Daydreams and Kisses

 "Kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor

 Lift up your open hand

 Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance

 Silver moon's sparkling,

 So kiss me"

                          - Kiss Me: Sixpence None the Richer

I've recently discovered this song that's apparently been around for ages. It's called "Kiss Me" and it's by a band quirkily titled Sixpence None the Richer. This song has apparently been doing the rounds since the nineties when it shot to fame after being featured on an episode of Dawson's Creek. For the less informed, this was the episode where Dawson and Joey had their first kiss. (Cue to say "Aww" or put your hand to your heart with a beatific smile, remembering your teenage days- or if you're not a teenager dream utterly unrealistic dreams of what teenage is like). So, as I was saying Dawson and Joey had their first kiss and teenyboppers all over the world fell in love- some with that cute guy who sat in front of them and occasionally asked for a pencil in Math class, some with Dawson and some with Tom Cruise( till flash forward a few years later when he would begin eating said Joey aka Katie Holmes, his wife's placenta and  jumping on couches to declare his undying love).

I fell in love with this song a few days ago after a tumultous shift to the land of- snow, co-ed dorms, maple trees, where "sick" = "cool", guys who think you want their random freaking bodies grinding against you without prior permission, girls who think that this is normal, vegetarianism and obsession with healthy eating, curly fries, meat and more junk food than you've seen in your life, mobile companies who charge you for more operations than you knew your cell phone could perform (incoming, outgoing, messaging, caller id- i kid you not, they charge you for seeing the freaking number of the person who's calling you- in retrospect this is probably why movies like 'When a Stranger Calls' are such big hits), stereotypes, courtsey, an unseemly obsession with privacy- where a parent is not allowed to know the password or access details of their kid's bank account, even if said kid is sitting with them in the manager's office, helpful strangers, complete ignorance of other countries- "So , if you like, are Indian, how come, you like, speak English?" -and the sad part is, this is actually a completely innoccent question. The land of convenience and convenience stores which go on for miles showing you endless variety when all the while all you want is a freaking granola bar- "Would you like trail mix, blueberry, cranberry, mixed berry, fruit and nut, honey and nut, low fat, high protein...".  Where everyone including the guy from the phone company greets you with a bright smile and a "How you doing?" -not Joey Tribbiani style and says goodbye with " Have a great day" and then promptly forgets your very existence. Where you don't know your neighbour and this is exactly the way they would like to keep it, where people, especially female people have the capactiy to roam around in flimsy shorts that end before they begin in freezing weather yet wear sweaters and layers of sweatshirts on top. The land of opportunity, the passport to a successful career and recognition. The land where I'm going to live for five years.

But, I digress. More accurately i got caught up in my chief preoccupation these days- wondering about the place I've landed up in voluntarily and the results that my five year stay is going to bring about. Anyway, coming back to the song. I love it. It has this beautiful, perfect magical feel to it- like how you would like your story to go, how things would happen if the guy actually knew what to do and what to say. If somehow magically everything turned pretty and lyrical and you got that perfect kiss- and then some,from the perfect guy, at the perfect place, at the perfect time. And somehow magically, you didn't have to rush home to catch that plane that takes you far away the next day. Or in Dawson's case, the girl falling for your best friend. Anyhoo- that's life. Un-perfect. Unpredictable. For now, I shall trust that perhaps there is some method to the madness. I shall find the lyricism in the chaos and paint daydreams with accompanying 'perfect' background music playing in my head as I trudge up the road to my morning classes in the crisp cold fall. And I'll be happy. 

Snapshots

This is a look back on the past two months of my life which have been like nothing before. Other than the Canada/ Calcutta dilemma and all the other jazz, a major part of these two months has been amazingly fun. Mainly due to some awesome new people I met.

So, in random order, the people who have made Joo and the past two months what they’ve been -

Anuj- The only person I know who makes antifeminist, racist jokes and manages to look adorable throughout. Cracks up and laughs the hardest at his own jokes, sports a ‘cat got the cream expression’ afterwards which is why we laugh at the jokes in the first place. Seems to have money most of the time and not stingy, always a plus point. Initial intro to Jude was ‘3 piercing guy who gives out free fags’. Also he calls me Juno, so I like him

Dhruva- Intimidating in so many ways, completely sweet, yet intensely likeable and somehow, you wind up wanting him to like you as well. Oh, and I mean this very platonically, for those who think I make inappropriate statements. Shy knows what I mean. Brilliant songs by the way plus theatre plus guitar plus he’s in Jude, so obviously he’s not just a dumb f*** ..I shall stop listing his accomplishments now before I develop an inferiority complex.

Rudrani- Random facial expressions, genuine-ness, an “I don’t give a shit what people I don’t particularly care about think of me” attitude and the capacity to remember and sing countless purono Hindi gaan, especially Mohd Rafi, with modifications of her own. And somehow, woman manages to know everyone, or at least Something about everyone, which despite being kinda creepy, is also kinda cool. I’ve always gotten the vague impression of Rudrani being a tree with creepers creeping along and making contacts with, um…basically, all of humanity. Or Calcutta. Same thing.

Anushka- My twin in so, so many ways, we share the randomest ‘things’ ;) and opinions about the randomest things in common, the person who more or less started me off on my serious love for poetry ( mad louve), someone who’s dressing sense I admire, and the Only other person I’ve met who looks at colours as clothes. Conflicted Capricorn, smudged kajal, supersonic Bubble voice and an incredibly mishti Mishtu. Will be much missed.

Hash- Confident, Hawwt and very, very tall. Honestly, I had expected this chick to be a typical bitchy airhead. But no, she’s got to be brainy as well. Eco honours, wouldn’t you know it. Gets selected for competitions, wins around 150, goes around like an excited 10 year old telling us about it at least 50 times and then treats us all at the staff canteen. I admit to having freeloaded off her, more than my fair share. Generous and very unexpectedly sweet- many many thanks for the taxi ride and the drop off home, when I was, um…’spinning’. This is one kickass babe.

Piu- Someone I never really got to know very well, mostly due to the initial groupism. Nonetheless, can vouch for her brilliant taste in poetry, classy dress sense and somehow, I don’t know how to put it but- the sort of mysteriously interesting impression she gives off, which doesn’t come off at first glance. There are many layers to Piu, as I have been starting to realize recently. Would have loved to stay and discover more (in a purely non-perverted sense, and this means you, Anuj and Trisha) but either way, I Do know she’s a sweetheart and much love for the support post breakup.

Trisha and Shy- Don’t know what to say, and don’t know how to say it. Words cannot express what our friendship means to me and how it has touched my life and my stay in college in this short space of time. Like Shy put it once during one of our many trips to the staff canteen, this 3 girl crew was almost too good to be true. We started off after surprisingly initial bad impressions, on a bond that goes deeper than blood- Shopping! New market will never be just New Market after our Saturdays there. I shall never have Chicken Kabiraji without remembering “War! War on the meat!” or say “I shall” without remembering what started me off. Lazy afternoons spent bunking tutorials with Shy, being shushed by Trisha in class while she devours everything Tintin Da says while leching at his ears, long walks to the S9, sitting in the bus seat discussing everything that’s bothering us and everything that shouldn’t, jumping off just in time as the driver presses the gear saying, “Ami jabona!”, much to the ire of the bus-driver, laughing non-stop for 3 hours straight even at green traffic signals, the Ding Dong song, our manifestations of happiness in our fingers, same-same bottles, our mutual hatred of anyone that pisses one of us off, being taken to the Tequip building for bodily functions when all I could do was stumble and fall, grinning and dozing simultaneously, countless hugs when I’ve been down, talking me through my “lowness” and hysterical crying, Trisha’s foot fetish, Shy putting her hand over my mouth so that I wouldn’t embarrass myself, the movie like evening on the worldview steps where the last song played by the sadistic yet talented background music providing seniors ( I still think they were doing it purposely), the last day when their ‘ahem’ self defense mechanisms kicked in, nonetheless leading to tears all the same. Way too many memories that I shall never forget.

Trisha- Kickass, brilliant, pretty (no matter what she thinks) and pretty vulnerable without the armour, tough, completely sweet, way, way, way too hardworking and paranoid about her notes, her folders, her story, her deadlines, her rank- for her own good, protective, talented, the only semblance of sanity in our group, especially when me and Shy are too busy laughing hysterically at green traffic signals. The person who does the best “Oh, no you did NOT!” amongst all the people I know, the person who introduced me to it, though by her own admission I’m too nice to ever do it the way Shy and her do it- still we get past these glitches by sleeping with each other, stalking each other and getting married to each other, as Facebook would have the world believe. Love you Trisha.

Shy- Completely adorable, the only person who shares my ability to laugh non-stop for no reason, the person who came up with the original happy hand movements, the creator of “Be jealous , be very jealous” and “Streak of Blue”, which Shall be made someday, talented, pretty, has the annoying habit of complaining about being so petite and tiny and skinny that it’s hard to find clothes- word of advice- SHUT UP! Watcher of movies like ‘Bring it on!’ and one of the very select few I’ve met other than myself who actually know, memorize and sign songs like the Nirma jingle, the Ding Dong song…Shy in fact goes one step further and has this cheerleader chant going “I’m pretty, I’m cute, I’m popular to boot. “ No, no she didn’t make it up; this is from the movie ‘Bring it on’. And before I forget, the most gorgeous eyes! Love you Shahana

Now I know the both of them have already taken up more space in this note than their fair share but when it comes to saying what they mean to me, I’m lost. So all I shall say -and you see, this annoying habit of saying ‘shall’ is ALL your fault Shy. (Thanks to you the Canadians shall point at me, stare and laugh!) . As I was saying, all I shall say is I love you guys. To death and beyond (I bet Facebook retaliates with a ‘Who will haunt you beyond the grave-bot’). <3

Posso- Very incredibly sweet, one of the sweetest guys I’ve met- he actually loaned me his slippers and walked barefoot when my demonic high heels were murdering my feet- no thanks to a certain D’Costa *scowls*. I think the first person to start calling me Phoebe, which I’ve now accepted after the prerequisite amount of grumbling, Somehow he’s the only person I always manage to see, roaming around doing absolutely nothing in college, not to say that the rest of us aren’t jobless 'cuz we totally are- just that somehow I’ve never ever seen Posso doing classes! Very pullable cheeks and shows the most adorable self satisfied ‘cat got the cream’ expression when said cheeks are pulled. Oh, and the last time we met, and the first time he came over to my place, he gave my bathroom a special inauguration of sorts. Tends to be very highly filmy when tipsy, all the while remaining considerate and sweet.

Pablo- Yet another person about whom I’m not sure what to say. Started out by thinking he was the most annoying kinda vampie-ish sorta cute looking guy with the mentality of a ‘kaowra’ fifth grader. Complete bachha. Major M.C.P, and for a feminist like me, that didn’t really help his impression. Also, lack of basic chivalry! Actually, nothing much has changed since then, except now, a certain impression I had of Scrooge as being ‘Da C***s**r’ has changed. Totally. And, I actually miss the stupid things he does like dropping my bag, which was by the way, VERY irritating at the time. Or the indecipherable expressions he dons when I start rambling or speak very fast. And the endless walking. And the ‘doing nothing at all’ in the Green Zone, South City and the like. The great cake massacre and the way the people at the Kookie Jar counter looked at us, as though we were complete lunatics.

So, basically now, I’ll be looking forward to May when we shall meet again and say- Hi.

KD- The one and only Tralala man. Yes, we shall shoot the video some day! Wicked sense of humour and not at all what I would imagine a chemical engineering student (of Joo, not less) to be, from the usual engineering stereotype that I had been made to expect thanks to all the time I spent at a certain place called FIITJEE. Had already been hanging out with him for quite a while when I discovered his WBJEE rank and realized, “Daym, I hang out with smart people!” Also he gives me hope that people studying Science can retain their sense of humour, individuality and actually turn out to be pretty cool. So all you artsy types, the Science geek is a myth. So there! KD introduced me to several wonderful concepts such as the Cookie Man and The Zone which I’m sure shall help me in my future endeavors. So, as Trisha said, (though when she was not entirely sober), KD, you da man.

Anumita- Complete and utter sweetheart. What can I say? I love this girl. I love her style of dressing, the utterly funky handbags she carries around and her messed up ponytail too. I love her warm hugs and her uncanny ability to get along with um, most people. I love her taste in movies and her love for Heath Ledger. I love the fact that she Always has chocs handy, very useful when you’re feeling down. I love her puppy dog face, and yes, Onoo- I SHALL upload the pic someday. One of the sweetest people I know at Joo, I louve her and so I even attempt to like her “younger brother’ Toto, despite the evil comments he makes about certain unfortunate pictures of mine- It was the light, I swear, I don’t really look like that!

Will miss you tons Onoo.

Other people who merit mention here,

Arunava- For the pats on the head, the creepy stares, the bright huge KC Paul er chaata and the highly sweet cheering up before I left.

Jijo- For the inappropriate comments, expressions and actions. Oh what the hell, for being Jijo.

Sreejeeta, Shashank, Sreyashi, Ritwik,Shabba, Rukmini,Aditya (if only for the incredulous stares he gave me and Shy during our uncontrollable laughter phase and the Jason tales) – For adding to the fun.

Suki Di- For all the support, literal and otherwise when I was not in the best frame of mind.

Upasana- Because I think you’re cool.

Have loved every moment of Jude and Joo and outside Joo in general. Wouldn’t have been possible without y’all. Lotta firsts, lotta fun, lotta love. Will miss you guys way more than you can imagine. Till May it is then.

Louve <3