The Road Trip

A normal Saturday afternoon. Vinodbhai was here. Even though he was a “senior” in college he was one of our best friends. I and Vyshakh were browsing music videos.

“Dude, I wonder why Sid doesn’t come over often. He’s here only when there’s some occasion or so. He seldom hangs around with us, why so?” Vinod asked.

“Yeah, come to think of it, you’re right.” I said.

“Let’s call him and ask him to come over.” Vyshakh piped in.

We were super bored because our usual entertainer Thunder Ponnan aka Rahul had gone home. We stayed in a rented room in Coimbatore.

“Nope, he won’t come if we called without reason. We’ll say that I’m keeping a party at KFC. He’ll surely show up then.” Vinod said.

“Ha! You got that right. But why would you keep a party?” asked Vyshakh.

“Because I bought a flat in Trissur.” Vinod said casually and flashed a smug smile.

We carried out our sinister plan and made poor Sid to drive 10 kilometres just so we could say Hi.

Half an hour later…

You Can Join Class From Monday

It was a new place. A new city. Everything had changed so quickly. I didn’t even know the language. Life was so much better when you have all your friends around, sharing and caring for each other.  

I had heard only stories about the magnificence that is Mumbai City. It was a welcoming change from the peaceful and quiet of Pune.

My first day in Mumbai city

I was eight years old and had just moved into Kandivali (E), Mumbai.

I got out of the rickshaw and ran towards the lift, fascinated by it and wondering how just at the press of a button a whole room comes down just for transportation to the upper floor. I had my colouring book, my G.I Joe, my HotWheels cars, and my crayons in my small Mickey Mouse backpack.

The lift attender smiled at me flashing his broken tooth (or at least what was left of his tooth) and asked me “kaunse maale pe jaana hai bhaiyya?”(“Which floor do you want to go to?”).

Partly scared and partly overwhelmed at such a grown man calling me bhaiyya, I answered “Seventh floor…” (I didn’t know what to call him, now that he called me “bhaiyya”) “... Uncleji ” I completed.