Obsessed with AGE

Recently I turned 26. Yes, I know. I am on the wrong side of 30! And mine is a typical Indian middle class family. So if you are a reader who has been through the same phase, you'll agree that there is nothing happy about being 26. In India this is the age when your "uncles & aunts" start to talk in hushed up tones, planning and strategising right infront of you. You will often get the same questions from literally any elder you meet, albeit a stranger to you. And I have tried replying to them in all ways possible - sarcasm, straight facts, pleading, and sometimes even dead-silence but sadly none work.

I don't understand what it is with Indians and Age. Right from birth all the activities we do is defined by age and nothing else. Its the age which determined my joining of school and some of my friends had to even fudge their birth certificates to get admission. It was age that determined when I got Brahmopadesham not my understanding of god or sanskrit. It was age that decided when I have to start working not my capability. It is age that will decide when I have to marry not my maturity. It is age that will define when I have to retire not my capability or ability.

Its surprising that for all other purposes we consider time to be cyclical. Be it yugas, rebirths or just handling multiple things at the same time, for us time is always cyclical. The western world considers time to be linear and for them to peg all their lives on age makes sense. But for our society its a paradox thats quite difficult for me to grab.

26 and counting...

Random Thoughts

Lately at work when I exchange morning pleseantries with colleagues I have mostly been asked the same question in reply - "Had your breakfast?" - I must appear either too obese or too frail.

I wonder if the ones I hold the door for, read a label on my face that says ‘Born to Hold the Door for YOU’. I get no thanks not even a smile, ok not even a glance. I have found a way out though, I say ‘You are welcome!’ out loud. That ends up me getting a look, if I am lucky that is. Anyways, I feel good about it.

Due to my stay in Mumbai for the past 2 years I have been doing a lot of air travel. If I am doing a web check-in I generally take the window seat 25A. Gives me a good view of the city when I take off and land without the wings playing spoil sport. Very recently I was flying to Pune from Bangalore. A very excited couple from Punjab occupied this seat that was already alloted to me. I requested them to give it back to me. Mr. Punjab enquired ‘Are you sure you want it?’ I would have given it up if that question was not asked; but I feel guilty all the same. I should have JUST let them be; so sorry excited couple from Punjab.

I ended up waiting on hold 20 minutes for the promised ‘5 minutes only’ that was requested by the Airtel customer care executive when I called to log my complaint for the 3rd time. 5 minutes more for the additional 2 minutes that she requested. I realized it was then time to tell her ‘If you had told me 25 minutes right at the beginning, I would have finished making other important calls after having waited for 15 mins when 2 minutes would be what they would have asked for’ and cut the call. I did say something to that effect subtly and if not exactly but didn’t cut the call.

Whenever I have revisited my blog it embarrasses me. And you?

I was not quite in the mood to make up a story around my thoughts, so I let them be - Random Thoughts.