Oh crap ..

Twas 2 in the afternoon, hardly anything to study for tomorrow. Would be lying if I said that I hadn't been planning on making this trip for the past few days, but something or the other always turned up. Determined on getting off my lazy bum this one time, threw my cap on and set out in the scorching sun. Was just off the ramp when I realised I had come out in slippers - just for the record I love wearin shoes - so you can imagine how awkward it felt ;) If at this point I went back to my room it would have been virtually impossible to convince myself to get all the way down here again! Ah what the hell, set out as I was, to be honest felt liberating to break a norm. Waved to a rickshaw, got turned down, and again, and again, till I finally gave up and set out on foot. Hafta say I never realised how freakin' long the red brick boundary of the campus is - kept walking but it just would not give up following me everywhere ! Passed a juice vendor, he'd diced a pineapple in a way that it looked like one of the couture hairstyles that could easily be paraded on the ramp of Milan or Paris. :P Stopped by a book vendor to browse through a few second hand reads - guess what, apparently all he's got is 'fantasy' novels - so gave 'em a pass. Do NOT judge me okay ! ;)

After about a 10 minute walk along the road, I could hear voices - well shrieks, screams, yells, and a few swear words in tween. I cannot read Gujju, but looking up at the banner to the entrance of the run-down building with fading blue walls I could easily make out the words 'handicapped' and 'disabled'. I drew closer to the entrance, slightly bent forward, slightly wary of whether I should be poking my nose too far into their premises - I guess curiosity got the better of me. All I could get a glimpse of round the corner of the gate was a couple of young boys jumping up and down frantically celebrating what appeared to be the fall of a wicket. My feet moved further into the foreign territory, unable to control their anticipation. A chalk drawing on one of the raised pedestals mimicing a wicket, and on the other side of the compound two bricks on top of each other, it was easy to make out that cricket was in progress. Its been a while since I rolled my arm over, so obviously all the more reason for me to stay. Simply stood there watching a bunch of kids, some of whom couldn't walk properly, some who appeared to be a little mentally weak, some with an arm missing and a fielder on the boundary with crutches. Nah I won't preach any sermon on learnings of life coz to be frank I don't have any. I just enjoyed watching them play, have fun, and celebrate without a care in the world. When was the last time, I wondered, when we as healthy people had so much fun ?! Am proud that I was so engrossed in their game that I actually applauded the fall of another wicket :P It was 2:35 already - time to move on since the heat wasn't getting any less punishing.

After another 15 long minutes walking down the dusty road I finally reached the destination I'd set out for. Yup, am gonna call it a destination for what else do you plan for over a couple of days ?! ;) The place wreaked of the typical fragrance of medication embroiled with beauty products - Planet Health - that's where I was. Normally I'd be glad to be greeted by two charming young ladies at the entrance asking me whether I needed any help looking for something, but this one time I'd wished they'd not been there!! Told 'em that I'll manage and was just looking around. C'mon you just don't go telling people what I'd come for - its a lil weird :P Finally reached the counter where everything had been neatly arranged to bring out the aura associated with the stuff. But alas, was life ever easy - there stood two of 'em - behenjis - bent down looking at things what I can only hope was for their daughters and not for them ! Looked as if two cows had come down for a nice afternoon graze :P I ambled up and down the galley, wondering how to squeeze tween the chitter chatter and grab hold of what I came for and get the hell outta there. The way I kept looking at that particular section, even the salesgirls got suspicious and sent a salesboy over, again to ask me if I needed help. As usual, I declined. I even tried staying close by at the closest counter, just to sneak in whenever I get the chance and then scoot, only to realise it was sanitary napkins! Can you even imagine the look on my face when I turned around just to see all three salespeople just LOOKIN at me. Grabbed a chocolate bar, put a crumbled 10 rupee note on the payment counter and swivelled outta there as fast as I could. My ears had gone all red, body itchy, and heart beating like a freakin' steam engine. Took me 15 minutes of walking back to the institute before I calmed down. Wasn't long before I reached the same blue walls again that I was calm. Don't know why but wanted to see those blokes playin still, and was a lil disappointed to see an empty compound. Its weird how small things grab your attention and when they disappear you just feel kind of weird not having them around.

Strolled back at a leisurely pace to those engulfing red walls, again to drown into the silence of the muggers. In case you're wondering when this happened, it was about 2-3 weeks back, and as far as the 'stuff' I went for is concerned - was a face scrub!! ;) I know - guys - when will we EVER learn ?! :P