26 May 2013

Four letter word?

Sharmila and I took a long walk on the beach hand in hand and all that stuff… Discussions swirled around our parents, India, life after kids, work and all things sundry. Somehow the discussion veered towards me having to sell her something (I think it was about the location of our retirement home). Anyways, she thought I am a terrible sales person. Touched to the quick, I reminded her that she had said “No” when I proposed to her and her parents were dead against the marriage. Yet, we are where we are – so I cannot be that bad in sales.
Not sure whether she was trying to make light of the situation or just being reflective but she said that I do not know what life would have been if we were not married.
This was getting awkward for me. So, determined to make light of the situation myself I pointed out that “life” is a four letter word. She laughed out loud. Thoroughly relieved, I proceeded with my joke – “as is ‘work’, ‘wife’, ‘kids’…..”. As she continued to laugh, I ratcheted up the challenge -“Name me one four letter word after our marriage that we have enjoyed”.
Her laughter came to a sudden stop and she dead panned “Wine”!
Did I mention when I said that I was holding her hand, I had a plastic cup of cheap house wine from our resort in my other hand? Boy, does she know how to nail me. 🙂
I continued to point out to her how beautiful the ocean looked …. 🙂

Category: Vacations | 17 Comments on Four letter word?
24 May 2013

Another crazy introduction during my travels

So, I stepped onto my flight from Boston to Atlanta and settled down in my seat. Presently, another Indian young (the “another” defined “Indian” not “young” 🙂 ) came and sat next to me. He was on a call for the whole time and finally when we were ready to pull out, he finished his call. Trying to break some ice, he asked me how my wine tasted (I was sipping half a glass of red wine). This is how the conversation went:

He: “How is the wine”?
Me: “It is airlines wine. ’nuff said”! 🙂
He: “I am sure the plastic cup brings the taste out”
Me: “You got it!! So, is Atlanta home?”
He: “Yes”
Me: “Where do you work?”
He: “Bain Consulting”
Me: “Aha! I know a guy in your office who makes coffee nervous!!”
He: “Are you talking about my boss John? Are you Rajib Roy from Equifax?”

I am like “WHATTTT???? How did you make that connection?”

Me: “So where are you from?”
He: “India”
Me: “Where in India?”
He: “Calcutta”
Me: “You speak Bengali?”
He: “Yes”
Me: “Get out!!” (upon further reflection, I should have said “Bero”!!! 🙂 )

He (to John in email): “…..John, for some inexplicable reason, Rajib introduced himself as a friend of yours”
John (in five seconds replied in email): “Rajib would be selling curry out of a cart in a crowded street somewhere in India if it were not for me. Of course, he will say I am his friend” 🙂

See why I don’t mind those flight delays anymore? 🙂 🙂

Category: Intersection Points | 13 Comments on Another crazy introduction during my travels
23 May 2013

That’s like saying “Would Mr.Smith step up, please”? :-)

Boston Delta Skyclub is one of the biggest Skyclubs I have ever seen. I walk in and I was surprised to see a lot of my fellow Indians there. Found out – there are delayed flights to Paris (connecting to Bombay and Delhi) or something like that.
Anyways, I settled down and was busy catching up on emails when I heard the lady at the desk announce “Would passenger Patel please meet the front desk?”. Bemused, I looked over – and sure enough, in under 7 seconds there was a 11 deep queue!!
I don’t think the poor lady at the desk realized what was going on!!!

Category: Humor | 4 Comments on That’s like saying “Would Mr.Smith step up, please”? :-)
23 May 2013

I am. Ummmm….. I think :-)

Learnt something knew while reading “Descartes Error” at the bar in the hotel (the guy at the bar showed no interest in making friends with me 🙂 – so I was reduced to reading a book from my book list 🙂 )
I always thought that the origin of “I think, therefore I am” was the Latin phrase “Cogito ergo sum”. Evidently, that is the popular version for English speaking people. The original words he wrote were “Ego cogito, ergo sum” [“Principles of Philosophy” (1644)]. And that is not even the original original!!! And that is what surprised me.
Did you know he actually came up with it seven years before this in a treatise written in French [“Discourse on the Method” (1637)]. Evidently, he first penned it as “je pense, donc je suis”.

BTW, if any one of know my parents or have a parent in India, you will probably relate to my sentiment that given their constant propensity to worry about silly things and think of problems and challenges that they can do nothing about, (“sobsomoy chinta hoy”) that this whole “I think, therefore I am” thing was something Descartes conjured up specifically for them.

Or so I think 🙂

Category: Travelogs | 8 Comments on I am. Ummmm….. I think :-)