This one's for you Buddy Joey!!

The conversation on the phone...

Me: So how're YOU Joey!
Joey: umm...errr.. I don't know.
Me: I know.

Now Joey's the type who's got a head that throws out thoughts faster than what his vocal chords can handle.. The gesturing, groping for the right words type. But mostly it feels like we communicate perfectly alright!! (though hardly agreeing on everything.. but then, isn't disagreeing communicating?) When he says he doesn't know; he doesn't just not know.. but also doesn't know that he doesn't know.. and when I say "I know..", I also know that he doesn't know that he doesn't know...

I'm sure not drunk today, but heck I feel just as high. Exactly what I'd have asked for after a grueling day at work :-). Thanks for the little chat Joey!

So what if we make an utterly unintelligible exchange at times,

Joey: So how's work?
Me: You know how all of us look for something to blame for the lack of a personal life? My work fits exactly!!
Joey: And how's studies?
Me: Well, it's supposed to BE. And how's your work?
Joey: Well.. you know...
Me: Like what?
Joey: Err.. things are a.... little quiet..
Me: As in? What's everybody up to?
Joey: Err.. busy.. just busy doing something on something they don't usually like doing.
Me: Business as usual then!

Thank all sweet things for the Omnipresent Jack Daniel's! Mine's snug in the cabinet, while's yours's waiting! Go grab it!

Cheers Joey!!

Why Prince Charming Stayed Single...

My dad's a funny guy. After trying the nagging trick with me for a while, he moved to his famous quoting of "I'd be happy even if you married a lamp post!". And when that met with a guffaw, he just had to give up :-). And now that I've to face endless poking in the ribs by bed ridden grannies, arthritic aunts, retired uncles and the odd please-yous; he's even given in to a little sympathy towards me :-) Mostly for my patient hearing and my unbroken smirk!! So the exchange has lately changed to a very knowing, very understanding, very sympathetic, repeatedly enacted scene like this:

Dad (Raising of eye brows): -
Me (Smile + Side-ward movement of the head): -
Dad (Shoulder shrug): -


And then the channel on the TV flicks. Thank God for the interesting ads!!! For without them, the awkward air'd grow thick like the Knorr soup leftover in the bowl lying in the kitchen sink unwashed for 3 days. And'd stink worse!

But on my last visit, the big man had devised a little tactical questioning. Having asked me to join him on a walk, he dropped a line from no where and I had no idea how to react to it! "You know, when I was very young and whenever I'd be depressed and feel lonely; I'd lock myself in a room and dance my own thing to the music until I was all sweaty.". A full two minutes later, he knew I was still mulling my reaction so for the sake of everything we both hold very dear, he attempted a little more direct a question, "So what's your thing when you're depressed?" Wow, what a relief. I made the sheepish admission that I could make the fixtures in my car vibrate with my singing along with the radio! To quote William James, We do not sing because we are happy, we are happy because we sing. And for his amusement, I narrated the anecdote from last week when a girl in the car behind me got exasperated with the time it took to get my attention (and then my lane... :p) that the first thing she did after getting her way was to give me the finger! If dad's face had fingers, I would've seen him twiddling them all with impatience, he he. "What about anyone you might have.. you know, developed a liking for?". I had to remind him I wasn't beyond the particular human emotion we were both referring to (ahem.. relief!), and then again of the dog we had and how he chased his tail at times.... (ahem.. relief no more!) If he ever did catch it, he'd but look all silly on his own!! I couldn't quite make out what dad meant by his blank stare.. Only that it was definitely the moment when we turned back towards home :))

I imagine that must be the look if Bill Watterson had drawn the rest of the strip, where Calvin's dad mocks a story on "Why Prince Charming stayed single" to which his mom retorts: Prince WHAAAT?!

What'd I ever do without C&H!

Calvin: Well, it's a new year.

And I'd say the first 10 hours haven't been up to snuff.

Hobbes: Did you make any new year's resolutions?

Calvin: You bet! I resolved to quit hiding my feelings so much! From now on, the world's gonna know exactly what I think of it!

Hobbes: Yes, you've certainly been the model of self-restraint and under-statement up until now.

Calvin: Well, no more.

...

And I've also resolved not to put up with sarcastic tigers.

Hobbes: If I see any, I'll tell them!