-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) is known as the gas with the rotten eggs smell but once in my life, it caused much mirth to all those around me.
I was a first year science student of college and all of 16 years old. The venue of this remarkable event was the chemistry laboratory, where presumably bright young researchers are produced.
I was conducting an experiment which required me to use H2S. The problem was that there were a bunch of others who wanted to do the same and there was only one gas tank (for lack of a better word). A bunch of noisy boys and girls gathered round that and were trying to outdo each other in getting a share of the gas. I guess the action got a little general and Rakesh brought the hose pipe from the tank a little too close to my nose.
The next thing I knew was that I was being transported by six people from one end of the laboratory to another. This was after I opened my eyes, for there was a short period when my eyes were firmly shut on falling down unconscious after inhaling the gas. They carried me as though I was on a stretcher and deposited me on a chair on which I managed to sit down. Ms Potnis, the teacher was cool, calm and collected. She ordered a hot cup of tea for me. I was considerably refreshed after all this but was excused form further laboratory work for the day.
My classmate and friend Sivakumar brought a refreshing perspective to the entire affair. “Hey, I really envied you as the attention of the entire class, including the girls was upon you,” From a 16 year old’s perspective that wasn’t exactly a rotten experience.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
The Cricketer and Nitya
I have earlier written about how my friends recognized my love for cricket but not my talent for the game. Here is yet another evidence of this.
My building Punam where I lived for about three decades was renowned for its circket team. Also, the Punam team was not drawn from just the residents of the building but also included many people from the adjoining buildings. Since talent was the criteria for getting into the team, I was more out of the team than in it. In fact barring the unexpected, I never was in the team.
The only time I found myself in the team was whenever there was a shortage of people. During one such occasion I was asked to join the team. I protested saying that the moment another person came along even if I was originally a part of the team, I was soon evicted. This time I was assured that no such thing would happen. So off we went to a playground nearby to play the match.
The match began with our fielding first and I was stationed at first slip. In the early stage of the game one of the opening batsmen from the opposite team nicked one and the ball was traveling my way. To everyone’s surprise, including my own, I took the catch. Nitya was out. Suddenly a couple of other regular Punam players who were not a part of the original team appeared... Sure enough standard procedure was employed. I was out of the team and a newcomer took my place.
I walked back and stood near Nitya who was obviously upset about his early decision. When he saw me, he remarked, “What was the use of taking my catch. Both of us are out now”
I must confess that since I myself was upset the humour of the situation did not occur to me. Later on I had a good laugh over Nitya’s comment. To this day whenever I narrate this story to anyone, it never fails to induce a smile, if not a laugh.
Maybe I am not the most talented cricketer alone but the game has given me one of my most cherished moments.
My building Punam where I lived for about three decades was renowned for its circket team. Also, the Punam team was not drawn from just the residents of the building but also included many people from the adjoining buildings. Since talent was the criteria for getting into the team, I was more out of the team than in it. In fact barring the unexpected, I never was in the team.
The only time I found myself in the team was whenever there was a shortage of people. During one such occasion I was asked to join the team. I protested saying that the moment another person came along even if I was originally a part of the team, I was soon evicted. This time I was assured that no such thing would happen. So off we went to a playground nearby to play the match.
The match began with our fielding first and I was stationed at first slip. In the early stage of the game one of the opening batsmen from the opposite team nicked one and the ball was traveling my way. To everyone’s surprise, including my own, I took the catch. Nitya was out. Suddenly a couple of other regular Punam players who were not a part of the original team appeared... Sure enough standard procedure was employed. I was out of the team and a newcomer took my place.
I walked back and stood near Nitya who was obviously upset about his early decision. When he saw me, he remarked, “What was the use of taking my catch. Both of us are out now”
I must confess that since I myself was upset the humour of the situation did not occur to me. Later on I had a good laugh over Nitya’s comment. To this day whenever I narrate this story to anyone, it never fails to induce a smile, if not a laugh.
Maybe I am not the most talented cricketer alone but the game has given me one of my most cherished moments.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
1983: A Cricket Story
“ You people are always negative where India is concerned. Of course, India can do it”, said my mother. My brother chimed in, “ Yes, India has the capacity to win.”
They were both referring to the chances of India winning the Cricket World Cup of 1983. Considering that India had done poorly in the two previous editions –1975 and 1979—the confidence evinced by my mother and brother seemed quite misplaced. “This is confidence born out of ignorance. India just doesn’t have the ability to do this,” I retorted. After all the West Indies who were the winners of the two previous cups were at the peak of their prowess. Not only was their bowling awesome their batting included the likes of the legendary Vivian Richards, the captain Clive Lloyd and the resplendent opening pair of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.
India of course had big names like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev but as a unit they did not inspire confidence in me. History is witness to the fact that I was wrong and completely wrong. I was in good company too with practically every cricketing aficionado agreeing with me. The only person who seemed to have any inkling about India’s prowess was the then Australian Captain Kim Hughes who said that India was the dark horses of the tournament.
India not only won the World Cup in but did it in style by defeating the West Indies by 43 runs. As the drama of the final unfolded all of us at home reached for sugar as there were no sweets at home. Everyone had forgotten as to who had predicted what. As I slipped sugar into my mouth the taste of being proved wrong was never sweeter. It was one of the happiest moments of my life although I had been proved thoroughly wrong..
They were both referring to the chances of India winning the Cricket World Cup of 1983. Considering that India had done poorly in the two previous editions –1975 and 1979—the confidence evinced by my mother and brother seemed quite misplaced. “This is confidence born out of ignorance. India just doesn’t have the ability to do this,” I retorted. After all the West Indies who were the winners of the two previous cups were at the peak of their prowess. Not only was their bowling awesome their batting included the likes of the legendary Vivian Richards, the captain Clive Lloyd and the resplendent opening pair of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.
India of course had big names like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev but as a unit they did not inspire confidence in me. History is witness to the fact that I was wrong and completely wrong. I was in good company too with practically every cricketing aficionado agreeing with me. The only person who seemed to have any inkling about India’s prowess was the then Australian Captain Kim Hughes who said that India was the dark horses of the tournament.
India not only won the World Cup in but did it in style by defeating the West Indies by 43 runs. As the drama of the final unfolded all of us at home reached for sugar as there were no sweets at home. Everyone had forgotten as to who had predicted what. As I slipped sugar into my mouth the taste of being proved wrong was never sweeter. It was one of the happiest moments of my life although I had been proved thoroughly wrong..
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Kanna
My earliest memory of Kanna goes back to childhood. He was escorting me around in the scooter meant for kids, which was so much a part of growing up in those days. My latter day memories of Kanna consist of meeting him practically every day during my teenage days in the eighties. Adolescent that I was the early part of the eighties was truly my summer of 1942. Kanna and I of course discussed the great adolescent obsession—girls.
During this period Kanna introduced me to the delights of listening to Mohammad Rafi and the joy of watching Shammi Kapoor on screen. Rafi and Shammi Kapoor are now an enduring part of my consciousness.
More importantly through Kanna, I also met Shridhar who to this day remains one of my closest friends and whose advice has stood me in good stead over the years.
As we got busy with our respective careers (Kanna was a CA while I became a journalist) our meetings over the years reduced. After marriage and parenting we hardly met each other. On the few occasions we met, he made no secret of his joy at meeting me.
It was a rude shock when about five months back, I came to know that he had been diagnosed with Cancer and was fighting for his life in hospital. A quick visit to the hospital and I managed to see him on his bed. He was on life support systems and far from the happy soul of my adolescence.
Even then when four days later I heard the news of his death, I was shocked. The mind had continued to hope against hope.
To make matters worse, on that day I could not even attend his funeral due to my professional commitments and heavy traffic on the roads. I felt that I owed this to Kanna. Farewell dear friend. Time will no doubt heal this wound as it does all others. A friend like you perhaps will never be a part of my life again.
During this period Kanna introduced me to the delights of listening to Mohammad Rafi and the joy of watching Shammi Kapoor on screen. Rafi and Shammi Kapoor are now an enduring part of my consciousness.
More importantly through Kanna, I also met Shridhar who to this day remains one of my closest friends and whose advice has stood me in good stead over the years.
As we got busy with our respective careers (Kanna was a CA while I became a journalist) our meetings over the years reduced. After marriage and parenting we hardly met each other. On the few occasions we met, he made no secret of his joy at meeting me.
It was a rude shock when about five months back, I came to know that he had been diagnosed with Cancer and was fighting for his life in hospital. A quick visit to the hospital and I managed to see him on his bed. He was on life support systems and far from the happy soul of my adolescence.
Even then when four days later I heard the news of his death, I was shocked. The mind had continued to hope against hope.
To make matters worse, on that day I could not even attend his funeral due to my professional commitments and heavy traffic on the roads. I felt that I owed this to Kanna. Farewell dear friend. Time will no doubt heal this wound as it does all others. A friend like you perhaps will never be a part of my life again.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Raja, Cigarettes & Zyban
A few days back I went to see my friend Raja in hospital. It was a piteous sight. Raja was in coma after a motor cycle accident, a couple of months back. His mother in-law and two other relatives were there. The one sign of improvement in the last few days was that he was now able to move his eyes although he still could not recognize people. Suddenly, he had a coughing fit at which one of his relatives remarked about Raja’s chain smoking habits.
This took me back in time to my own travails with smoking. I was a smoker for about 17 years and I chain smoked for about 12 years. It was a visit to a hospital that convinced me of the error of my ways. I was admitted in hospital after I complained of chest pain. I was just 35 years old and not even married. My heartbeat was monitored on a minute to minute basis. It was at that point that I made a decision.. If I got out of the hospital without any damage, I would give up smoking. Luckily, I was diagnosed as only suffering from hyper-acidity and was soon out of hospital. Much as I wanted to quit, I realized that it was proving to be impossible. The urge was quite simply too strong.
It was then that I decided to take the help of a drug which had been launched by Glaxo-Zyban. The company had made it absolutely clear that the drug should be taken under medical supervision. I guess in the end it was 50 per cent Zyban and 50 per cent will power that helped me kick the habit. Almost immediately my life changed. In about six months my marriage was fixed. Till that point, it was proving to be an elusive quest. I was reminded of what an acquaintance had told me—“Quit smoking, it will change your life.”
I pray and hope that my friend Raja (who is incidentally married) comes out of his coma and then quits smoking. For him it would not be just a life changing experience but quite really a new life.
This took me back in time to my own travails with smoking. I was a smoker for about 17 years and I chain smoked for about 12 years. It was a visit to a hospital that convinced me of the error of my ways. I was admitted in hospital after I complained of chest pain. I was just 35 years old and not even married. My heartbeat was monitored on a minute to minute basis. It was at that point that I made a decision.. If I got out of the hospital without any damage, I would give up smoking. Luckily, I was diagnosed as only suffering from hyper-acidity and was soon out of hospital. Much as I wanted to quit, I realized that it was proving to be impossible. The urge was quite simply too strong.
It was then that I decided to take the help of a drug which had been launched by Glaxo-Zyban. The company had made it absolutely clear that the drug should be taken under medical supervision. I guess in the end it was 50 per cent Zyban and 50 per cent will power that helped me kick the habit. Almost immediately my life changed. In about six months my marriage was fixed. Till that point, it was proving to be an elusive quest. I was reminded of what an acquaintance had told me—“Quit smoking, it will change your life.”
I pray and hope that my friend Raja (who is incidentally married) comes out of his coma and then quits smoking. For him it would not be just a life changing experience but quite really a new life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)