All good, pick one

I get this call from Rupa. She is at the library and wants me to suggest a book she can borrow. Rupa is a new entrant into the world of English fiction. This is a long distance call and I am on roaming!! So I waste no time and quickly tell her, select any book by Arthur Hailey, Jeffrey Archer, Michael Crichton or Robin Cook. She selects one by JA.

Come to think of it…………WOW! These men live up to expectation every time. Dependability is a fabulous thing.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films
Bagchi’s columns
Shylaja’s cooking
Delhi metro
Chand's parties
Vidyarthi Bhavan
MS Subbalakshmi’s CDs

I could go for them blindly………they always leave me waiting for the next time. When skill, dedication and love come together wonders are created. And when someone can bring them together every time……..wah! that is pure joy for all in that world.

There was this great mathematician who as a student was asked to attempt any 10 questions out of 14. He answered all and requested the teacher to mark any 10 out of 14. Call that confidence or audacity?

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Manali caps for sale

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Thank you Shami ... yes, there is a guru round every corner. The student needs to be willing.

I am fine, till I brag

About what i do in the gym

Switch on the TV and surf. Someone is walking into a gym or talking about it. Shower gel and cellphone ads feature gyms, kids brag about it, film stars swear by it, and my knee doctor urges me to try it. But I have resolutely stayed clear of the gym. I can think of many things I can do with the unbelievable fees they charge.

10 days back…all this changed.

Here in this apartment (where we are staying for a month) gym is free. So I venture into it. Now what? I stare around helplessly. I don’t know how these things work!

Uncle comes to my rescue. He tugs at the pulley, races on the static cycle, twists on the lazy-susan….and lifts weights. If he can, I can…I think….you see I have an advantage of two decades.

I tug at the pulley….errrr can we make this thing lighter?

I ride on the cycle……wheee this is fun. Uncle comes by and turns the knob….the tension was at zero! Now I puff along for a few minutes and say au revoir. Will come back! The French say O-Hu-Vvaa … I really don’t know why! I generally say that...when a kid with a basket of jasmine strings comes to my car window at 4th block.

Comeback I did. To the gym that is...And how!
I now cycle for FIFTEEN minutes. I pull the pulley FIFTEEN times. I twist and turn till my sides hurt.

Hey. I did it. Ain’t I cool? I have to brag about it. So over lunch with friends I casually mention between bites of rice-rajma, I have started going to the gym. Nanda tells me. I also go. My trainer is very nice.

Ya? I ask…munch-munch…what do you do? Munch-munch
We have a warm up session. Then 15 minutes of gym.
That’s all? I think feeling quite proud of myself. I ask her, What is warm up?
TEN minutes on the treadmill, FIFTEEN minutes on the cycle and TWENTY push-ups she tells me.

Munch-mun…Ah

Ah
Time to change the topic
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How do you make a line shorter without rubbing it, touching it or hiding it?

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Drawing water with a sieve

If every blog of mine had a hundred hits
If every joke of mine had you in splits
If my every story launched blockbusters
Wah! Then you should see how tall I could be.

If my cheques had a lot more zero
If corrupt told Baba ‘mujjhe maaf karo’
If Bangalore weather made it to Delhi
Wah! Then you should see how happy I could be.

If this, if that, if only, ...what if 
In sorrow or joy, in tomorrow we live
Like the top that spins on the tip of a nail
Our fine world moves on the point of IF.

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