New Beginnings, Old Endings

That was the first focused thought or image on landing onto the Delhi Airport. I had turned into Scrat, the saber toothed squirrel from Ice Age chasing an acorn (read: something unattainable) A squirrel with popped out eyes running after something really really insignificant in the real sense of the world but that which has acquired mammoth proportions...leading to avalanches and a change in age kinda scenario. My mind beeped again and again “Welcome to earth” in a robotic tone, again and again…and why shouldn’t it? Wasn’t I back from the seventh heaven?

As a Taurean, I strictly resist change of any kind but then within a couple of days the adaptability and optimism take over. Much to my indignation, time and again it has been pointed out to me that the same stuff that I found yuck some days back has become an essential favourite…But that’s the later part of the story…lets go back to where I was, at the airport.

The flight had been a tiring one…both physically and emotionally. In the 11 hour flight from NZ to Singapore all I had done was to sit and wonder as to why I was getting back to one place I hate so much. Gurgaon. But then forget saber toothed squirrels, even humans do not have much of a say once the flight is in the air. So I did what humans do when the chidiya has chukked the khet…I sat and wondered “he Bhagwaan…mere saath hi aaisa kyun?” as silent tears fell onto the unread book in my lap. But Bhagwaan true to his nature as always remained silent. Find your own answers. If I got down to answering “mere saath kyun” to all mortals wouldn’t I become a saber toothed squirrel myself??

Singapore, to much of my relief had terminals with working internet (so what if they were as slow as the huge dinosaurs which could move only a few meters in all day). This fact, like the Bhagwaan thing didn’t bother me, for wasn’t I the squirrel (sorry the saber toothed squirrel) from the same age as the dinos? The super slow dinosaurs managed to transport me (in the virtual sense) to my hubby and for a few minutes I was back to my old bubbly self. But then it was time to go and catch the next flight.

As soon as I was seated and had realized that there was nothing interesting till the next few acres, I dozed off. The air hostess came and asked if I wud like to have veg or non-veg. By the time she came back with the order I had slept off again and had to be shaken (not stirred) for dinner. Ate and slept off again and was still sleeping when the plane hit the ground and came to a standstill. It was finally time to wake up from all the dreams…even the ones I had been living in since the past few months.

Delhi, bursting with all its energy- the energy further energized by the special energy at the airport. It made me feel like the saber toothed squirrel to the power two. Here I was alone (I realized the true meaning of the word for the first time-pre marriage I was the “Bandar” in Bandar kya jaane adrak ka swad). My loneliness was again raised to the power of five in the absence of a working cell phone. But then…saber toothed squirrels don’t have any instruments…all they are supposed to do is to chase the acorn.

The night passed and the next day dawned. I, the saber toothed squirrel, resolved that I would not cry anymore…but will rather catch hold of the acorn. Struggled through the day and finally managed to get a place to stay, a Vodafone connection and an internet connection. More than I could ask for. And then late in the evening when I stepped out to buy fruits (for a midnight snack-old habits die hard) in an odd way I felt happy and relieved to be back…for wasn’t this my real life, my real self? Alone and independent?


Moral of the story: You (oops!! Sorry, I) can find happiness in any situation. Sometimes the grass is really greener on my side. Green grass means fertile soil and fertile soil means more acorns…yeah I know most of them are unattainable- but so what? They are there, I am there and so shall it be till death does us apart.