Saheb's Birthday Bash

    In the present scenario, "Old is Gold'' proverb looks only good on paper. In practical life old is taken for granted and new is given the royal treatment. It also applies with our old friends. Bringing all your old buddies under one roof is categorised as a huge achievement. As it turns out to be bloody difficult. You can't reach a consensus with all. Some one or the other surely misses the bus. It's not fair enough to blame someone for not coming as everyone has their own problems or personal obligation's whose gravity we might never know.  So the organizer should always gulp the disappointment pill ASAP and get back to normalcy.

    I face this situation almost everytime. Being the only party who co-ordinates with everyone while arranging a get together, most of the times I face setbacks. I have seen lately that people aint just interested in them. I never see the enthusiasm, the excitement which I feel about meeting everyone. It's not necessary everyone should feel the same way. We talk about being in touch and sending a not-so-interesting-forwaded-message is definition of being in touch. So as the rains started pouring for 2014, our traditional Bhivpuri Road picnic talks started making the rounds, or should I say I initiated them. And like everytime, after informing 18 people. With 11 responding positive a week before. The figure turned out to 4, few hours before our departure. Not before I had packed my bag, charged the camera and was evaluating options for what should I carry for the lunch. So this disappointment forced to submit resignation to myself for not arranging any more get together.

     Two days after that, Vinay's would be calls me up and asks for arranging a surprise party of him on his birthday. I wasn't out of the earlier dissapointment and here I have arrange another one. Well, I couldn't deny as that was the first time we spoke. I said I'll try my best.

    It was like coming back to square one, starting the process all over again. Total 6 people had to be informed. Call everyone to tell them about the program. With those usual words, Be free on that day, Mark your date, Please don't cancel etc etc. This work was done some 20 days before the event.

    There wasn't much talks in between and all the movement started a day before the event. We had to first finalize a location. Now the protagonist was working in Andheri and was scheduled to leave at 2pm. I was told that Rohan & Vinay both were working. And that Rohan was going to reach Thane station by around 6pm. Now protagonist was fine with Thane, Vinay & Rohan being in Airoli and Vashi were in a convenient position for Thane. Me Shweta & Shivraj also had no issues. While Pravin was not coming. So on majority basis I couldn't take the venue to Western suburbs as that would have been easier for Vaishu to give a visit.

    But facts changed on the day of the event. Rohan & Vinay both took leave. Now the majority could shift for any place in Western suburbs as Vinay was supposed to meet the protagonist at Santa Cruz. But before I could initiate the codes for change in location, Vaishu called up and said that she is coming to Thane and will be making it to the event. So now there wasn't any change necessary & Thane Viviana Mall was finalised. We were suppose to reach at 6pm.

    At 4pm on the day, Vaishu informed that she wont  be coming because of some family commitments while Shivraj said he is working. Now the final count was 3. I asked Rohan about how will he be traveling to which he replied going directly by rick. So I called up Shweta and decided to meet around 5-530pm at Rmall.

    I left as per the schedule. While in transit I got a message from Shweta that she will be reaching the venue directly by 7pm. Now that was weird situation for me. I left home on time so we could meet as per decided. And now I was sitting alone at the bus stop of Teen Haath Naka. Time was 520pm.

    As Shweta was not coming so I decided to reach out to Rohan as I cant go alone, that wont be any surprise. Now to add to the misery, Rohan was not responding to my call. I was completely perplexed at that moment. Many thought juggled in my head at a time. Is Rohan not going to come? What if Shweta is not able to makeup? How will the protagonist feel of the must awaited day being spoiled?

    The mind sees what it chooses to see. So I decided to distract myself. Overhearing conversations, watching the passing by traffic. reading bill boards almost anything to keep my mind busy. And out of the blue moon Rohan called up at 545 saying I am on my way, and where should I pick you up.

    That was indeed a huge sigh of relief. We both reached the venue at 610pm only to realise another surprise was their for our waiting. The protagonist phone was switched off.

    Now What? I mean are we going to call up Vinay and ask where are you dude? We have come to surprise you? After all the efforts, if this is the end then everything will go in vain. So we settled ourselves for some seconds & decided to take a try and search them in this vast ocean. It was same like searching a pin in grass.

    The usual suspects. We started with the food court. Assuming they might be sitting for some snacks after a long afternoon. Well, it was not possible for just the two of us but that's all we could do. So we just started making the rounds. Rohan was saying, Dont stare, we might have to face the public's wrath. Then suddenly I got a call from an unknown number. Thank God, it was the protagonist. They both were on the ground floor near Shoppers Stop. So me and Rohan started our downward journey. When we were on the ground floor, Rohan said, "No, we gotta go further down. This isn't the ground floor". I saw some people roaming their and assumed he might be correct and took those steps only to find us reach the Basement.

    Vinay was getting impatient. He was out of his house since morning. Getting bored on the birthday, he was telling the protagonist to go home so that he can come and meet me at my place. Now his impatience was making the protagonist lose patience as they both were sitting on the same place since 515pm. And there was nothing that the protagonist could ask to stay for some more time. So finally the protagonist took Vinay's phone, on the pretext of calling some friend, and gave a call to me.

    I was already cursing Rohan for bringing us down at the basement. While going towards the escalator to go up I got a call from Vinay's phone. I was completely confused. I told Rohan, what should we do now? He says in jokingly, "Ask him where he is, we are coming to surprise you". We laughed it off but ignored that call. In that process we reached the escalator which will take us back to ground floor.

    While coming up I again got a call from Vinay's number. Now, I just gave a thought that this might be the protagonist as Vinay doesn't calls back to back. So gambled and I attended the call. Was relived when it was not Vinay on the other side. The protagonist gave us the exact location and fortunately we were also coming in the same direction. She was saying, "Look straight ahead". But I couldn't see as there was a huge crowd being the entrance of the mall. After going few steps ahead, I finally saw them. Vinay was facing the opposite direction and we both suddenly came and stood before him.

    Finally, the surprise was complete. And the efforts didn't go in vain. Vinay was indeed very much happy to see us. Shweta joined us by 7pm & he we some food and donuts.

    It's a different feeling you get when you do something for others. Making them know that your are the special ones. I guess I was just happy to be a small reason to bring smile on the brithday boy's face.

Happy Birthday Vinay
Ps: Vaishu & Pravin, I missed you both.


SR.