When I turned 23...

I never thought I would like the age 23...it's such a weird number. I loved 18, 21 and 22...19 & 20 I could bear, but 23!!! I just didn't want to be that age. However, all the forces of the universe conspired against me and made me turn the inevitable 23 :(


As time relentlessley proceeded towards that fateful day - March 18, 2010 - my phone began beeping. I looked at the time. It was just 11 PM and a birthday message already! It turned out to be my friend NC.

NC: Why couldn't your birthday come sooner??? You should have been born a few hours earlier na.


ME: As if you did me the good turn of being born earlier :P


NC: I'm sleepy...can't I wish you now and sleep? I'll be the first one then...


ME: You can, coz even I'm sleepy :)


NC: Then sleep na, who's stopping you? What do you think, I'll come to your place with a cake at 12???

In this vein our messaging continued till 11.45 PM, when he finally wished me and slept off. Just then, my friend Indira, who is staying with me for a while, returned after watching that day's IPL. I started getting calls and she went inside to change or something. At 12.05 AM the doorbell rang. I jumped at least a foot in the air and I got to know first-hand the meaning of people's "hearts jumping into their mouths". In case this seems like unecessary drama, I'll put up an audio file of how my century-old bell rings...it jangles with such vehemence that sometimes I feel the dead will walk again.

Anyway, wide-eyed with anticipation, I opened the door...a stranger was standing outside.

MAN: Sreshta..er...Verma? (My real name)


ME: (Eyes, if possible, became wider) Huh?


MAN: Happy Bdday (He pronounced it like that!)


ME: (Gaping with mouth slightly open) Huh?

MAN: Well, he didn't actually say anythin. He just thrust a huge & very beautiful boquet of carnations and a plastic bag in my hands. Still stupefied, I looked inside my house helplessley, as if help would arrive somehow. Well, it did!!! Indira suddenly entered the living room and smiling, said, "Happy Birthday!" She has a rather sweet smile, which can immediately turn into a frown if you don't comply with her wishes. "Sit", she commanded, more like to a dog than a human. I obliged, while she paid the chap at the door.

Gosh, even in my wildest dreams I wouldn't have thought she would arrange for my favourite cake and such beautiful flowers...our mutual friend Dpk had also sent a gift for me - a little bottle of somethin ;) We spoke and played ludo (my fav board game, which also Indira gifted me), while I finished the "somethin" ;) Dpk was ready to bring reinforcements, but I had to get up early next morning...

Next morning I woke up in the same position I had slept in - not surprising considering what I had - at 6.40. In a flash I remembered I was supposed to meet Amey at some station and go to Manori beach!!! Lord, how I rushed! We had an amazing time at the beach...the minute I saw the sea I ran in and began hopping over the waves (that pretty much I can do...can't swim).

After spending a beautiful day out, I went to my parent's place for dinner and finally came back home. Indira informed me there was a note for me. Curious, I opened a piece of paper -

Dearest Tashi,


Many, many, happy returns of the day! I have three surprises for you:


1) Balcony


2) Fridge (Small one)


3) Bedroom


See ya on Sunday! Love, Mum.

I could hardly believe my eyes!!! In the balcony she had kept four potted plants (was about to buy some), in the fridge my favourite watermelon juice, and in the bedroom a stand having forks and spoons, which was conspicuous by its absence at my house. She wanted to organise a treasure hunt it seems, but didn't feel quite upto it. My God, it was so sweet of her to do so much!

This was my best birthday EVER...thanks to Indira, Dpk, Amey and my Mum. Oh yeah, thanks even to NC and the man-stranger-delivery guy at the door :D

Magic medicines

Enid Blyton first introduced me to the Land of Magic Medicines in her Faraway series. When Jo, Bessie and Fanny's mother falls ill and is bedridden, they as usual, visit a land at the top of the magic Faraway tree to seek help. This Land is more like a small medicine factory, where they buy a bottle of tasty medicine called 'Get-Well-Soon'. To the childrens' delight, their mother is up and about within a matter of 3 days.

It's so nice when sometimes fairy tales come true in this world...or at least my perception of things are like that. My medical problems were pretty bad (due to my negligence) when I turned to Amey's Mum (I call her Aai), a homeopathic doc. It was probably one of my best decisions ever! Her sweet-tasting medicine has worked wonders! My mind, which was clouded with negative emotions and severe depression, has changed magically in the past one week. Moreover, the symptoms of my problem, which had me feeling dejected and hopeless earlier, now seem very minute indeed.

I had reached a stage where I wanted to keep away from everyone, including people who are close to me, and refrained from going out, especially alone. Now I find myself going out alone again and enjoying it! My writing aspirations, which I felt I would never fulfil in this life, has taken-off very well too.

Aai explained that homeopathic medicine first affects the mind and then cures the physical ailment. A very holistic approach. I could not thank her enough yesterday for the pains she took to actually make the medicines, and still cannot. I believe she can cure anything and anyone. My magic tree is her building, and I don't have to climb to the top, the second branch is enough. There I find her religiously composing medicines for me...my magic medicines.   

Feeling hot, hot, HOT!

Lol, don't get wrong ideas in your twisted mind now :P

It's so HOT! I can hardly bear this climate. I so prefer the cool winters and lashing rains of Mumbai than the scorching summers. I feel dehydrated and weak all the time :(

Beating the heat:

Conserving energy: Not electricity, but my own energy. It's a perfect excuse for me to do nothing. Just laze around and read.

Consuming loads of cool liquids...lots of iced water, tea and lemonade. The only problem with this is that I waste energy visiting the loo.

No AC at home, so I keep the fans running and windows closed.

Cold and wet cloth over my eyes...it felt lovely till I slept off. When I woke up my pillow was thoroughly wet.

Keep washing my hands, neck and face in cold water. If I'm not too careful, I think I'll freeze all my veins soon...

A watermelon a day keeps the heat away.

That's all I'm doing...and I'll end it with my FB status: If it's this hot in March, what'll May be like...

Off to see granny!

My Nani had gone to Kerala to meet her relatives but I guess the climate didn't agree with her. She fell very ill and had to be hospitalized. To top it all, she wasn't even getting a ticket to Mumbai. Anyway, she'll reach her place at 4 PM today, so I'm off to see her. She's much better now, but needs to see her Doc. Hope she's ok...oops, I think that's my Mum's car honking away downstairs, gotta rush! Ta-ta for now!

P.S: Just remembered, it's my Dad's birthday tomorrow! Not a real birthday, his official one, so no presents for him :)