For all those who thought MTV was cool:

Well for all you know, I have become sincere. I always arrive before my project guide and usually leave after him. This is also due to the fact that most of the days he isn’t here (he’s been in office only 2 days). On the days that the sun rises from the other side and he decides to come he doesn’t arrive before 11 flashing his red bandana that perfectly matches his ear ring. He considers himself the dude of the place but has competition from others just as annoying as him.
The only saving grace is the coffee and the glimpses (shameless stares) of the good looking VJs that sometimes turn up. Have been trying to get an appointment with the CEO secy for two days and she always sweetly turns me down everytime.

Sharing my train compartment with freshly caught fish and drunken men adds to the stimulating atmosphere that I have been exposed to here. My beer consumption is now down to 2 bottles a week. This has many reasons. One of them is that it costs as much as gold, and the measly stipend does not permit me to have it. Beer is now luxury.I have to travel by bus to the nearest theka. My long journey back from work ends in my room where I meet my marvelously awesome rommie, who is super obsessed with sex and London. So you see my circumstances have completely changed me.

On the weekends that I do plan to travel and see this financial capital of India, that has left me bankrupt, I realize that there are billions like me who wanna do just the same. The trains are a
warehouse of people whose only purpose in life is travelling in trains. The trains come equipped with an automatic push and abuse machine. All you have to do is stand at the entrance and wait for the train to stop so that you can get out. The friendly gestures of men and women behind you make you wanna jump of it even before your platform has arrived.

To add to my fears, there is Jo. I really feel that I will lose my friend, or atleast he will be completely changed. His soul has been deprived on the very basic things in life. He hasn’t had a bite of paranthas for more than 20 days. The kids at Shivaji stadium shoo him away when he goes to play football. His evenings are spent standing in the stadium waiting for a ball to come his way. He tells me that he now manages 5 kicks a day. He getting weaker by the day and there is nothing that I can do, but pray.

When I think about it, my life here has just begun. Or it has just started ending.