on running after one's hat

"On running after one's hat - when I first read this topic, I thought it as an idiom and it could not mean what it means literally. Because English has lot of idioms that would mean entirely different like kick the bucket means to die. But as I went through the lesson, I found it had literal meaning" - my eleventh standard english master Dr. Rajasekaran started his class on a fine monday morning.

The author of the lesson was sad on hearing that London was flooded in his absence. Many people would think otherwise. Though there are lot of worries accompanying the flood, there is lot more to be enjoyed is what the author wants to bring out in his article. For example, we have often heard old people complining about trains coming late. but the same situation excites children who wonders at the lights, sign boards and the other trains at the station.

Similar to these scenarios, people often dont like to chase their flying hat at the beach. Not because it makes them run, but they say it is humiliating them. The same person runs more eagarly behind a small leather ball during games or to catch a bus/ train. If we think there are more interesting happenings while running behind a hat - like it helps his body fit and at the same time gives lot of pleasure to people watching at him.

The same principle can be applied to all small worries in our life. One of the author's friend has problem pulling his drawer as it gets jammed often. This could be solved by thinking of pulling at the tug of war competition. So everything depends on how we think about it. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered, says the author G K Chesterton.

I liked this lesson as narrated by our english master and in every exam I loved to write the summary of this lesson, now too.

[story] gas balloon

One fine Sunday, when I was in Madurai, I went out to buy some groceries. At the shop there were lot of balloons hanging. I realized that it was Christmas time. I added some balloons to my shopping list. With the shopping bag in front of me, it was little difficult for me to ride the bike back home.

After reaching home, I put the bag minus one balloon in the kitchen. With one balloon and the sunnambu dabba I ran to the top floor of our home. I remember that drying balloons with sunnambu inside will make it a gas balloon. I decided to try that out. After applying the necessary chemical stuffs inside the balloon, I dried it with the sun light. Then, blew the balloon. It did not fly as per my expectation. I waited. Slowly the balloon started raising. I held the thread tightly. The balloon moved up with force. Not wanting to leave the balloon, I tied a big rope to the balloon and my body. The balloon started pulling me up. wow! I was flying with the balloon :)

In sometime, the houses looked like match box and people ants. In moretime, I was moving through the clouds. I was hungry - checked my pockets, and found a choc. Remembering that chocs will give instant energy, I took it and ate it. As usual, I put the choc wrapper into my pocket. As time went by I was worried that my mom would be looking for me. Even if the balloon moves down fortunately, I would not land in the same place where I started. The earth rotates and the wind is blowing.

I saw a flight as big as it would be when we see it closer - it should be an international flight, as I am already high enough. still the balloon is moving upward. Now I could feel some kind of difference in pressure. Not sure if it is high or low pressure. My mind thought of physics - With high pressure difference within and outside a balloon, it may burst. As I was thinking the same,
damaar... damaar... the balloon busted. why is there two bursts??

Suddenly an auto driver shouted at me - "did you tell your home before leaving?".
Still I am driving the bike with the shopping bag in front of me.

[story] call from GOD

I was in Houston USA that time, working for HP. One day my teammate from India mailed me that a new girl Mala has joined our office and she is beautiful. This reminded me about Prasad's daughter. I had a good time in USA. When I returned India, I went straight from airport to office. When I met Mala in office, I was surprised, she is the same Mala whom I met first in hotel Germanus.

Few months went by.. People planned for a trekking in our team. I had some other important task for that weekend and hence did not join the trek initially. Then, I heard that Mala is joining the trek as she knew almost all of our team members. Inspired by Mala, I too joined the trek canceling all my work for the weekend :). Our plan was to hit kodachadri peak in kolur. Eight of us traveled in ksrtc the whole friday night and started with the trekking on saturday 9am. During our initial trek, I was telling the story of kodachadri peak to the team (will tell you in a separate story). We had early lunch and started the real trek.

As we moved on we could feel the goodness of nature. We were deep inside the forest with lot of other forms of life. One such thing is the leech. There were lot of leeches getting over our legs and sucking our blood. If we stop by to clear some leech, many more would climb and do their job. One good thing is that it will not pain when leeches suck our blood. Silently they climb over our leg, swell by drinking our blood and then fell down. Hence we had to walk continuously without rest. As it was pouring too we dint have any choice of taking rest also.

Me and Mala were really slow that we could not see others atall. It started getting dark early and the rain didnot stop. We ran for sometime, yet we could not catch others. Probably we have lost our way :( We checked our mobiles if it can help us.. Ooh God, no signal. As we were already tired, I was very much worried about the night. There is no place to camp expect the hill top and we had roughly half hour to reach that spot. If otherwise we are gone. While thinking of the leeches and other wild life I was totally scared. Running out of idea's I could not walk further.

Suddenly her mobile rang. She gave it to me saying the GOD is calling!! I asked her who is God? She told its real GOD. we were surprised. I turned ON the speaker. A divine voice started - "Good afternoon my kids. I am the Goddess Moohambigai. What do you want?". I was nervous as I asked "What is this GOD? We are left alone. We are afraid. We just want to escape from this forest". GOD began... "My dear kids, if you think you are alone, you will be alone for ever. If you think you are afraid, you will be afraid for ever. If you want to escape from this forest, first leave out your fear. Just try with your full energy - full mental energy in addition to your physical energy. If you have full faith in yourself, nobody can stop you...."

Tough it was not an inspirational talk by GOD, it triggered my mind. I multiplied my thoughts and in seconds, I cut the phone, grabbed mala's hand, started running. In next five minutes I was at the hill top where my friends were waiting :) Cooool.

[story ends]
For those who don't believe that GOD spoke to us, assume that those were spoken by Mala. Anyways she is an inspirational girl for me.

aasai

When I started to know about the Indian share market, around 9 years before, I use to follow the price of some company shares. Out of the companies that I follow, there was one company share which was far ahead of other company shares in price and also continuously increasing. I use to think that this company should be very big and the employees of that company are really great. Six years later, I got to know that its infact true when I got job in wipro. Its the same company wipro whose share price I use to amaze at.
Now when I see some company stocks whose price keeps raising, I think about when my company will get listed in NSE and grow like this!!

[story] water car

Thursday morning "The times of India" had some news about Dr. Prasad, my physics professor. I read it with interest to see that he is being awarded by chief minister that sunday. The paper had his address which excited me to meet him. I dint forget to take the paper when I went home friday night. Asusual I slept in the upper berth while travelling to madurai in train number 6732.


Saturday morning, I took our newly bought old omni and drove towards Prasad's home. I was happy to see some new bridges being constructed on the way. That has created some traffice in madurai too. I was not worried about it as I am used with bangalore traffic!! somehow I was feeling very sleepy:) As I reached Prasad's home, I pressed the calling bell and waited. The door opened shortly. I was surprised that Mala opened the door. The same Mala whom I saw in hotel Germanus the other day!


Mala was so beautiful in saree. She just asked me to come in as if she knew me. As I sat in the shofa, Dr. Prasad came - he has become pretty old. After greeting him, I looked at Mala. Prasad introduce me to her, and told me that it is Mala her daughter. Prasad asked me if I want coffee or juice. He turned to Mala and asked coffee for himself. Mala looked at me and raised her eye brow as if to ask what I want. I told, "ditto". She smiled a mile and went into the kitchen. Her face didnot vanish from my eyes.


Prasad told me that he is getting old and not happy with travelling from home to office - hence had setup a lab in home itself. I acknowledged him by saying that the roads are becoming busy and its difficult to travel. He did not expect any answer from me and he complined that he is getting so much of anger these days. I told that I am still in a sleepy mood and hearing some train sound at the background :) He wanted to show me his lab. I wanted to goto lab after having coffee, as I was still thinking of Mala. He pulled me saying that he will show me a car which runs in water. I asked him if it will be like a ship. He replied that it will use water as its fuel. Amazing! I went with him to his garrage (lab).

In his lab, I saw a car hanging at a height of 6 feet from ground. When I went inside, Prasad warned me not to touch anything as the parts of the car are fitted tight. ok. I went below the car and rotated one of its wheel. It came with my hand. ha.. I left it down and ran outside. As I just came out, the car fell and got crashed:( Prasad got angry - frustrated - took the long heavy screw driver and came towards me as if he is going to kill me. I got frightened and shouted "Mala...". nobody came :( Prasad came near me and inserted the screw driver into my stomach.. aaaaaa... The train sound increased and the person in the lower berth woke me up saying that madurai is nearing.

[story] small RamMohan

"ditto", I told.. and the coffee arrived.
Taking the first sip I told, "Dr. Prasad committed a big mistake!". The girl in front of me asked me what has happened. I have never met her till yesterday, but decided to tell my story to her as she was looking good :) I started...
"Dr. Prasad is my physics professor in college. He is a research oriented person who never cares about the external world. Once he has given me 108 marks out of 100 in the lab exams. That day my AC motor was smoking and it never ran after that. He is such an encouraging person for experiments. He has so much of confidence in my brain.. J"

That girl in front of me interrupted and asked me to come to the point. I continued...

"I never met him after completing my degree until last month. Last month he met me near my school and told me this thing - He was doing some experiment in his lab to find a medicine which will keep people young for ever."

"You mean young for ever?" she came to the edge of her seat.

"Yes. The bad thing is he used his experimental medicine with my friend RamMohan. RamMohan became a baby after taking the medicine. And the worst thing is that he is not able to bring him back. We were discussing about that medicine for almost an hour. Then, Prasad had set up a meeting with me to discuss more about his experiment. As I told you, he always believes my brain :) We fixed the meeting at hotel Germanus at 8pm."

As always I reached the hotel well in advance 7.30pm. I took my seat in a table which faces the gate so that I can catch hod of Prasad easily. When I was waiting for him, a young girl came alone through the gate. I could not move my eyes out of her - she was so beautiful. She came straight to my table - I was surprised. After getting my permission, she sat with me - wow. As we introduced ourself - she is mala, the waiter came and asked for the order. Mala told "a coffee please". The waiter raised his eye brow and looked at me asking for my order.

[continuation of the story is at the start of this blog]