Winter in Canada

This is actually very early to comment about winter in Canada. I have been here hardly 3 weeks and there are still more than 2 months to go for the winter. Last time, I was here from August to November. I ran away just before winter started.
This time, I came in latter part of November. Snow was waiting for my arrival. It let me settled down nicely drawing me into false belief that this time it’s not going to be harsh winter. Some showers had kept atmosphere warm. “Warm” means just below 0 Degree Celsius. We had flurry on Tuesday and in the evening, temperature was – 6. When I woke up Wednesday morning, White color dominated all the space around. It was wonderful experience to walk into snow. Fresh snow was as soft as anything you can imagine. It is really like they show in movies. Our client manager has promised me that team will build a snow man for me as it’s my first experience of snow :-) but also with the threat of snow balls being hurled at me :-( .
Inside house and in office we do not feel much difference as temperature is maintained quite well. But moment of truth arrives when we open the door in the morning or we get out of office in the evening :-)
The scene from our office when there is snow is just as amazing as traveling in train in Khandala ghat and seeing the green hills in the rain. But it’s totally different when you are out there and facing wind chill at -20. Temperature meter shows -13 but wind makes you feel like its -20. I survive those 10-15 minutes everyday. Worst part is that there are people always ready to remind you that it is just start. Wait for -30, -40. Even thinking about that is giving me chilling experience. But I am ready for it with the help of all the winter stuff - gloves, cap, Jacket, sweater, woolen socks and what not. I am just saying…
Come on Canada; bring it on -40 …

"Two states" and Me

I was at Mumbai airport waiting for my flight to Canada. So to pass my time, I went into bookstore and started searching for something I can buy or just spend some time and come back. I was going through book titles, some known, and some unknown. Price was major criterion for me to buy a book :-). There I saw "Two states". I had already read previous books by Chetan Bhagat. As most of us, I liked “Five point someone” and didn't like next two that much. I bought “Two states” with hope of changing this trend.

I turned first page and read the “dedicated to”. It is "To my In-laws" :-). It was the first smile that book brought on my face. It just set the mood for the reading. There after, I knew somehow that I am going to love this book. It was almost like, I decided that I am going to enjoy each and every moment of this performance by Chetan Bhagat. I am going to smile, enjoy and applaud each and every good moment in the book. I wasn't disappointed.

To tell a story in one line -
Boy and girl meet each other; fall in love, convinces their parents and get's married.

It moves through IIM-A, Chennai and Delhi. As usual, the boy is intelligent, good looking. Girl is beautiful, talented. Chetan Bhagat moves with his usual mix of witty lines, funny incidents and romance. But the real fun starts when their parents meet each other and at Convocation they find out the path ahead is not going to be easy. The reason - well .. Boy is from Punjab and girl is from Chennai. One from state in North; other from state in South, representing two different cultures in India. After much consideration and against wish of his mother, Boy gives preference as Delhi and Chennai both. Company asks him to join office at Chennai. There he finds the task of convincing girl’s parents might be tougher than what he thought. Then he tries hard to convert the negative approach into positive and finally succeeds. Task for Girl who does not know to make Roti is much more difficult but the situation in one of relative’s marriage gives her one chance and she scores. So now everything is set. Girl and Boy love each other. Boy’s parents like girl. Girl’s parents like boy. Now next step is both side of parents should like each other. Here comes the major problem between parents and their relation almost comes to end. Here comes Boy’s father, who is shown in negative image till that point suddenly turns the plot and makes way for happy ending.

I don’t want to give details and spoil your fun in reading and enjoying. Writer narrates in such a way that it creates series of scenes in front of us. There are many funny scenes in the book. My most favorite one is when boy runs from marriage hall and his father in law has to bring him back. There are many places where writer points out drastic difference between thinking of people from these two states. As it is based on Chetan Bhagat’s own marriage, I could not stop myself from thinking about different scenes trying to differentiate between fiction and real life scenes. What part of this story would be fiction and what not?. Overall I enjoyed the book a lot and I congratulate Chetan Bhagat for again proving that he is magician of new generation when it comes to art of light hearted story telling.

It is not review of book. It’s my experience with the book. Every book gives us different experience at different times and in different situations. I hope, you would also like this book.

True Incident - happened on Pune station

True incident – It is quite a long story. I acted quite seriously in the incident. So I am taking some liberty now to look at incident in slightly light mood.

It was 10.30 PM and I was waiting for Pandharpur-Mumbai passenger at Pune station to go to Kalyan. Couple of my friends did not turned up so I was alone waiting for train. (You can say, they ditched meJ) Keeping in mind, “Books are best friends”, I took out the book “Imagining India” and started reading. But soon I got distracted as someone asked me, to look after their bags while they brought some more bags. As I moved my eyes around, the station really was a lively place as always. I thought rather than imagining India, let’s take a look at real India. There were so many people there, probably everyone there with his own exciting story of life.

Then suddenly my eyes caught one boy around 20 years just not looking comfortable in the environment. He was coming in my direction, when there was eye contact between us. I smiled at him.(For Pune BB : Yes. I do smile at strangers, but only at children and people with same gender to avoid consequences J).There was something in his eyes, a kind of recognition. He came and sat beside me. He asked, is their any train for Bombay(Mumbai) ? Rest of all conversation happened in Hindi but I would narrate it in Hinglish. I answered yes, there is, in ½ hour. Where you want to go ? “I don’t know” He answered as if in given-up tone.

Me : “Aise kyon kah rahe ho bhai ?”

He: No. Just like that. Forget it. (But seeing his face, anyone would have noticed that he wanted to tell something. ) So I just put my hands over his shoulders and said “Kya hua yar, aise kyon kah rahe ho? Kisi se zagada hua kya? “

Then through our questions and answers, he told me that his native is some village in MP and he came to Pune around 8 months back. He actually ran from his home without telling them and to come to his brother). He was staying with his brother. He was working with “Central” mall as a salesman for some brand of cloths. He had some fight at his workplace and that’s why he was upset. He told me, he was 8^th pass but got the job saying that he has completed his XII. He said, he knows why no one likes him much, because he was a habitual liar. He would lie at anytime without any purpose as well.

I became alert on hearing this just thinking may be this can be also part of his lie. But sincerity on his face told me something different. He had tears in his eyes while talking about his parents. Luckily he was not having any bad habit. I was quite surprised that he trusted me so much, but I understood, it wasn’t me as a person but he needed to talk to someone.

I asked him whether he has told his brother that he is leaving for Mumbai. He said “No” and he did not want to inform anyone. He would return only when he will be able to show his face to his parents and they will feel proud of him. (There were many things which he had done at home but which I could not write).I offered him to stay at my home till he finds some new place but he refused. I knew some stories of success in Mumbai but lot more about failure and seeing his emotional nature, I was really scared for him that there was great chance of ruining his life. I keep asking him to tell at least to someone that he was going to Mumbai. I suggested him that he can say to him that he is already in train, so his friend would not be able to catch him. He agreed to call one of brother’s friends and I generously gave my mobile to call. He called him and told him that he was going to Mumbai. Friend tried to ask questions like why and when he will be back etc. But he cut the phone and handed me back. Now, I had one number by which I could stop him from going but there were two problems

1. Train would have arrived in 10 minutes and in that time his friend would not be able to reach station.

2. He was with me so I could not dial in front of him.

Just then, there was announcement that the train will be 1 hour late. So I found answer to my first question. Then I casually asked him whether he has got ticket? He said “No” but on my insistence surprisingly he went to get ticket. After all, he was a guy who was running from everything. What he had to loose? Nothing. I told him , what he was doing in his personal life is his choice but there is no way he should start it by cheating Railways in his new life. I just waited till he climbed the stairs and was on the bridge going to get ticket. Just when, I was calling that number, I received a call from his brother. I told him that we are still at Pune station and there is 1 hour for train. If he could come before that, we would be able to stop his brother.

He said, he will be coming in 20-25 minutes. I told him location and he cut the phone.

Now, I had to hope that he comes by after taking ticket. He came and we talked with each other.

After 10-15 minutes, I received call on my mobile from his brother. I pretended that it’s call from my mother and just went 10-15 feet away from him. As I was telling his brother where exactly we were, he saw his brother and friend and started running. I told his brother, he is running and pointed to direction. All three of us ran after him but thinking about my bags, I left the chase and came back. I was just waiting for a phone call and his brother called and thanked me and told that they are all together now. I begged to tell him that I have not cheated. I have not broken his trust. It was for his good. His brother said that he will be all right. Don’t worry. I was quite relived sitting there, thanking my friends who ditched me. I have talked to his brother sometimes after that incident. I know, I may have done good thing for his life but till date I have not dare to meet him again and look into his eyes. He had told me some things which he may not have shared with anyone. It was kind of a candid confession, he had made to me about his good/bad things. I could just hope that his life is in better shape and he succeeds in standing tall and proud in front of his parents.