The wierdest of experiences: Part I

We were all at Keats getting up to our usual nonsense. At some point during the evening, Azdadoobie got separated from us and found herself in conversation with a random stranger, Mr. Q.

"I've been thinking about you all evening," he told her, "I think we're meant to be together."
She looked at him incredulously, and I don't blame her. What sort of ridiculous thing to say was that?! She wasn't quite sure how to respond, so just laughed in an attempt to brush him off.
But he was persistent. "Seriously," he insisted. "As soon as you entered the bar earlier today, I knew we were meant to be together."
At this point, she couldn't help being drawn into the conversation, it was so surreal. "You don't even know me. You're basing that entirely on looks," she pointed out.
"I know," he said, "but I'm looking at you and all I want to do is be with you."
"That means you have dubious taste," she argued. "Now why would I want to be with a guy who had dubious taste?"
I, listening on amused, burst out laughing. He was slightly thrown off with that comment. "Look, all I'm asking is for you to give me a chance," he said. "Just go out with me on one date and you'll realise it too. I can just feel it."
"Hmm, err, no thanks. I reckon you're just a bit drunk." But he wouldn't have no for an answer. And there was something just so earnest and sincere about him, not at all like the cocky guys one normally meets in bars. She found it difficult to keep rejecting him, and eventually he broke her barriers down.
"Okay fine, but something innocuous. Like brunch."
"That's perfect! Tomorrow at 1?"And before she knew what had hit her, they'd agreed to meet on Sunday morning for brunch.

Azdadoobie threw me a panicky look, and I could tell she was discomfitted by the situation.
"Well why don't we all go out for brunch together?" I stepped in. Probably much to Mr. Q's irritation. But Azdadoobie looked instantly relieved.
"What a fantastic idea," she agreed instantly.
"Okay fine," Mr. Q conceded reluctantly. He turned to his friend Delta. "You fancy coming too?" I knew what he wanted was to have someone keep me distracted so he could have time alone with Azdadoobie. But I was fine with that, I can talk to anyone and kill time for a couple of hours - just as long as Azdadoobie wasn't stuck alone with a strange guy out in the town. Even if it was just a cafe for brunch.
Delta seemed okay with it. So with that, we all bid each other farewell, having agreed to meet at Smorgas for brunch the next morning.

Sunday morning I opened my eyes, and suddenly the previous nights conversation flooded back into my mind. "AZDADOOBIE!!!!" I hollered. She entered the room, and we both instantly burst out laughing. Had we really agreed to meet two random strangers for brunch?!
"Do we really have to go? Should we just stand them up?"
"No, we can't stand them up! We shouldn't have fixed it in the first place, but now that we have, it's terribly rude to stand people up."
"Okay fine, you're right."
"Maybe they'll stand us up," I said hopefully.
"Well either way I quite fancy a big brunch in a cafe. I'm starving."
"Remember to dress really grungy and make yourself unattractive," I advised sagely. So we both dressed like real muppets - baggy sweaters, hair tied up, dirty trainers - the works.

But before long we were showered and ready, and heading gigglingly down the stairs towards the cafe.

The wierdest of experiences: Part II

I'm not sure exactly what I expected, but awkwardness was definitely a primary feature. What I definitely did NOT expect was one of the funnest days I've had in months. I, who had no personal agenda other than Azdadoobie's protection and moral support, had not dared to be optimistic about the way the events would turn out.

Delta was already seated in the cafe when we entered, and looked up at us with a beam. "I didn't expect you to turn up," he admitted, and I laughed.
"We didn't expect you to," I rejoined.
And the conversation slipped easily into comfortable banter. A few minutes later Mr. Q arrived as well, and we all four glanced around at each other with ill-concealed surprise.
Now what? I thought, panicking. But there was no reason for that. There were no awkward silences, no embarrassed laughs, nothing at all. Just a lot of witty, humourous, entertaining conversation that had us all entirely engaged.

As it turned out, unsurprisingly, there was no romantic vibe between Azdadoobie and Mr. Q, which probably helped the situation. Instead, the whole experience was just a lot of FUN. Everyone else obviously felt the same way, because after enjoying a lengthy brunch, Mr. Q suggested, "Why don't we all head out and watch a movie?" And we all agreed intantly.

I know you'll think this sounds incredibly naiive of Azdadoobie and me. And I suppose it might have been. I mean, these guys could have turned out to be axe murderers in cahoots rather than the normal people that they actually were - and we realised that. But sometimes, you just meet great people, and you can just tell.

So shortly after, we left the cafe and schlepped over a couple of blocks to the cinema. It turned out to be a lovely evening. We watched a movie, and stayed through the afternoon, just chatting with each other. It was already into the evening before we exchanged numbers and headed off to our various homes with a goodbye and a 'see you at Keats next week!'

As we headed home, Azdadoobie and I looked at each other in surprised delight. It had been such a lovely day. And we'd just made ourselves a couple of new friends. Nothing awkward or complicated, but two new people we knew we would definitely call out again. And again.

A big night out in the town

As we left work yesterday, Seagull asked me, "So what are your plans for this evening?"
"Nothing much," I told him. "I'm dead tired, so just a quiet one in will serve me well."

And true to my word, I crawled straight home from work to meet Azdadoobie and Ilajna, and we had a girlie night in. By 11pm, the week's fatigue was catching up with Ilajna and me, and we decided to retire to bed like happy campers. "I'm going out to meet a friend," said Azdadoobie, gathering her things and heading for the door.

"What are you up to this evening?" I'd asked Seagull before he left work.
"I don't want to do much either," he said, "but I'm being dragged for a big night out in the town by J-Bo." I'd sympathised.
J-Bo is one of Seagull's college friends. Great and fun though he is, every night out with J-Bo somehow ends up being a big night out in the town.

Below is my transcript of Seagull's and J-Bo's night out in the city, per periodic text messages and calls I received over the course of the evening.

11.26 pm - Seagull: Tequila!!!!!
12.30 am - Seagull: Oh god there's no going back now.
1.00 am - Ficali: Oh dear. Gluck mate.

2.00 am - Azdoobie got back home, and I wandered into the kitchen to see what all the clanking and clattering was about. Only to find an Azdadoobie half in the fridge, giggling to herself. Turned out she had the munchies, so I set about heating up some food for her. Turned out our talk and laughter woke Ilajna up, so we all sat at our table to continue chatting.

2.30 am - Ficali: Where ARE you?!
4.03 am - Seagull: Leaving Sway

4.15 am - J-Bo called me. "I've taken Seagull out for a big night out in the town!!!!!!" He hollered.
"So I gather," I replied.
"What did you get up to?"
"Not much. Night in with the girls."
"She had a night in with the girls," I could hear J-Bo hollering to Seagull, who was undoubtedly right beside him.
"Was it movie night, was it movie night?!" I could hear Seagull in the background.
Suddenly the conversation was ended with an "ok we're going to get something to eat goodbye." Click.

4.36am - Seagull: We are at kati roll
4.37am - Seagull: Jyada mirch dalna

I had taught Seagull how to ask for his kebabs extra hot in hindi. And he'd been dying to use that line for a while now.

4.38 am - I called Seagull. "Did you use the line with the guy at the counter?"
"Yes, a couple of times!!"
"Did he understand you?"
"No, he thought I was talking French or something. Must be cos I'm white."
"Okay we'll work on the accent next time. All right gnite."
"Okay, gnite. Why were you awake anyway?"

Yeesh.

Note to self

When passing Big Boss M in the corridor, do not think it's funny to elbow him in the ribs and say 'Wassup Marky Mark?!'.

Because it's not.

And because Big Boss M has a nervous temperament and that's exactly the kind of trick that could drive him over the edge.

Some things are just not in our destiny

And movie night is one of them.

Which was supposed to have started 9.00 pm last Friday night.

BUT:

7.30 pm - Danby and Seagull asked me if I fancied joining them for a (quick) after-work wind-down drink.
7.45 pm - We were comfortably settled in Rio Grande, and nursing a couple of pretty margeritas.
8.00 pm - Clarissa, Keun and Nicole joined us, and suddenly we were a merry party
8.15 pm - Much to my thrill, Speshi joined us too, trendy glasses and all, and we could excitedly speculate about our upcoming ski trip
8.30 pm - MetroHom sauntered in, and we all knew there was no going anywhere.

I called Azdadoobie in explanation. "Doobie I'm out having a couple of drinkies but I'll be home by 9 just in time for movie night don't worry I'll be home and then we can watch the movies and everything will be per plan because I've only come out for a couple of drinks with my colleagues and - "
Suspicious pause.
Then Azdadoobie interrupted, "Hang on a sec. You're going out for drinks and you expect us to stay home??!!!"
"I'll be home in a few mins, Doobs, and -" I started lamely.
"You're kidding if you think that's the case. Forget movie night I WANT TO GO OUT TOO!!!"
"Ok we're at Rio Grande"
"Ok I'll call Ilajna and we'll be there in a sec".

And that was that. That was the end of movie night.

Some three hours later, we had only progressed to Joshua Tree, just across the street.
Some three hours later, we were still at Joshua Tree, just across the street.

The next morning, we all blinked at each other in bleary-eyed fatigue. While Ilajna, Azdadoobie and I bumbled around the apartment in a state of general incoherence, Seagull found himself in Queens before realising he had got on the train going in the wrong direction. Needless to say, Saturday morning got off to a slightly rocky start for all of us, but nothing that couldn't be remedied by a spell of gorgeous, laze-in-the-park weather.

"Man, movie night just doesn't seem to work for us, does it!" Azdadoobie shook her head incredulously.
"Next time," Ilajna said.

Famous last words.

Cheeky chappies

Tonight, we're having movie night again, and as usual there's been no shortage of debate and banter as the day approached. As you may recall from the previous movie night, I was so very excited during the run-up to the evening, and then promptly fell asleep once the movie commenced. Bit of an anti-climax to say the least.

So as we sat around the dining table yesterday discussing our approaching movie night, Azdadoobie turned to me with a tone of reprimand, "You absolutely MUST stay awake this time, okay?!"
"Yeah," added Ilajna, "this time no staying up late to work the night before."
"And no getting up early in the morning to go to the gym," Azdadoobie continued.
"And make sure you have a nap right after work so that you're not tired," Ilajna conjoined.

I looked from one to the other guiltily. "I'm sorry about last time, guys. I'll be better this time around, promise.

Then Ilajna added with a smirk, "Just focus on staying awake through - "
Suddenly a thought occurred to me. I turned to Ilajna with narrowed eyes.
"Wait a minute, missy" I said. "You fell asleep too, as I recall. How come you get to reprimand me?!"
"Oh yeah" Ilajna conceded, the wind somewhat taken out of her sails.

These roommates, I tell ya. They get away with murder if you're not on your toes all the time.

Turning point

Tomorrow is my half-birthday, a concept I learnt from Jeet. Tomorrow, I turn twenty-five-and-a-half.

Tomorrow, unfortunately, is my deadline to start growing up and acting like an adult.

I'm not quite sure yet what this will involve, but I sure hope it doesn't entail losing the childish spontaneity with which I live my life. Or the carefree willingness to make a fool of myself for the sake of getting a laugh (yes, yes, let's all pretend it's a conscious decision). But it WILL entail something along the lines of my New Years Resolution: 'Be more sensible'.

Tomorrow will bring a whole new face to the day.

Today is my day for gearing up for tomorrow.

Gadgets

Circuit City Union Square, Sunday January 15th, 3.00 pm

"Can I help you, ma'am?"
"Yes please, I have a few questions about this radio-clock here (if that's even what you call it, heh heh)".
"Sure, what can I help you with today?"
"Well, I've never had a radio clock before, and I was wondering - can you just use the alarm without the radio?"
"Of course. You see this button here labelled 'Alarm'? You have to use that..."
"Great! And what about the radio - can you listen to that even if you don't actually set the alarm?"
"Of course. You see this button here labelled 'Radio'? You have to use that..."
"Great! Thanks. And I have one more question about the CD Player-"

Exasperated sigh.
"Yes you can use that too. Same as the alarm and the radio."
"Right. Thanks. I'll be buying that then."

Of course that wasn't me. It was, you know, a random conversation I overheard.

Coincidentally.

On the day I bought my radio clock.

Smudges on the nose

Imagine if you were on a subway, and the person opposite you, a random stranger, had a smudge of chocolate on her nose. And you thought it was pretty funny, and you realised that if she knew she was travelling around the city with chocolate on her nose, she'd be pretty damn embarrassed. But what with her being a stranger and all, would you actually ignore the awkwardness of the situation and bring it to her attention?

Me neither. I'd be too shy.

But I just wish someone had brought it to MY attention, that's all.

Life's foibles

The main door to our building is somewhat capricious with us. Sometimes our keys work flawlessly and it swings open, easy as pie. Sometimes, it just doesn't fancy opening, and no amount of key-twisting, door-kicking, ranting or raving can persuade it otherwise. In any given instance, we never know whether the door will open or not, until the actual moment when we stick our key in (often to no avail).

As you can imagine, this has added an element of mystery and unpredictability to our lives.

For a while now, we have been trying to identify a pattern in the seemingly arbitrary behaviour of The Door. Week days? Rainy days? Days we're wearing red?

"I got it!!" Azdadoobie suddenly exclaimed the other day. Ilajna and I turned to stare at her expectantly, waiting to hear what she had 'got'. Lately, Azdadoobie has been pontificating, ruminating, cogitating and cerebrating on several different subjects, including:
- The Door
- The source of a random tapping sounds we can sometimes hear on weekend mornings
- The general geography of the apartment and how it fits in with the other buildings on the block ("Hmm, there's a gap outside my window but its not the street," she mused the other day).

So she could have been exclaiming about pretty much anything. But as it turned out, this time she was talking about The Door.
"I've finally identified the pattern," she continued. "It depends on whether or not you need to pee. Most times, The Door is fine. Except when you need to rush up urgently for the restroom. Then it won't open."

She glanced around at us expectantly. "Hmm," I nodded sagely. "That's good. Now it can be the official test when I come home, for whether or not I need to pee."

Ilajna's birthday!

Yesterday was Ilajna's birthday, and as part of the birthday surprise, Azdadoobie and I took her out for wine and dessert at a nearby cafe at exactly midnight, to bring in her birthday.

Which is a lovely idea and we were both thrilled to bits about it.

Except that it entailed both of us staying up till 11.45 so we could drag Ilajna out with us. Which would have been fine if it just hadn't been a darned Sunday evening.

Sunday evening is my time to prepare for the upcoming week by: a) Listing and bemoaning the weekend chores that I didn't quite get round to b) Generally starting the get-ready-for-bed process at an appallingly early 8pm c) Donning a particularly glum and mopey expression of the only kind suitable for a Sunday evening

By 9.00 pm, Azdadoobie and I were already yawning and stretching. I turned to Azdadoobie and asked plaintively, "what time is it? How much longer?"

But finally, FINALLY, it was 11.45 and time to drag Ilajna, much to her surprise, to the nearby french cafe.

The three of us celebrating at the cafe

Later that evening, Azdadoobie and I had planned a surprise dinner for Ilajna. Somehow, between the two of us, much panic and considerable consternation, we managed to rustle up a mini-feast. We had invited Milo, Dub and Seagull, and soon the evening was proceeding in full festive regalia.

Azdadoobie tasting the birthday cake

Ilajna, Milo, Azdadoobie and Dub - after dinner but before champagne

Azdadoobie, Milo and me

Seagull and Ilajna

Little glimpses

As part of my New Year's resolution to be more healthy, I've taken to walking to work three times a week.

Sometimes, just sometimes, if I'm lucky enough, I can catch the sun rise as I walk down Second Avenue. In the midst of winter, this isn't particularly early. It's just particularly beautiful. With Second Av being so close to the edge of Manhattan, the gaps between the blocks offer a stunning view of the full expanse of sky, starting right from the horizon. In this city which only receives indirect sunlight, sliver of a view though it be, it's like suddenly being one with nature.

This morning, I paused to catch the actual moment when the sun broke through the horizon, filling the sky with a burst of ruby brilliance. Even as I continued to stroll down the Avenue, I felt my breath catch at the sheer beauty of the scene. In a matter of moments, the entire sky was lit in breathtaking hues of pinks, reds, oranges and gold.

It felt like an epiphany.

Well, little glimpses of epiphany anyways.

Serendipity

For the past few weeks we've been plagued by a dearth of connectivity. Yes, we are one of the unlawful and awful citizens who've been leaching off our neighbour's free wireless. (It's not stealing if its a free good, is it?) So you can imagine our chagrin when our kindly (albeit unknowingly so) neighbour decided to take off for the winter vacations, leaving us high and dry. And without internet. Seriously. Isn't it a bit selfish to turn off your internet router just because you're going away for a few weeks?! Nobody thinks of their neighbours nowadays, that's what's the problem with this world.

The sudden disappearance of 'SoWireless' from our wireless connections left us in a quandary. Had he gone forever, leaving this gaping void in our lives? WOULD WE HAVE TO START PAYING FOR INTERNET OURSELVES??!

And then, this morning, suddenly, 'SoWireless' was back. Full connectivity and everything, as if he'd never been gone. So Azdadoobie, Ilajna and I have been online all day, in celebration and recognition. It's been 24 hours and it's still here.

"I get my own internet," Seagull had told us, "because I need predictability and reliability."

Well, SoWireless has been back for more than a day now, and looks set to stay. When they come free, predictability and reliability can be pretty flexible concepts.

Keats, our home away from home

What could possibly be the appeal of an old man's Irish Pub? Surely not the dirty restrooms. Or the overpriced food. Or the dubious (and sometimes apparently flatulent) clientele.

And yet, somehow, Keats has wormed itself into our hearts as our regular local.

I step in from the biting cold, to be greeted by hugs from Jackie and Dan, and a "Good to see ya again sweetheart!". Milo and Dub are already at the counter, all smiles and warmth. There's a sense of homecoming.

I know my seat, they know my order, I exchange a mutual nod of acknowledgement with the other familiar faces around. Everyone is a regular here, everyone is a local. There's a sense of belonging.

There's a hundred nicer bars, there's a hundred bars closer to home. But they don't have Jackie and Dan, or the warmth and welcome. They don't have that sense of homecoming and belonging. They don't have the gathered memories of many many evenings past.

Of shared confidences and histories with Dub.
Of wild karaoke evenings with Ilajna.
Of agonising with Milo between the OC and the NC.
Of Azdadoobie's first experience with the Men's restrooms.

Nope, safe to say, for reasons somewhat beyond our grasp and understanding, Keats has established itself firmly as our home away from home.

Goodbye 2005 Part II

It would be inappropriate if we didn't bid 2005 farewell with adequate pomp and fare.

Which is why New Years Eve found all of us at Keats, awkwardly clearing our throats and generally in different stages of preparation for a big night of karaoke.

After several weekends of Keats karoke, we've now mastered the secret to successful public performances:
- Do NOT perform until you have imbibed a sufficient amount of alcohol. In fact, do not perform until everyone else has also imbibed a sufficient amount of alcohol
- Choose a popular song that everyone else sings along to - the more they sing the less you have to
- Dance outrageously enough to distract attention from the singing
- It's great to choose a partner to go up with, with the intention that you will just mime along and let them do the singing; just make sure they haven't picked you with the same intention. Otherwise there will be a lot of embarrassing silent miming.

And so Ilajna and I cut the rug with some of our practiced numbers, singing and jigging and generally contributing to the merriment. This time we outdid ourselves, what with 'I will Survive', 'Total Eclipse of the Heart', 'Angel of Harlem' and 'Livin on a Prayer'. Between these songs, we catered to the straights, the gays, the guys, the gals, the cools and the cheesys. Yep, we aim to please. Faithful as always, Azdadoobie, Caveboy and Adle formed the most ardent fanclub any (aspiring) singers could wish for.

The next morning, as we whipped up a large communal breakfast of scrambled eggs, homefries and toast, we re-hashed the previous nights events squawking in variously hoarse voices. The inevitable aftermath of six hours of karaoke.

Later that day, as we caught up with Inihtar for a coffee, she asked, "So when do I get to come to Keats karoke?!" I beamed at her. This was going to take karaoke to a whole new level.

Goodbye 2005 Part I

2005 was a big year for me. And as we transition (oh it does creep up on you so quickly) into the new year, I'd like to pause a moment to say my thanks to 2005. After all, like a faithful friend, it did stick with me through thick and thin all through ... well, all through the year anyway.

And life really wouldn't be what it is today, without everyone else who has weaved their way in and about, helping to shape, mould and influence in a way I could never have done on my own.

And therefore, some acknowledgements (in the order that they came to pass):
Thanks to Mum & Dad, for pushing and prodding and nudging and badgering, until I finally took the plunge and decided to make the leap across the pond to America. And for being non-judgemental, as I blundered (and continue to do s0) my way through the transition.

Thanks to Ashkay and family, for two wonderful, wonderful months in Toronto.

And a very special thanks to Caveboy, just for being Caveboy. For understanding me, even when I don't. For being the point of solidity through it all.

Special hugs to Rohinton and Jeet, for helping me transition into US life, for introducing me to the joys of the Boken (esp Arsens), and for throwing me the most touching 'Welcome to US' party ever.

And thanks to Inihtar, for taking the leap across the pond with me, so we each had an ally to whine and moan and mumble and grumble with. And most importantly, to reminisce and be nostalgic with.

And a special hug for Macklaine, for being there through everything, even without actually being there. For building the wardrobes. For skating backwards. For using the 'Ajit'. Just for knowing me inside out.

And an especially soft spot for Milo, for being my first 'new' friend in NY, and for sticking by me even after the initial newness wore off. Despite me being me. For introducing me to Tofutti Cuties, MNF and chicken wings. And just listening. And for starting the blurred and interchangeable life coach/coachee relationship.

And a giant hug to Dub, for being the funniest manager ever to be an HR bod for. And for introducing me to Keats. For having a smile that warms your heart no matter how you're feeling. And for an evening of shared secret histories. Here's to a day of oysters and karaoke. ;-)

And a warm thanks to Seagull (not a hug, because when he hugs me, he knocks off my hat), for making me laugh more than I had in the longest time. For being ridiculous and obstreperous. For a 2.00 am walk in the snow. For having friends who each have two names. For knowing exactly when to see through my shite, and more importantly, exactly when to bolster my confidence with a grin of support.

And a thanks to Danby - for the absolute abundance of energy he brings to everything. For forming the HUDT, and allowing me to be President-ess. For somehow always having time for everyone. For giving snoring a whole new meaning. And for all the shared laughs, seahorse drawings, and drinks after work.

And thanks to Big Boss M, for offering me a job, despite all idiosyncracies.

And the warmest, bestest, happiest hugs to Ilajna and Azdadoobie, for being the best roomies ever. For the welcoming hugs home and the warm dinners cooked together. For giggles and gossip and girly confidences. (Mushy mushy). And for memorable movie nights (how could I forget?!).

And to Bart Talula, for all her warm hugs and constant affection. For reminding me again and again why I miss London so much.