A Night to Remember

I woke up a week before Christmas to the winter cold that lay dormant on my floor. As usual, I walked up to my comp and just like any other day browsed facebook like it was my morning newspaper. The shocking bit being that I was invited to a party that my friends were throwing. I had received invites before but this was out of the blue. So I called a friend of mine and figured it was for real. It was dated 26^th of December, 2011 and the invite list was huge. It was then I realized that this is one party I cannot miss.

As 26^th arrived, I tried assisting them in any last minute help they needed but they all had everything well under control. The chairs and tables were in their place, the system was set and the lighting was beautifully done by throwing the mushroom lighting on the center which would later be the dance floor. As the DJ for the night arrived he brought with him some trippy laser lighting which added to the atmosphere that left all those who had come for our parties before, rather speechless because we had never attempted anything as such before. The best part being it was a terrace and the neighbors didn’t seem to mind much since it was Christmas time. As I returned an hour later in my casuals it was breathtaking to watch the food and drinks neatly laid down, two sheesha’s lit, the lighting looked excellent and the music was pumping loud. Obviously someone had done a really good job here and the credit went to more than just one or two people.

As the guests arrived and poured their choice of drinks into their glass, they were well off to the dance floor. I don’t even remember the dance floor being empty even for a second before 4:30 – 5a.m. The dim lights around the corners gave a very good lounge feel. The food was being served non-stop varying from some delicious beef chilly to our very special barbecued chicken. The dancing bit was really fun because I haven’t danced so much for a really long time. Although there were minor interruptions, not by cops but by some little ass-bandits who I assume wanted to gate-crash but that too was handled well without disturbing the guests on top. A little jive and waltz was thrown in the middle and then suddenly the tempo was shot back up to some good beats. As the night drew close and as the guests were leaving the only thing I could hear was what an awesome party it was.

It was something way different than what we usually do every year but nonetheless the change was excellent. There were no complaints at all from all who attended the event. A hats off to the organizers who helped set up everything with such perfection and I hope we have such revelries every year. 

Recollection

A couple of years back I used to be such an innocent, somewhat lively soul who was devoid of the many vices that are a part of me today. Taking 2010 into account, the year was mad. I got to see Lamb of God play live In Bangalore, my First year of Degree College in Wilson’s. The new friends I made, the heartbreaks and the changes I underwent. It was a good learning experience. The thing about changes that most people do not get is that it is continuous, inevitable and unstoppable. Feelings, emotions and anxieties to some extent keep changing continuously. Like the fear of a cockroach is different from the time you were 5yrs of age and your reaction on seeing one now would be totally different – you’d smash the little runt with your footwear. Also 2010 make’s an unforgettable year because it was the year when I first played on stage.

The current year wasn’t very exciting but it was a year which involved a lot of thinking and the most amounts of changes I have ever undergone. My thought patterns changed drastically. I was aware of how mean and insensitive I sounded when I said certain things (especially to the fat folks and the blacks) but I never changed that. Somehow being mean and insensitive was awesome. So I kept it as a part of me. I definitely used a lot of people this year to meet the ends I required. It wasn’t as harsh as it sounds. I did an internship with Siemens which was a highlight of this year. The most most beautiful three months I ever had. It was that experience that really helped me grow and improve.

This was the year I was questioned a lot on many grounds. I figured there may have been something wrong with me. It was only later that I realized that the only thing I had done wrong was letting people to get me to doubt myself. No one has the right to make you doubt your individuality and personality or rather make you feel like a pile of garbage that lies next to a toxic waste plant. It is a part of you, the feelings, the emotions they define you and when people question that, they are questioning your very existence, the reason you breathe, the things you believe in and I would like to ask these people, is it fair and who gave you the right to point fingers?

So the only things that I kept constant and didn’t ever change were my ideals and principles that I formed along the way and held on to through everything I faced. It is something that none of us should ever change as they define us in the long run. It is on the basis of these personal codes of conduct that individuals are often judged or measured. The more loosely you handle them, the more your personality deteriorates or rather changes in a different angle. So as 2012 creeps in, which I hopefully wish will be the end of this putrid and pathetic planet. More or less, till that day arrives I look forward to a lot of fun, excitement, surprises, growth and sex! Have a good year ahead you ass-bandits! 

The Christmas Spirit

It was a task waking up on the 25^th of December, 2010 after a spree of party hopping which included lots of drinks, food and dancing. It was like my body had split into half. The morning rays pierced through my eyes as my mother moved the curtain to let some light into my room. Surprisingly my phone was ringing louder than my head as I answered it. It was a friend of mine who was playing a show that day at the Bandra Amphitheatre. So after confirming with a couple of other mutual friends we made our way to Bandra that evening.

The only thing that had me excited about Christmas was the parties, nothing else. As we rode our bikes through the city, I couldn’t help but notice how the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ that was hyped so much when I was a little child had deteriorated into commercialization. It was as if people were trading the Spirit of Christmas for a new expensive dress so they could look all pretty for the Christmas party and I was honestly no saint. I did feel sad for the beggars, who let alone new clothes, couldn’t even afford food but I could care less about them. It’s as if I had lost that certain Spirit myself.

It was a great show. We had fun head-banging throughout the gig. After the show, we decided to go for diner and then spend some time at Carter road. So we made our way towards our bikes and stopped by a bar and restaurant to decide where we would eat before we started our engines. Our discussions were continuously being invaded by a little child who was begging. So a friend of mine looked at him and removed his wallet although I told him not to but as stubborn as he was, he did. Much to my surprise, the kid did not accept the money, he said he was hungry. Although his plea fell on my deaf ears, my friend was overflowing with sensitivity towards the homeless little brat.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, he actually took the kid by his hand, took him into the Bar and Restaurant, bought him a plate of rice, dal and vegetables, sat with him listening to the child’s tragic tale till he had finished eating and gave him some more food and money which he could take back to his family. The rest of the journey kept me thinking about what just happened. I asked him why did he do it, he could have just given him the money and we could have been well on our way, to which he responded by saying, “We have parents who work, look after us, buy us clothes and accessories, gifts and meet all our needs and demands, can’t we just spare a little time and affection with the people who don’t have these things?” His answer hit me harder than the slaps I received from my mother as a child.

I couldn’t help but assume that the Spirit of Christmas, though very dim was still out there somewhere and with some people who bothered to keep it alive. Christmas is also referred to as the season of giving but have we really done anything for the unfortunate? It’s just that our minds are filled with so many thoughts about what we’re going to wear for Christmas mass or how we are going to spend the rest of the night or which party we should go to that we sideline the actual concept of giving and sharing. Although I still feel Christmas is highly commercialized, I was glad that I got to see a glimpse of the true Christmas Spirit in a friend that I held in high regards ever since.  

Does it make sense?

It’s been quite some time since I wrote anything, really. It’s like my imagination and creativity along with all the spite climbed down a sewer, ran into a wall hand in hand when they were high on weed and whiskey and passed out into eternal slumber. A funny thing though, I’ve managed to keep my head on my shoulders for once (which quite honestly never happens). I even started reading a book (something I haven’t done for a long time). The relationships I maintained with people have deteriorated to such an extent that they look like one of those drunken beggars dancing to the music of the honking rickshaw-wallas at Kurla station.

Embarking on it seems as difficult as threading a needle while on your fifth tequila shot. So I simply reverted from being a kind, honest, gentleman to being the mean, sloppy, perverted, diabolical, sexist, racist asshole I used to be. Much to my surprise, it’s paid off! It’s one of those instances where people tell you what to do and you the exact opposite – it’s so sadistically enchanting, much like the excitement a burglar gets when he or she robs something precious.

The only thing I figured out so far is that being uncertain, lost, confused and ignorant of your surroundings helps a lot sometimes. Being inappropriate, goofy and an annoyance that vexes the creatures we call humans vindicates you of your boredom but the same cannot be said about the ones being vexed. Nothing is supposed to make sense because once you get down to digging into it; nothing really does (just like this post, it’s not supposed to make sense, if it does – well, good for you).