I am recharged enough for monday or not, what the hell, I had fun yesterday. Watched a movie, reached TGIF well in time to legitimately claim the free drink at Happy Hours, and slept at 10 p.m. In this day and age, you can't really ask for more.

I think I will do this a little more often. May be once a month?

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I first met him when his father, the iron-wallah in my block, sent him with me to collect clothes to be ironed on an urgent basis (with all my planning, it is always JIT for me, and the supplier relationship has evolved accordingly). He had large, bright eyes, and it seemed to me that a promising smile was being suppressed only because he wasn't sure about its audience. So I decided to put his fears to rest and asked his name. "Balaji," came the prompt reply. I asked him which class he studied in. "Seventh," he said, and then added as a proud afterthought, "pass." That in turn brought a smile to my lips.

Then I bumped into him again today, when returning from my evening walk. It had been a few days, and I have never been good at remembering names or faces, of the same person at any rate. So I almost did not notice the kid in the lift. But then it stuck me, and I hesitantly enquired, "Balaji?" He took his time and then said, "409B?" that being my flat number. I nodded in agreement and then followed a torrent of good-natured complaint about how he had been coming again and again to my flat to check if I was there so that he could return the ironed clothes, and take some more to be ironed. I apologised for not being at home and asked him to come right away, which he did.

I think Balaji and 409B will get along fine. The former warms the latter's heart. :)

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Remember Nirmala? My earlier post "Inspiring"? I met her again today. She is walking much better now, and has started swimming. Physically she will probably never be the same again, even though she will be fitter than average by far. Mentally, I am sure she is much stronger than before. She commented today on sometimes feeling "not normal". I told her that she wasn't normal anyway - she was "super-normal". By her smile, I know she will remember it.