A different morning

There was something different about the air that day.. It was unusually cool and it somehow felt very fresh. As Niku walked down the pavement, she felt as if her legs were carrying her by themselves.. she just couldn't feel any effort being put in. Morning wasn't her favourite time of the day, what with the alarm, the unbearable journey to work and the idea of a long day of hard work, but this morning was different. It felt like breeze blowing in her face.. and it wasn't only because she wasn't going to work today.

What lay in store for her? Was he going to say something.. say something special? It couldn't be.. she had known him for quite a while now - he was a nice guy, decent and cheerful - but they were always friends. But then again, she was attractive and single, and so was he.

The red skirt in the display window of 'Bold' caught her eye. She wished she were wearing that skirt right now and the white top her mom had bought her. She checked her watch.. she had no time to stop and shop right now.. maybe later. She thought back to the last conversation they had had, and a few more before that. There wasn't even a hint of romance in them. They'd talked about movies, about travelling and painting. She'd told him how she wished she were doing something more interesting with her life than reading laws, about her secret desire to work in an ad agency. She remembered the way he smiled cheekily that time...

What indeed was so important that he asked her to take the day off and see him in a cafe?! He said he'd change her life today.. that he would show her something today..or did he say someone? He seemed in a hurry to hang up.

She smelt the faint fragrance of fresh flowers as she passed the florist. Somehow the city looked more colourful today. She looked up at the sky, it was clear and blue.. bluer than usual. Actually it was bluer in the place she looked than elsewhere. She looked closely, and noticed that it was getting even bluer there. Strange.. it was dark blue in a spot, and the blue faded outward.. then the dark blue spot started getting bigger. And bigger.. no wait, it seemed bigger because it was getting closer.

Then, she understood. From out of the sky, this thing emerged and protruded out towards her. Sort of a reverse whirlwind in the sky, with the pointy part pointing towards her. Then suddenly, the tip opened. Then it opened wider, and even wider. Then, a large three eyed monster, made of jelly flew out with outstreched tentacles, picked her up and disappeared inside the thingie. It then closed and disappeared into the sky.

अशीच एक गंमत ...

With apologies to non-marathi readers.

अदिती माझी मोठी बहीण
बहीण कसली मास्तरीण
बालपण माझे केले कठीण
धडे शिकवूनी १

आगाउपणाला नाही सीमा
विरोध केलात तर करेल खीमा
नाहीतर करेल तुमचा मामा
हसत, नकळत २

केली माझ्यावर दादागिरी
पडली पटी-पटीने भारी
आवाज मोठा आमच्या घरी
केवळ तिचा ३

Tough-love म्हणे म्हणतात ह्याला
दूर गेल्यावरच अर्थ कळला
तेच धडे आता येती कामाला
रात्रं- दीन ४

अदिती माझी मोठी बहीण
बहीण नव्हे बेस्ट बहीण
पुरे आता खोटं लिहिणं
भिडू म्हणे 5

For the love of Depreciation.

Have been away from the blog for many days for a couple of reasons. One of them is that for a long time now, I haven't found anyone or anything to mock. The world is turning into an uninterestinger place everyday... very few jokers left (thank god for IIM Bangalore).
But today I decided it's time for change. Why be so negative all the time? (We already have communists to fulfill that function) Why not honour someone for a change?
Today, i dedicate this post to the glorious profession of accounting. This is in honour of the Chartered Accountants in India.

CAs have made a great contribution to this country through their work in accounting. Ketan Parekh (who i think made crores on the stock exchange), Shekhar Kapur (makes movies), etc. <--- (this last word means that I know many such examples but choose not to share them with you). CAs also have great linguistic skills. The other day, I asked this CA colleague where he lives. He said he lives in Thane, which is considered to be in Mumbai, unless otherwise specified (section 34 of the Bombay Rent Control Act, 323 BC read with Mumbai jurisdiction rules as specified by the Registrar from time to time). I have never heard anyone speak ancient Babylonian so fast before! This holds true for all CAs. I was once umpiring for a cricket match, and had to make a narrow boundary call. The CA fielder explained that the ball fell in the area appurtenant to the rope thereto and such area, inter alia, is deemed to include the area not included (as part of custom) in the ordinary course of business in the play area for a reasonable period of time. His team won the match convincingly. Mind you, CAs are also very interesting as people. I was talking to 3 CA friends just the other day. I casually enquired about their respective passions in life. Pat came back three replies, and the variety which they encompassed was mind-boggling. Such varied interests in life in such a small group! One said section 54EC, Two said accounting standard 18 - Related Party Disclosures (I knew someone would say party!) and Three said Reduction of capital under section 100. WOW! I can go on and on in praise of this great profession, but I have to stop somewhere. Because, after I finish writing, I need to go read that newest exciting clarification published by the institute on treatment of deferred taxes in case of impairment of assets in incomplete period financial statements. This statement of mine shall not be deemed to mean, unless otherwise specified, that I do not have interests which are significantly different from, within the meaning of the General Clauses Act of 1822, those specified in the third Schedule of the Public Interest (Meaning and Interpretation) Rules, 1943. Did I mention my former profession, by the way?