The most utterly butterly enjoyable and juvenile day of my life

Last week, I guess it was on a Wednesday (mid-week- note that point) I started my day like a typical lazy grad student. Getting up slightly late (contentious issue) and checked my email immediately (that's what a typical grad does as soon as he/she gets up). Having received the not so wanted "do-this-work for today" email from my boss, i got up morose and went through my daily ablutions. Once that was done, the starving me raided the fridge and ate some leftovers (the sanyasi) and bottomed some shady tropical punch (it actually works so well that your hunger is gone asap). I then went onto finish the work that I needed to do for that day and was rambling about at my apartment till sunset came (and thus my day began). The typical desi system in me is still reeling with that old faithful jet lag after nearly a year …I say this coz I am most active or should I say least lazy when from sunset to sunrise instead of the other way around). I went out with a couple of my friends to play some quality tennis in order to burn some calories and along with that burn my early 20’s life crisis of reducing that ever so challenging tummy of mine. Sweaty and slightly tired, I return home to experience the most outlandish talks and garish behavior that you would not even expect from an agmark“ pattikaadu”.

I went on to meet my friends at Macgregor’s Tea Kadai- Apt no:144 (formely located at Apt no: 142). There we had the pleasure of putting some quality dum’s as I watched my friends down a peg or two while playing (read abusing) with the inviting tennis balls that we threw at each other (like dodgeball) but played not like an English gentleman but with the more popular local touch. While people were playing “goli”(marbles) with these tennis balls (Pradeep seemed a master in goli especially with the stereotypical squat while playing) came the thought to play “seven stones”.

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/kidsweb/caroline/ten.htm

We immediately were on the hunt for flat stones and compromised with 7 not so flat stones. Although the game seems childish, it is a very difficult game to play and win, especially if you are part of the team that hits and re stacks the stones.

My team comprised of Kaushik, SK, Don and me. Our opponents were Bharat, Kokki, Vinod, Venkat and Ila. Both teams struggled to outperform the other but the event turned out to be a grand enjoyment making everyone sweaty and panting. Then a few dum rounds brought back our vigor which would make us see the night through.

Then a few of us walked towards my apartment and we started talking talking topics of infinite variety. Then came up this topic of childhood games like crocodile crocodile, paandi, statue and stone paper siccors. Then we went on to play I Spy (pronounced ICE BOY with a thick local accent….a far more interesting version of hide and seek). We had to put shaa buuu threee to decide who the catcher is going to be and I sadly became the first catcher. The others who were playing If I remember correctly were Don, Bharat, SK, Kaushik and Venkat. This became a really enjoyable 2 something hours bringing out the happy child in us. We were trying to hide in the most hideous places overcoming the insects and dirt that were rampant in our hiding places. I was easily spotted whenever I tried to hide because of my bright white sweat shirt. Don tried to hide behind a dustbin that was 1/3^rd of his size, Don tried to hide in some space so shady that he is still not able to get all the dirt off his body.

We then tried to play dark room at don's place but in vain due to the lack of size and darnkess in the room. But we still gave it a shot.

It was a really memorable night ending at around 4am. All of us went back home sweaty, itching and tired but extremely happy having relived something that we did 15-16 years back. This is something an eternally raped grad student studying in an alien country and staying in a ghetto neighborhood would never have thought of happening but experienced something as pleasurable as privately scratching his butt or digging his nose.

A day to remember, cheers to you guys!!!

p.s: neither did SK count till 100 before catching nor did he close his eyes while doing so.