That’s the starting tune of the theme music of Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King but the look of disbelief and what-the-heck tells me you completely missed the point. Tut..tut..tut…I overestimate my audience these days…
So as you read the previous sequel even on warning not to, I was apprehensive, tired, and little irritated. Read on to find out what followed next-
Bringing down the curtains on the most un-awaited, unwanted (you have no choice, my decision is made, live with it) sequel here I begin what actually happened that fateful oops rainy night. As always, and always and will always I was on dot to find myself all alone outside the resto. Why do I have to mention ‘‘always’’ so many times? Ans: Because this happened SO MANY times. Clutching the greetings in my hand, looking here and there, wondering if I have come to the right spot or would it be an encore performance - not long ago, when Swami Naidu, Vijay, and me planned a movie at Skyline, I headed all the way to Sangeet before going back to Skyline, which is something that brings smile to my face every time I think about it.
Chucking it aside, I have a question for you all to start with. As I entered the resto thinking MAYBE they have already started eating (time was still 8:30…) I saw two fellows relishing a hot-boiling soup. Now they are:- (chose any two of the four in all options and finally chose the right option…this ain’t your regular G.K. question…so put in some effort…). Two minutes max…
a. Nikmo, Laddoo, Alok, Uday
b. Srujana, Venkat, Nikhil Mohan, Visharad
c. Abhinav, fool-proof, Harsha, Laddoo
d. Karthik, George, Srujju, Nix.
Okay , time is up. The answer is …you know already, don’t you. I take back what I said about ‘overestimating’ my audience. That’s a bit of surprise in the evening, as I didn’t expect milady to grace the occasion. If you read the previous sequel, you would have understood. I felt awkward as I planned to give her the greeting later. I was very very hungry that day and when Laddoo asked me or to me it felt like tempted me to have a little, I wanted to snatch the bowl and gulp it all in one go but poor lady about to go to US of A would be too shocked to recover and would think at least ten times before she can offer it to anyone in the future.
A Small Unforeseen Mishap
!!!The Man Who Missed The Boat- 'Pokiri'!!!
As time ticked by, everybody started coming in. The one who made a grand appearance would be Mr.Spectrum (sometimes known by the name ‘Visharadh’). Being new to this part of the city, sitting in auto he was directing the driver through phone in spite of my ironclad landmarks that I had given him. The funniest part is he was hardly 10 yards away from the spot, by the time he called. Abhi was still missing and upon calling, I was surely disappointed to know that he hadn’t even started from his home.
Yossarain Presents “Something About Abhi”
!!!Happy ABHI Kabhi Bhi"
He is one guy whom I can never understand. Always has that smile on his face. What is it that makes him share every little joy he experiences, joke he heard or a decision he wants to take? That’s an incredible asset but not an easy one to live with. Just imagine having to take some twenty opinions on an issue, reviewing them and then coming to a decision which might be as simple as how to do a particular assignment (or) a career decision like MS- in US vs. Job? Hands down, I can never live in peace with such state. He, on the other hand never fails to come to a good decision. An absolutely enigmatic personality seriously. He has tremendous memory power, great network of friends next only to Nikmo and an affable personality who is still child at heart and very open to anything you might ask.
Back to the present, he was deciding to come or not based on the people that have turned up. I assure him there are already 14 people (actually 7 were there so far…) and also bribe him on the fact that he would be missing the most valuable greeting of his life if he can’t make it. With a bit of urgency and assurance to turn up in the next 45 minutes, he puts off the cell. Laddoo prepares to leave as it was getting late for her but not before being SNAPPED. Once she left, it was all boys gang out here- uday, geroge, lokesh, chitti, nikmo, swami Naidu, visu, alladi, allok, and me. We seat ourselves with veggies on one side and pure-non-veg on the other for easier serving (and also for easier billing :)).
Making sure everybody is seated comfortably I hand out the greetings I had. The one I liked the most was the one I wrote for George. I became all tingly and excited like a child from inside when handing out. Once the orders were given, we started talking about quotas in IIT’s, how IIT is going to be. With so many people around it becomes quite a task to maintain conversation with all but at the same time you can’t sit idle and take your favorites and be with them. Well, that’s what has happened earlier FIRST-MEET ever at EAT STREET. I thought girls were out of sync there maybe because that’s how four years had been. So this time I thought maybe all boys wouldn’t be a bad idea. As Abhi entered so did the waiter from inside to serve the dishes. What a Coincidence I tell you. As always highly excited like a guy who topped the unit tests, he comes in and greets everyone.
Now the discussion centered on how American way of life is and that once there one would have to succumb to DRINKING, tempted to amoral desires, asking them if they have learnt cooking, taken the immuno form, tablets, clothes etc. Meanwhile chicken biryani was doing rounds accompanied by the curries. All the dishes were excellent and were adequate. When I thought I had enough someone ordered Noodles. I tell you, for future reference, I can have noodles no matter what state I am in. I am a noodles-freak (or in general Chinese food freak…) and maybe it was me who spoiled Chitti in becoming one. We had so many outings in God-knows-what kind of places but we had masti time eating together.
I don’t remember much of the convo that we had that day but I can tell you everybody was engaged in talking about something or the other and none was left behind. It was around 10:30 when we finished everything and came out. Like always, I took the cam-phone from Alok, and had the snaps taken with all of us standing before the resto. Everybody were reluctant to have a go at Ice-Creams. Then one guy (Loki) started eating, everyone followed the suit with CHIITTI in the lead. Well I guess he is one of those who cares more for friends than for anyone else. I suggested on a lighter note to treat us all. He took it literally and finished shelling out money for all the 11 ice creams. Thanks mate, may you and your compassionate heart
In other twenty minutes everyone left on some bike or the other. For some reason I felt this meet was something different, for me at least. Maybe because it was the first time I was involved in calling up people, setting the place and time taking the responsibility of a good host. And I feel I have done a good job except for that minor glitch.
I wish all those guys who have gone to pursue their higher studies a very successful life. Your presence at the party made the day all the more memorable.
!!!Amen!!!
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