Did you eat?

How often you used to get this question from your gal friend, sisters, mother or your lady manager? In my experience, I hear this question at least three times in a day, one each from my sisters or mother and one from my friend who steals my evenings through the cyber world. Some times if I get to meet my lady manager while at lunch time, she might also ask me the same question.

I used to wonder, why only gals or women ask you this question. I asked my friend. She is an angel and her answer was ‘See… you know, how concerned we are’.

I asked my sister the same question. She said, ‘Who else will ask you?’. He he he..she seems to be ignorant, every gal asks this question. Hmm this also means, they are concerned.

I asked one of my male friends. And his version is like this.
‘Hey buddy, they want to show that they are anxious and caring. Ofcoz they are concerned. And if any gal asks you do you eat, answer her no. Coz, she would be getting a topic to elaborate at least for 10 minutes. She would be contended on that she has expressed her affection . And you on other hand would get a chance to hear a sweet talk. And if the gal is your sister, mother or cousin, answer them straight with the truth’

Am convinced, this question is one of the strongest weapon in their armory

Morning Blues

Weekday mornings are always boring. Many a times we wont feel like going office at all. We all love to get an extended sleep. The morning blues would be even worse if it is Monday morning after having a rocking weekend.

Morning in bed we device some plans. Check the roaster- is there any critical thing to be done this week. Or is my presence in office really required. Ok, convinced, it won't make a difference if am not going office for a day. Now reach out for the mobile phone, oh shit, it do have the charge only for a call. Start searching for the manager's number.

'Hello Sir, this is Harees here.'

'Good morning Harees, wassup? So early in morning'

'Sir am not feeling good'.

'Oh!!, What happened?'

'Nothing major Sir, I had dinner last night in a new hotel. I think, my digestive mechanism has rejected it '

'Oh is it?, Come on man take care. I'll handle the roaster for today'.

'Thank you Sir, I would try to come after noon, If the things go OK'

'Not needed Harees, You take rest for a day'.

Hey…bingo!!!. It worked…now find the bed sheet…cover it all over your body….and sleep.

Sometime your manager may also feel the same morning blues.

The conversation would go like this if that is the case.

'Hello Sir, this is Harees here.'

'Good morning Harees, wassup? So early in morning'

'Sir am not feeling good'.

'Oh!!, What happened?'

'Nothing major Sir, I had dinner last night in a new hotel. I think, my digestive mechanism has rejected it '

'Oh is it?, I am also not keeping good. I think I've got a small flue. I will call up Latif. He will handle todays roaster'.

'Thank you Sir'

'You take care'.

This won't work if you are using it very frequently. So go with a different plan.

'Good morning Sir, this is Harees here.'

'Good morning Harees, Is everything OK with you'

'Am doing good bozz. But the problem is, am in my hometown now. I was supposed to return Bangalore yesterday night itself. I actually came here to attend my friend's marriage and it happened in an outlying place. I was not able to return back in time and missed my buss. Thought of calling you yesterday itself, but decided not to disturb you.'

'Aha, ok try to get the bus on time at least today'

'I'll do that boss. Thank you'

Quite often you would get these kinds of calls from your subordinates also. If the calls you receive are at odd times, you could make it certain, this guys wants a leave today. The morning blue effect!!!.

The worst of these would be the new-year blues. For us January 1^st is a working day. You might've called your bozz to get leave consent for half day. When you reach office, you could see an almost empty office.

First Flight

"First Flight", does it sound like a courier company's name? Or do you guess it to be "first escape"?

If you understood it as first air travel, then you got me. I did a google to find a better word for my blog post title. I didn't find anything convincing, has to finally zero on to this word.

While in childhood days, when we were playing football – if we hear the sound of an aircraft or helicopter, we would stop playing and look at the skies. Even if we are in a position to score a goal, we would just don't mind. It was actually a rare sight for us. Those from Cochin, please excuse me. When I say helicopter, I really meant helicopter only and not the mosquitoes. I heard people from Cochin used to call mosquitoes as helicopters. It is mainly because of their size and terrible sound that they make. I heard one of my friends cracking a joke on mosquitoes in Cochin. If you were sleeping on your bed in your bed room, you may wake up sometimes from sit outs. Yes these mosquitoes are capable of lifting a 75kg live pack of meat. I too agree they should only be called vampire helicopters.

Back to airplanes, so we were crazy to see them. All of my uncles were working in GCC countries and when they are coming here for a vacation, I always tried to get into the transit taxi. By the way, it is a custom in Kerala here. Majority of the families here would be having somebody in Gulf countries. And when they go back and coming, there would be at least two taxies shuttling to and from the airport. If you see a taxi or a car with big luggage tied on the roof, then it has to be understood as gulf trip. Whenever I see an airplane, I would be in my fantasies on my air trip. I believed sooner or later when I be a man my uncles would take me to Dubai.

I work with a company called ITTI Pvt Ltd, a software company based in Bangalore. We happened to work on project for ADSB, an Abudabi based ship building company. I was the tech lead for the project and it is understood that I've to go there for implementation. Believe me; we were working on a crunched schedule. At least 20x7 working hours for us. Somehow we completed the work and the day came for me to go for implementation. We were working whole night to do the final patch ups. The route was Bangalore – Mumbai – Abudabi. The flight is at 4.30 PM and I left the office to room at 1.00 PM to freshen up. I reached room at 2.00 PM, I got a call from Revathi (HR executive) to report in office by 3.00 PM (She knows, we were working the whole night). As I should be reaching the airport at least by 4.00 and she would be doing e-checkin for me. I just poured some water on my body, got into my best attire and rushed out of the room. Reached office by 2.45 and the cab came exactly by 3.00 PM. Got into the car and left for airport. Satish and other team mates were there at the office steps to see me off.

All those days were busy for me and I forgot to ask expert opinion from experienced peoples. I convinced myself I could do it without any problem.

The driver was so skilled that he took only 30 minutes to reach airport. I got down, checked the passports and air tickets in the laptop bag. I was wondering what to do next. I spotted a gate guarded by security personnel. I was sure that should be the gate for me to take. I decided to watch what others do and just follow it. I went and stood in the queue. I saw peoples holding tickets in their hand and the security personal were checking them. I pulled out the air tickets and when my turn came I showed my tickets to them as were am a frequent flier. When I was standing in queue, I tried to look at the ticket the guy in front of me was holding. A sigh of relief, man he is also traveling in 'Jet Airways' to Mumbai. I donno whether he would be in same flight. I decided to follow him.

I pulled my trolley and went were ever this guy went. He stopped at the baggage scanning machine. He put the bags in the machine. I did the same thing. He was walking; man I should not lose him. I followed him all the way to the 'Jet Airways' counter. I stood behind him watching his deeds. He gave the air ticket in counter, kept his bag on the weighing machine. He gave the Pan Card to the pretty lady in the counter. So am also supposed to all those. Now its my turn, I did the same thing whatever the guy did. The pretty lady was convinced. She wanted to know my preference for seat. Hey this question was not asked to the other guy. I just managed to say 'Window seat'. I was not sure whether it was correct. She smiled and did some typing in her computer, took the boarding pass print out. She took some more print outs, fixed one on my check-in bag and other on my boarding pass.

I am done, when I turned back, I couldn't see my guy. Oh man were should I search him. He was my guide. Aiyayyo what next?. Flash on my bulb!!!, there was another guy behind me at the counter. Come on I'll follow him.

I was waiting for the guy to complete the things. He is also done, he started moving. The pretty lady had told me to go for security check-in. What the heck is that? Hey why should I worry, I've got a new guide. He went to a coffe shop, what am supposed to do. Went there, he ordered for tea…hmm I ordered for coffee….Hows it? He had his tea. He started pulling his bag. Me too. Hey he is going to loo. He he he I also did it. Came out. Now we are heading for security checkin. He joined a queue. Me behind him. I saw him, putting his mobile in the carry bag. I also did that. He put the bag in the scanning machine. Me also. He went for check, I was watching what exactly he is doing. He took his purse out, kept it on the table next to the security person. He gave the boarding pass to the security person and lifted both of his hands. Got it, I will also do it. Now when my turn came, I did the same what the other guy did. I got my boarding pass sealed, took my laptop bag and followed my guide.

Now we were waiting for the announcement for our flight boarding. We are supposed to go through Gate 5 I guess. All the time when I was sitting there, I was searching for the gate now 5(the one with airway bridge). Announcement came, I saw my guy moving. Went behind him. The person at the gate was checking our boarding pass and the security check tags on our carry bags. We were allowed to go in. We walked through the air bridge to the aircrafts entrance. Guy standing there tore the counterfoil and gave us the boarding pass back. There was another pretty lady at the doors welcoming us. I smiled at her, am supposed to do that isn't it. I found my seat and got seated.

I was expecting the seat belts to be those found in cars. But this seems to be different. I did manage to lock my seat belt. When the flight is about to take off, the pretty ladies started their circus. I did find it funny. I was looking around what others are doing. All were reading something or looking somewhere else. Poor ladies they continued their dance moves.

The flight took off. I was pretty contended on completing my first phase very successfully though through apery.

My Confessions

You know what happens with an average looking; not at all smart guy who wants to be loved…Here is…my adaptation of it…

This guy, I call him Raju, is a very much a mallu. He is average looking and always thought gals to be the beautiful creatures. It always ponders his mind; the male genders except in human beings are made beautiful. The peacock, lion, cock…man the list goes very big. Why man is made inferior to women at least in loveliness. This is not fair.

He felt jealous on seeing fairly looking and smart guys. He used to closely watch them and emulate their actions. Most of the time those emulations failed despondently.

As a natures law, the opposite sex has to get attracted. Our hero also gets attracted at times..Many times he intends to talk to a gal, however he try the things doesn't go his way at all. He finds the problem is with his looks and blames the gene for that.

Now that he realizes, this is not going to be working for him. He confronts himself by assuming the responsibility of finding a gal for him is with the parents. He decides not think about it at all. Hey it's a magic, no more frustrations. He is happier than ever before.

When he gets into college, he ensured that he is not getting into any relations with gals even as friend. He finds likeminded guys in the college and forms an anti-love brigade (not moral policing though). They engaged themselves with the war against the lovers.

But love has got such a magical power, the brigade perished in no time. And all the brigadiers found their love interest, leaving Raju alone.

I said love has got magic; Raju develops a kind of crush on one of his classmates. As usual, he dared not to open it to anyone. He secretly admired his love interest. He moved his seat behind this gal's. Sitting in the class room but all the time concentrated on seeing his gal. Even waiting for his gal to talk something to somebody.

Time went by..And Rajus love remain as one sided. Does he feel the pain within him? Yes he do. Now college time is over…He still treasures this as cherishing memory.

What this is to do with the title "My Confessions"? Raju is nobody but me.

I should confess my fellow brigadiers, I've was in love. I know the power of friendship but aint known with the deepness of love as mine was one sided.

A trip to Ooty friend’s version

Hey yo..am back..thought of making the next post after a small break. I myself felt the flow would be lost if a crack happens..I hope my friends would've read the blog; if not I'll chase and make them read J.

I went for Rashid's marriage (My ex-boss's son) last to last Sunday. Being back in Areekode (2 hours) has got a different feeling. A kind of adrenaline rush, hey stop what adrenaline has to do with this..say it as a kind of divine feeling…hmm..Now better explained.

When reached home, my mamma was standing at the doors (Yes she is like that, she would be at the door steps till I reach back). Hey mamma I want to go back Areekode. She just smiled and she knows my liking for Areekode has no limit. She knows each and every person in the institution I worked with at least by name. Coz, on Sundays (once in a month..he he he) she has to bear me describing the whole script of the happenings in Areekode for that week/month. Com'on man don't write everything out here, keep something for the future posts also (By the way, who the heck has invented the preludes).

For those who missed my first post, read it here http://hareesseni.blogspot.com/2009/06/trip-to-ooty.html

Ok now we all five were in the car. They were three and we were two. So obviously whom do you expect to say the story first? Hey yaah, u guessed right. It's us, coz the moment we got in the car, they started putting their queries. Questions from three corners, two from front seat and one from the back seat. As minorities we got to answer those entire queries first. We did explain all what happened with us. Now it's their turn.

When we both left these guys went to the nearby estate for some photo sessions. We've not brought any camera. We were not prepared for a trip. It was with the mobile camera they where flicking. They spend some time roaming here and there waiting for us to comeback. It was getting dark. Some of the locals suggested them to leave the place by 7.00 PM, as it was not secure. They've spotted wild animals at the place. The lorry driver had said truth to us. We mistook it.

They also started stopping vehicles asking for petrol. Unfortunate for them, most of the vehicles passing by were diesel ones. Finally they succeeded; they got a liter of petrol from somebody. Poured it into the thirsty cars throat. You could imagine, single liter of petrol can do nothing with this vehicle.

Question next, two guys has left to fetch fuel. They calculated the time, 8+8 kms by now they should've reached here. Something had happened to them. Can't wait anymore. Go in search of them.

The route to Ooty, as you know are high range roads, climbs and declines. With the available petrol they have to move 25 kms. They decided to push the car, if it goes hard for them start and ride. When they get a slope switch off the vehicle and use the thrust to move. Poor guys, they were pushing the car all the way. They didn't dare to start the car.

They did cover some distance, may be 5-8 kms. They found the jeep, which we people went, parked on the top of a climb. Aslam, the man with heavy guts (He has good athletic body – and always, he lives upto the expectations); walked towards the Jeep. The moment he reached the Jeep, guys inside the Jeep got out and started running. He did run a bit and dropped the idea afterwards as it was pitching dark.

Now they started building stories. Ramiz and me were having money and mobile phones with us. They thought, these peoples have done something on us to rob.

Bushair: - Am not gonna go Areekode now, I would flee rather going Areekode – What the hell will I say to Fasalukka (My Bozz). I would catch the first train to Mumbai.

Aslam:- Hey man, Its all gone – what can we do now? Can we call fasalukka?

Shameer:- Lets not do it now; lets reach Gudallur. We will fill petrol and come back. If no sign of them, then we can call Fasalukka.

And these poor guys where pushing the car all the way to Gudallur. All the time, they were trying us on mobile. Its high range and you cannot expect the Hutch Pug following you all the time. They reached gudallur somehow. 25 kms pushing the car that too in chilling night. They were at ease when they find a slope that was only the relief for them.

They filled petrol, this time enough to take them to Ooty and back. They ride the car all the way to the place where we parked and also a couple of kilometers ahead. They didn't find us at all.

They came back to Gudallur, now they have to call Fasalukka. They were not ready to give up. They decided to go back to Ooty again but this time they would stop at every corner and would get down and search for us. They took the car to the petrol station. All these time nobody had eaten anything.

Suddenly Aslam went missing. Now Shameer got confused, what the heck? Now to search for him also. He just walked some 10 steps. There was one small hotel opened at that time. When he looked inside, he found Aslam sitting there with the posture of an old man sitting at ease.

Shameer asked him 'Why here?'

Aslam: I can't bear with hunger man, so ordered for a light food, just three parottas and beef. Let me complete it, and then we can go'.

Shameer got enraged by this, 'So what you thought, we had our stomachs full. Bloody you better come.'

Shameer pulled him out of the hotel and at that time Aslam tried Ramiz on his cell. We got the call. Rest you know.

There were some late night street side hotels in Nilambur. We had ghee rice and chicken roast from there. Aslam's complaint also got solved.

This is not the only one incident in my much happening life in Areekode. Tons more are there. You could expect that in future blogs. But for now a break.

A trip to Ooty

I said in my previous post, life in Areekode was fun filled. Weekends were not for us to sleep (On Contrary to that, I engage myself sleeping in weekends in Bangalore – Quite boring). There would be something happening for us on every Sunday. Going for a ride or climbing hill or freaking out in beach or fishing or rowing or swimming and many more. One such thing happened on a Sunday, an interesting trip to Ooty.

As I was mentioning, we used to go for leisure trips every now and then. In this particular day we went for a friend’s marriage in Nilambur. We’d rented a car. We were five (Me, Aslam, Shameer, Ramiz and Bushair). We didn’t had much do in that marriage other than having the marriage lunch. Everything got finished by 11.00 AM. What next? We’d rented a car. We got to give it back. 400 bucks only for two hours? Naaah…It’s not fair. We were probing for options. Then we all decided to go Ooty. It’s just 100 Km away I guess. So all set, a ride to Ooty (It’s not the first time we were going there). Filled petrol from the nearest gasoline station and we got moving.

We have crossed Gudallur and covered some 25Kms, 25 more kms to go from here. The car stopped!!!. We were of the thought that it would be the problem with the engine. Ramiz and Bushair knows petty mechanism of the car. They said the things are all ok, but why did it stop. Then we checked the gasoline. The fuel tank was empty. We didn’t know that the car was an avid drunkard. We need to find fuel from somewhere. Options are go to ooty or go back to Gudalur to get the petrol.

We stopped one Jeep which was passing by. We asked the driver whether we could petrol from any nearby place. He said, yes its available in a small town 8 kms away on the way to Gudallur. So me and Ramiz got into the Jeep to get the petrol. We reached that place (I didn’t remember the name – I should blame my grey cells, it too bad in storing information). We gave the driver 20 bucks and asked him to guide us to the place where we could get fuel. We went to a small workshop; it rather looked like a Pit shop. The man there said, he has also run out of fuel. Only option left out was to go Gudllur.

We’d mobile phones with us. But unfortunately there was no network coverage in the area where our car was parked. No way to contact our guys there. We got into a bus and reached Gudallur. It was 4.00 clock in evening then. We got some 3 liters of petrol in two Pepsi bottles. Now we got go back. No bus was ready to board us, as we were carrying petrol with us. We decided to by a shopper bag, bought one and put the bottles inside. We boarded into a Karnataka state bus to Ooty. We didn’t know the name of the place, so took ticket till Ooty. We just know the landmark. The KSRTC is very infamous for the speed. I think even bullock carts can over take it. We were just peeping outside all the time to get a better sight of the landmark we know. It was 7.30 PM when we reached the spot. Ramiz was saying he doubted whether he had seen our car somewhere going towards Gudallur while we were in the bus.

We got down the bus, but the car was not seen anywhere neither our friends. Mobiles again failed us, no coverage. We started walking upwards, as we thought we alighted at the wrong place. It was so chilling night, and we started feeling pain in our legs. We were not wearing shoes, but the ones we had are leather chapels. We didn’t have any jacket also with us. We just kept on walking, but no sign of the car or friends. In between we saw a guy and asked him did he saw any white maruti car parked somewhere. He was a drunkard and starting saying something else in Tamil. He was scolding us. When I turned back, I didn’t see Ramiz. He has already started walking towards Gudallur. It might be 10.00 PM by now. We were walking towards Gudallur and we reached a small bridge. And we identified it. We had parked the car somewhere near that. On the wall of the bridge with the mobile phone light, I saw something written in Malayalam (am not saying what it was here. Its bit ugly) My phone number was also written there (I did a valiant effort to erase it – man it’s my reputation on stake). We realized it was our friends, and came in a conclusion; they might’ve got fuel somehow and might’ve driven back.

We started waking again, it might be 10.20 PM, no vehicles to be found on the road and it was chilling dark. Finally we saw a lorry coming; we’ve thrown ourselves to the middle of the road to stop it. We asked whether we could get a lift till Gudallur. The driver accepted and asked us to get in. We were happy, I sat near to the cleaner and Ramiz near to the door. We started talking to the driver and cleaner and were saying our story to them. The driver smiled and said, the people there have spotted a tiger roaming in that area two days back. Oops.. When we were talking to them we realized it is not secure to travel with them. He started asking us whether we were carrying money with us, do we had mobile etc. When we reached the small town where we been for the search of petrol, the driver stopped the lorry. He said they are going to have a light dinner. We got down the lorry and by this time we’d decided not to go with them again. We went to a STD booth nearby and Ramiz called at his home. He also called his friends in Areekode. We saw a Kerala SRTC bus coming. The bus was going to Kannur. We got into that bus and took ticket to Gudallur. When we reached Gudallur it was 1.30 AM. We went to the direction, where we could get a vehicle to Nilambur or to the Kerala border. We could see many vegetable Lorries going; we tried to stop them signaling the need for a lift. None of them stopped. We enquired in the nearby tea stall about the bus to Nilambur. They said the first bus is at 4.30 AM. 3 more hours to go. We decided to wait there for the bus, in mean time we tried vehicles passing by to stop.

Suddenly at about 2.00 AM, Ramiz’s mobile phone rang. It was the call from Aslam. Big relief for us, our hearts started thumping with joy. They were also in Gudallur. And they are about to go on the way to Ooty in search of us. We met them at the Petrol bunk nearby. All started hugging each other. Bushair slammed the accelerator to the maximum; we needed to take rest at the earliest. And we reached Areekode by 4.00 AM. Quite a happening day for us, next day we were all back at work.

This is our version. The interesting part is the version of the other three friends. I know blogs are to be written short. My friend’s part is much interesting and dramatic. I would write about it in my next post.

I didn’t know the word friend had an end

I've been following Tamil music these days very religiously. Music directors down south are trying some appealing tunes time and time again. It's been a trend now to include some hip hop beats to the songs. Thus every song is in same line. I happened to hear one particular song and it plays 18x7 in my laptop and music players. The song is from the movie 'Kulir 100 degree'. It does have some magical verses and the music is also good.

The song starts like this

"Hey yo this song is dedicated to everyone, who miss their friend, this is how it feels..."

You would've got the theme of the song now. It's about friendship and brisk break in their friendship. I'm not trying to do a music review here rather as a music lover I did find this song to be catchy. There are some lines which touched my heart. It goes like this

"vaan endru unnai ninaithaen…vaanavillay vanthaayae.."

[Thought you to be the sky..But came in my life as rainbow]

"thirukuralaay vanthu en vaazhvil..iru variyil mudinthaayae..."

[You came in my life as Thirukkuaral and ended in two lines.]

"Kan moodinaal irul ethu neeyae therikiraay..Naan pesinaal mozhiyaaka thaanae varukiraay"

[I close my eyes, it's not darkness I see but you..You are the language when I talk].

"its been while last since we met
cant forget what happened until my last breath
i regret my actions coz whatever we'd was everlasting
hey no joke man my heart comes crushing"

"i'm walking down memory line..its all coming back
dont ever forget me man thats all i ask
you gotta control on my thoughts and emotion
when my world stops you put it back in motion"

The song ends with the line "I didn't know the word friend had an end"

I do had some breakups in my life, but I would like assert, the rainbow will come again in your life. The friendship doesn't end.