THE ROAD AHEAD
Then it was time for my niece to leave for work and she wanted to know how I was going to keep myself engaged during the day since for the evening she already had plans for me. I told her I would be meeting a couple of friends. And that’s what I did.
I got ready and then had what I would call a sumptuous mouthwatering breakfast comprising a fruit plate with strawberries and oranges peeled and cut and really cushiony soft Utappam sprinkled liberally with onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves and delicious coconut chutney. I realised how all our sensory organs go to work together especially when we enjoy a lovely meal. The eyes take on the colours and shape of food, the nose smells the aroma, the ears have already been activated with the clinking of the vessels while the food is being cooked, the fingers feel the texture of the food and by the time the tongue is about to taste it, it drools the way many of you must be feeling now. I dug into the lovingly made breakfast, had a quick bath and started off.
First I met a schoolmate of mine after 44 years!!! Yes for the first time after we had left school. Vasanti was one of the quiet and studious girls in school. We had lost touch soon afterwards. But one of our classmates searched for us through Facebook ( yeah that’s also a way to find friends) and added us all into a WhatsApp group. That’s why Facebook (now Meta) bought over WhatsApp too I think. So over the past 5-6 years we have been connected virtually. The moment Vasanti knew I was going to be in Hyderabad she had already confirmed that she would like to meet. And as luck would have it she gave me a location which was just about 500m from where I am staying.
And what do I see. Right at the major crossing, Vasanti waiting in front of a majestic looking house in the final stages of completion. We walked in and went straight to the second floor in a lift. Immediately we started talking simultaneously in a rush like water pouring out of a dam as the sluice gates open trying to fill up the void. 44 years is a long time and we had so much to talk about. Education, places we moved, marriage, kids and life in general. I will have to write a separate blog on that so I will leave it at this. She had prepared a thermos full of tea and cut fruits and so I quickly scrapped the plan to go to the nearest Starbucks and just sat in a wooden bench placed in the house and talked and talked and talked…
Time passed so fast and it was soon time for my next engagement that with an old army coursemate. I bid goodbye and took a cab to his place. Speed bumps every 50 m and two wheelers driving to force our cab to leave the road ensured that the journey took more than what it should normally. Confused the security staff when I said that I am Srinivasan and I want to meet Srinivasan (yes that’s my friends name too). Again the same routine since we had only met a couple of times over these years. His younger daughter who was working from home was also there at home so we both tried giving our respective versions of how we know each other. Srini had ordered some nice parathas, paneer and some more dishes. Stuffed myself with two rasgullas too before I said bye to him.
Came home and tried having a short nap since the evening program was already planned and likely to be late. My niece landed up at 6pm and said that she had booked a place for dinner at 7.30 and it was nearly an hour away. We quickly changed and drove through the city. The difference in the development of the city between the old and the new is stark. Tree lined streets, large patches of greenery and parks dot one part while as you cross the Durgam Cheruvu bridge you see monstrous concrete and glass structures with not a tree in sight. With lights on in all offices it looked like a picture postcard of any modern city in the world. That is the new Secunderabad with its offices and high end residential complexes.
Today the treat was at a very niche pub called Whisky Samba in the International Tech Park Hyderabad. It is Asia’s largest Whisky bar with over 4000 bottles of Whisky. The place is huge and lives up to its name. The back wall which is always the showpiece of any bar / pub was lined with whiskies from across the world. The choice ranged from Single Malt to Indian to blended whiskies and of course cocktails,
An introductory cocktail called the Boarding Pass was presented and it was mind blowing. A whisky with citrus base it really activated the palate. I tried Mr Spice and Nice and couple of more cocktails and just ordered some bites to snack on like Veg Tempura and a Japanese Pizzette. Interesting tastes. The music also was in tune with the ambience and the crowd, slowly rising in tempo as the Friday night crowd gathered. We were the first ones in and nearly the last ones out. After a really relaxed evening got back home safe and sound at about 12.30 am.
What did this day do for me as a human being. I had deep conversations with three totally different people - a long forgotten classmate, an acquaintance who has served in the same profession and someone whom I have known since she was born. Obviously the conversations were different but what did I learn? How do we build relationships? What connects some of us instantly even though we have not met them in decades? How do our discussions go when we have worked in the same field? How our perspectives differ when we are talking about someone we know equally well? One learns so many hidden facts which one presumes doesn’t even exist. And in the end, I realised it is all about Communication.
Tomorrow is going to be just a day of relaxation and some surprises planned for me I am told. I will just go with the flow
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