The radio

 THIS WAS PUBLISHED IN HT CAFE DT. 2/1/2010.

I am a big fan of the radio.My radio is always on full volume.My mother is always chiding me for this habit of mine. As I do not want to listen to my own thoughts,I insist on keeping the radio running at the maximum volume.Maybe, I will go deaf but that also has an advantage - no words will hurt me then onwards.

I have been a regular listener of Vividh Bharathi earlier but now with so many FM stations,I have switched loyalties but I am partial to the state radio stations.This is due to the fact that they play old hindi film songs which I adore.The private stations usually play new songs which I may like but not as much as the older ones.

I also listen to Marathi songs especially the old ones though Marathi is not my mother tongue nor the language I converse in.I have just developed a liking for it having stayed in Mumbai for the last 25 years.I particularly love the bhav geets & even the soulfully rendered bhajans especially the ones praising Lord Vithala-the presiding deity of Pandharpur.

Radio plays songs & the music in fact, helps me to work with enthusiasm be it dusting, cooking , writing or even surfing the net.Also,radio helps me to keep track of time.When the radio is on,I don't feel lonely.I love the voices of the announcers & feel at home with them.The FM radio stations give various pieces of information like major news events as also the traffic situation.The state radio stations broadcast information about the weather as also the arrival & departure of trains on a daily basis.Also I can listen to the news broadcasts at regular intervals on the national radio stations.

My daughter keeps telling me to switch to a channel wherein they play the latest hit songs & my hubby simply asks me to switch off the radio.My better half opines that the noise of the radio interferes with his thought process.Well,atleast one thing is clear- he thinks ! I was of the view that the male of the homo sapiens is a man of action & not words ! But my love affair with the radio continues.The radio never interferes with my routine -it actually is a perfect background to which I have got attuned.

In conclusion,I am reminded of the matrimonial advertisement in which my father had stated that I liked assorted light vocal music.My brother had later explained to my fiance that this meant that I was an avid listener of Hindi film songs.My hubby keeps telling me that he has never felt so cheated by the words used in the advertisement.

The courier fellow.

The bell rang as I was just going to savor my first morsel of lunch.I get flustered with such interruptions.I whined & said to myself,"Why such things always happen to me ?I can't even have my lunch in peace."I opened the door.He was there with a bag slung from his shoulders prominently displaying the local courier company wherein he was employed.

"Madam,your courier- you have to sign here."I said,"You have to wait.I have to wash my hands."He understood & was immediately apologetic,"So sorry,Madam.I did not notice.Please tell your name & phone number & I will leave your packet on the table here.I don't like disturbing anybody during lunch."He wrote my name & phone number in his register & was gone.I was touched by his consideration.

I kept thinking about him as I ate my lunch.He was only a courier fellow but his empathy with me was just unbelievable.I realized that he was a good human being first & foremost to behave like the way he did.

Some days later,I spotted him doing his job at the office of the courier company which is on my way to the local market.Though,he was engrossed in sorting the packets,a smile played on his lips.

I bumped into him again after a few days as he had come to drop a courier at my neighbour's house. I had just landed on the floor after a shopping spree,wherein I reside,when I met him. My neighbour's home was locked & I was unlocking my house.He enquired,"Madam,has your neighbour gone out of station ? Nobody seems to be home."I replied,"No, they keep travelling between their two homes - this one & another situated nearby.""That is fine-if you don't mind,can I please write your name & phone number in my register & drop the letter in their post box?"I nodded & gave the details.I was amazed at his thoughtfulness.He slid the letter into their post box & went on his way.I sat pondering at the fellow.He was so thoughtful- he never wanted to be a bother to anybody.I felt, he deserved a better future than being a courier man.But while he was at his simple job,he was making life pleasant for all those who came in contact with him.He was delivering happiness & joy all around.I felt, that I ought to emulate at least this simple trait of smiling from him if not his thoughtfulness.Maybe, as smiling becomes second nature to me ,I would also become as kind as him.

I think,such people only make the journey called life worthwhile.

Balloons & birthdays.

Yesterday,my daughter turned nine.So,again,we had to have a b'day party,my kid insisted.I find all this quite a task- I have absolutely no interest in all such things but then kids compel us & we have to just give in.

I told my kid that she better call girls who are staying in our building only.She gave me a list of some eight girls & I invited them all.The menu was also small -akin to the common minimum programme of our political parties which they never deliver but I am not so lucky.I had to get the cake,the wafers,the pizza & the chocolates.

So the preparations began- gave the order for the cake & pizza & got wafers, choclates, paper plates,balloons,plastic spoons,paper napkins,etal.My friend & her daughter who are very close to both of us came in the afternoon to help us- in fact ,it would be more appropriate to state that my friend works like the host & I behave like the guest on my daughter's b'day party.My efforts depict or rather display my feelings or rather lack of it for such events & more.

We hung the streamers & tried to blow the balloons- it was impossible.None of us were able to blow even a bit of air into any of them.We were trying hard but to no avail.We were just left huffing & puffing.My kid insisted, that I had got the wrong ones which I flatly refused to acknowledge as such.But I also started doubting if I had brought water balloons but then the shopkeeper was at fault, not me.Then, my kid started stretching the balloon like an elastic & then blew it up.It was superb! We were really thrilled ! My daughter showed us all how she did it & we all followed suit.All the colorful balloons were soon hanging around the drawing room giving it that distinct birthday look.

My daughter taught me that sometimes a task like blowing a balloon may also require that correct technique & may have to be learnt from somebody younger than you.In effect, a task may not be as simple as it looks- appearance can be deceptive!Any body could teach us provided we are open & receptive.Looking at the colorful balloons made me also jump with gay abandon! It was just like the balloons full of bounce ! Filled with the joy of life !

I realised , my daughter is really grown up.I wonder like all parents that my daughter is growing up too fast.After all - from the next year onwards,her age will be in two digits.

Reading attitude.

I took part in an online novel writing contest after Deepavali last year. The target was to write more than 50,000 words in one month from the 1st of the month till the last day of the month.

Though, I took this up mainly to test as to whether I can indeed write so many words,I did manage to finish it before the final day.When I took up writing the novel,I had no idea how it was all going to shape up.I just wrote on a day to day basis having calculated that I will have to write at least 1500 words on a daily basis.I just poured out all my feelings,anguish,loneliness,-in fact everything I felt.I knew that I was a novice & not creative & hence, I had to somehow pen in so many words if I wanted to succeed.In the midst of all this,I also began to doubt as to how would the novel end.I told my parents & friends the story in brief & asked them to suggest an ending.As the days passed,I realised that I wanted to give my novel an end full of hope- it had to be positive. I did end the novel on a very positive note.In this, I was helped by the fact, that the site wherein this contest was held,used to send us pep talks to keep our spirits awake if not high.

I was relieved, that I had completed the task at hand.I felt thrilled- I was a novelist -so what, if it was my debut novel.Now what ?I thought of approaching publishers with my debut novel but then I had to first get it all in print.My middle class upbringing forbid me to spend an uneconomic amount on such a pursuit as I had my doubts about the novel ever being even glanced at by a publisher.

I then, came across a site that publishes any book for free but online.So,I uploaded my novel on to the site & then emailed the link to all my friends,ex-colleagues-in fact everybody who was on my mailing list.I requested them to click on the link,sign up & comment as also rate the novel.Few did take the trouble of reading my novel & did as requested .I shall indeed remain indebted to them all my life.But by & large, my novel was ignored by the very people, I thought were my near & dear ones.

The reasons given by many was that as soon as they read the book,they would surely comment but they omitted to state that they neither had the inclination nor the time to heed to my repeated pleas.When I argued, that they can comment in short even in a word or two,they replied, that unless they read,they wouldn't be able to do that.I was elated that by their brutal honesty in these deceitful times ! I was of the opinion that honesty was a relic of a bygone era.

Their frank comments are still awaited. The result, is that my book remains online only.My hubby has very diplomatically steered clear of investing in his wife's venture by saying ,"It is better that some publisher takes it up-they are experts -they will market it as well."

I have realized now, that I erred, by asking people to comment & rate the novel by reading it ! Actually,I am glad in a way, that the book is published online only.Marketing a printed book will be a daunting task given the attitudes,I have come across so far.I am certain, that I will end up paying people who take efforts to read it.

So it is going to be grossly uneconomical, so,I better leave it at that !