One Knot and Two Friends

(25th July, Day 44 of 112)

Yesterday was one of the more interesting Saturdays I’ve had in a long time. To begin with, a wardrobe dysfunction had me testing my will power and more. Then there was a train ride which I enjoyed more I than imagined I would (the heat and people stepping on my feet included). I missed the local train when I left Bombay you see.

Anywho, a cab ride followed taking us to a familiar place through totally unfamiliar roads (much to our delight). This city just has to be loved I tell you. On reaching our happy place (read: favouritest shopping area) we prioritised. We went in search of a shop to repair my wardrobe dysfunction. And when we found the one shop which would supply us with what we needed, we left the old man behind the counter totally bemused (and a little more cheerful I think. We spread joy. Yay).

Having given my will power a break, and then satisfied our hunger pangs (ah!), we went hunting. Starting from one end of the shopping mile (to do the whole thing systematically you know), we went all the way to the end. And back. And then we did the same thing again. Three times. On the way we stopped and checked out earrings, bags, tee shirts, pants, more earrings and even some watches. Oh and there was the footwear shopping which was almost half of our shopping trip. So there was me with my kolhapuri chappals and indecisiveness about what to get (finally buying both pairs I liked. Eh. I’m not going to be in Bombay for several months now, so might as well indulge right?). And then there was the friend who spent a good amount of time figuring out what sized floaters were right for her- much to the exasperation of the sales-guy and the other friend and me. Finally, and after checking other shoe stores as well, we went back to the first store, flirted with the sales guy and made a purchase.

There was only one thing left to make this day complete – a mad dash to the station and rushing to get to a train to take us across town in time to catch a movie scheduled to begin in about an hour. Sounds impossible? Nah. This is Bombay baby! All is possible if only you’re prepared to get into a super-crowded local train and get out while it’s running.

Ah the joys of this city.

Ps: When I say wardrobe dysfunction, I mean dysfunction. Please to note and not confuse with malfunction. That’s best left to fashion shows and anorexic models.

Dry Feet

(Day 28 of 112)

Ever since the rains officially decided to hit Bombay, the same day as I landed here about 2 and a half weeks back, I have managed to not get wet and/or stuck in a traffic jam courtesy water logging. I have even avoided being a victim of mud stains and car splashes courtesy rude drivers.

In another time (when I was less cynical and more easily pleased), much time was spent walking in the rain (and no this is as non-romantic as it gets), enjoying watching other people scamper and flee the water as though it were acid. A lot of time was even spent travelling in the rain. Forced choice and all that since it was either leaking, overcrowded trains or overcrowded never moving from one spot on the road bus. But since we were seasoned travellers (experience making us wise beyond our ages you see) we always carried a Mumbai Monsoon Survivor Kit*, complete with food, phone charger, extra money, plastic bags and socks.

The plastic bags were used to put wet umbrellas in since we were considerate and didn’t want to drip water over people around us, and also to spread out on wet train seats so that we didn’t have to sit in a puddle, the money and the food were for survival and to bribe taxi drivers to take us through water logged areas, the phone charger just in case and the socks so that at least my feet could be dry.

This was very important. Nothing is more annoying (to me) than wet feet or even worse, wet socks. They (the socks) get all horribly squishy and make funny sounds when you walk. The feet feel cold and clammy and get prune-like wrinkles all over. And over the years I’ve realised that no matter how long I spend in the rain (voluntarily or just stuck there), no matter where I am once out of the rain (in the classroom or at home) and no matter how drenched I am, it can all be made ok if only I have dry feet.

So here’s to being smart and staying indoors this monsoon and of course, dry feet.

* - This is different from the Mumbai Monsoon Survivor Kit for people travelling in cars. That includes a heavy object like a hammer or dumbbell to break open the window in case of flooding and jamming of the power-lock systems. It also includes a torch to look for the hammer under your seats. But that’s another story.

Train Art - II

Going through my pictures i realised that along with ads for everything from cookery classes to ear lobe stitching there are also ads offering massages (done by a 'decent boy', any time at reasonable rates) and free friendship for 'mens' and 'womens', any age in any city.

Who needs Orkut/Facebook/Mindspace/Hi5 so on and so forth when you have...well...Friends466!!!!!!

Train Art

Travelling in Bombay local trains for nearly a decade now one gets immune to the smells, the crowds, the sweat (your own, not others’) and the graffiti inside the ladies’ compartments (all of which is graphic and mostly badly drawn)! What one doesn’t get used to (and I mean it in a positive way) are the advertisements people put up in the train compartments.

They are an art form in their own right, what with their handwritten phone numbers, bad grammar, even worse spellings, and an assumption of knowing what the public wants!

They offer everything from cookery classes (Rs. 1000/- mein Chinese, Tandoori, Moghlai, Breakfast food, Chocolate desserts and other courses, Icecreams, Cakes, different types of biryanis and much more.) to ‘Elongated ear lobe repair without stitches’. They also come in various colours, from boring white to bright green!!

Recently there were these small envelopes stuck in the compartments, over the seats and near the doors. They simply read: ‘Take 1’. Everyone looking at them would think, take what? Several of these people (including me) took a look at what was inside the envelope out of sheer curiosity (and the fact that I was forced to face the envelope near the door owing to the fact that I was being crushed by the weight of some 50 women behind me!). What better way to advertise?

I personally think it’s the best and cheapest form of marketing – who needs ad agencies when you can do it with a copy machine, a bottle of glue and local trains?

[Note: This post is not considering the morals of sticking material in trains, which can be construed as vandalism. The author is just appreciating individual ingenuity and good marketing strategy.]