Monday, April 22, 2013

Coincidences

Life, they say, is full of coincidences. A truth that manages to catch my fuzzy attention all too frequently at various points in time. 

Now, if you think I am about to start on how my boss used to pick THAT day when I wanted to go off and watch an IPL match to keep me in office with urgent work – think again! That sort of thing is too commonplace an occurrence – bosses exist for the purpose of raining on subordinates’ parades. What would be worth mentioning is a boss who is also packing up for the day in order to watch the same IPL match. Oh! And, by the way, do not exult if your boss is packing up soon – it only means that he is going to load his work on you so that he can go off and enjoy himself! 

These days, one of the major coincidences that I experience is phone-calls. By and large, my friends and family strive greatly to avoid any reminders of my existence and, thus, hardly anyone calls me up. Every now and then, however, they get this sudden optimistic hope that I have shuffled off my mortal coil and ring up with expectations of finding their happy daydreams confirmed. What surprises me is that fact that almost all of them get infected by this unwarranted optimism on the same day. A fortnight passes without my even having to remember that I have a phone and, suddenly, on one fine day I am juggling phone-calls - and grabbing bites in the infrequent intervals - like some Bollywood caricature of a busy tycoon. 

The Suresh-Ramesh sort of coincidence – meeting an old friend by accident – I have mentioned before. I walk down MG Road in Bangalore and, presto, my old school friend walks out of a coffee shop and literally bumps noses with me. What set the icing was that the same chap was standing outside the door of an acquaintance in Delhi and it turned out that the acquaintance was his brother-in-law. Meeting the same guy twice over by happenstance was, I think, a sufficiently astonishing coincidence. (By the way, how many other coincidences of this sort I had missed out because the others ducked out of sight the moment they espied me, I will never know. This chap was caught both times with no means of escape) 

The coincidence that set off this post happened recently. I, normally, visit Delhi around the May-June period enroute a trek in the Himalayas. This time, I had planned a meet with Zephyr. Akanksha Dureja had also fixed up a meet. (The friends who have met me put this enthusiasm to the fact that they had, hitherto not met me in person!). 

What happens? Zephyr shifts base out of Delhi to Mumbai. So, one meet out of the window. I console myself with the thought of serenading Akanksha despite her avowed dislike of music (Actually, that is OK since, when I sing, there are few who accept that what comes out is music). What next? Akanksha Dureja has to go to the UK. Bang go two meets. (Incidentally, I never knew people could go to these lengths to avoid meeting me) 

I am still coming to Delhi in June. Anyone in the National Capital Region hankering for a change of scene?

If you liked this you may like to check out the index of other posts of this genre or read a selection of similar posts.

52 comments:

  1. MG Road has this strange thing about it. You take two rounds and you are likely to bump into an acquaintance.
    BTW you are most welcome at my place in Gurgaon. I am free after first week of June. Will invite Rickie and some others if coincidences permit.

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    1. I'll be there from June 7th for abt a week, Alka! I'd be staying in Kalkaji extension with a friend - let us see how well coincidences permit :)

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  2. Life is full of coincidences, yeah but most of the time we easily forget to notice those co-incidents.. and that suresh-ramesh thing.. it brought me a big smile and remind me of my cousin n I and how people confuse about.. nice read... :-)

    A Rat's Nibble - Is it really a... Coincidence?

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    1. Thanks! These coincidences thrust themselves on my notice :)

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  3. People pluck out teeth, some hair, some shift residences and others run off to UK. What is this effect of meeting you that has people do this, Suresh :-P!Mere saath kabhi Ramesh-Suresh wala coincidence kyun nahin hua?

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    1. Meri kashish aisi hai - ulta kaam karti hai :) Not the effect of meeting me - the effect of the mere thought of meeting me :)

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  4. First they dug holes in their teeth and now they are running away... This is scary!

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    1. What people are willing to do merely to avoid me :)

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  5. don't let anyone know when you are going to visit a particular place. just note down that person's address, appear there out of nowhere and say, "surprise!"

    it was a lovely read!

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  6. Ha ha ! Two are never coincidences - and so I learned from Bourne of Robert Ludlum :) Btw, I was in Delhi in April, so we just missed another coincidence !

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    1. Well! Depends on what those two are, does it not? :) We did miss one didn't we? :)

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  7. :) well I know u all through your posts and comments and replies!!wish I were in the Himalayas or the rape capital around that time .. would have loved to meet someone jiski Kashish Ulta kaam karti hai ... :) dont worry I am straight !! :)nice read !!

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    1. Oh Hey! i only meant that it drove people away rather than attracted them :) I am straight too :)

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    2. thats why wanted to to meet and take tips from u... meri kashish unwantedly kaam karti hai ... phir ghar pe ... jootiyan padti hai.. :)

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    3. You know the grass is always greener on the other side :) Abh mujko maloom padtha ki kyon aisa ho raha hai tho kya main usko reverse nahin kar diya hota abh tak? :)

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  8. I was so looking forward to meeting you. I still haven't given up hopes though. If not this time, maybe when I come back. I hope I'll still be a blogger then. Oh, there is so much I want to take along with me and the baggage limit is not helping. :-X

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    1. Hmm! i remember my sis packing for the USA. She had the same issues too :)

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  9. Ha ha! What lengths people go to to avoid you :) I still have it on my calendar (without a date though) - and yes, plan to brave the music too! :) Looking forward to it someday! Hopefully, I wouldn't add to this list of 'coincidences'!

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    1. Very brave of you to put yourself in for the facing the music as well :)

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  10. Loved the free flowing stream of self-deprecating humour tinged with sadness.

    I have a feeling that what you wrote about bosses and coincidences are enshrined somewhere like the Murphy's Law. Tell me it's true, Suresh!

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    1. Actually all the incidents are true, Uma! Motives - now - that I use as necessary for the humor :)

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  11. haha Suresh...don't worry I'll meet you :)

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    1. Good of you Naba :) Nice to know there are some friends on whom my kashish does not work in reverse :)

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  12. Two hostesses back out on you and your post finds you a third hostess. It will be interesting if she too were to back out at the last minute. Wonder what next. Your fame is spreading far and wide. One day mothers are going to be telling children to eat quickly or Suresh will come.

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    1. Hahaha! They do not merely back out they run away to far off places :) Why, in Bangalore I know of two who even preferred to go to a dentist rather than meet me :)

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    2. I so want to meet you, I hope you know! :)

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    3. Akanksha! That is all in fun. After all, you did not need to first set up the meet if you did not want to meet me :)

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    4. I know! Still can't believe I'll be missing all the fun :(

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    5. Remains to be seen whether there is any fun to miss :)

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    6. haha TF I wish there was a like button for your comment :). Suresh, next one you plan, I promise to be there errr hopefully :-P.

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  13. LOL! BTW, the thing about boss leaving early and giving you his work load is so true. And about phone coming out and going in coma, sadly I don't carry one. I bet, both these ladies would love to meet with you, we all look forward to someone who can make us laugh and who can sing too :D

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    1. Hmm! That's great to hear! So, you mean that they did not change scene merely to avoid meeting me? :)

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  14. Haha! That happens to me as well. Mostly when I travel in buses and suddenly an old friend pops up. :D
    I have meet you twice already, but that was not a coincidence though. Lovely read, Sir. :)

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    1. Thanks Akshay! Are we meeting again this Sunday?

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  15. I wish such coincidences arranged meetings with my old friends.

    Now that you are going to Himalayas,or is it only Delhi;whom do you plan to chuck out from there?Haha!

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    1. I don not plan to chuck out anyone, Indu! It is just that I seem to work like a stone thrown into a flock of resting birds :) They all fly away :)

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  16. You have my grudging admiration. For people to take such drastic steps to avoid you proves you've reached a level of Zen consciousness I couldn't have dreamed of.

    I bow to thee, O maestro!

    Dagny

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    1. For people to avoid me all I need to be is obnoxious - or noxious - as the case may be :) To admit to it - now that takes Zen consciousness :)

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  17. Coincidences may yet happen, Suresh. You could very well meet people you had not planned to meet at all or bump into the people concerned elsewhere. There is a lot of time between now and the May-June period. And the universe works in mysterious ways ;-)

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    1. As I have reason to know - witness the friend who could not escape :)

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  18. The world is after all a very small place Suresh! :)

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    1. Large enough for people to run away to unapproachable distances :)

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  19. Never mind the coincidences. Just enjoy your trip and post about it :)

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    1. Long time no see! When one is scratching around for post ideas, it is not necessary to even enjoy a trip to post about it :)

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  20. if ur travelling by train(which seems unlikely given the long travel time)...i'll meet u enroute at Nagpur....we can trade some oranges for music....

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  21. I had an inkling that Akanksha was cooking something and now you have confirmed it. At least the rest of us can meet. I will bring my camera and tripod and we will click pretty pictures to make Akanksha jealous.

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    1. That's great to hear Amit! Rickie has, at least, confirmed he will be in the NCR - and Alka Gurha has promised to host. So, yes, we can really make Akanksha jealous.

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  22. I wish I could join one of such trips with you guys :(

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