wats it being 24..

At last or should I say a fairly soon I turned 24. This time it was a damp squib of an event. Truly a low key affair. No midnights wake up calls, (except for my sweet sister who never forgets anything remotely close to me), no cake cutting, no warm wishes from friends and in a way I wanted it this way. I had long ago deactivated my birthday remainders in all the social networking sites I was linked to and it meant to be a test for my friends to show me my worthiness by calling me on the day without anyone reminding them. Lot of my close ones called me up and we had long chats on various other issues but nothing of this surfaced anytime. I was also thoroughly happy and in a big way highly satisfied with the lukewarm response this time. The previous years were all different, the midnight cake cutting, the party on the birthday night (or is it birth night), the gifts. It was fun turning older then. Everyone moved aside with their differences and gave all importance to the getting younger guy. It was “THE” moment under the stars for the birthday basher. It helped everyone to bond further and acted as a platform to show closeness and camaraderie to the birthday boy and among the group in general. The night was party time and it wholeheartedly belonged to the birthday boy and he was licensed to mouth out whatever shit he had to say on anything and anyone. In the company of premium whiskey all with complete humility lent their discerning ears to him. The birthday boy at least for that day was made to feel really special in possibly every sense. At the end of the night, the celebrations take away the lion’s share of ones monthly allotted economy but no one complained. But those good old days have long gone. Now no one has time to remember their own bthdays let alone others.
The night of 8th was really irritating for me. I was for the first time getting the heat of getting older. This time it was not the pleasant things tat came to my mind. I had a relay dialogue with aravi. I shared my uncertainties with him about the responsibility and mature interventions I might need to undertake in the coming years. Life is taking a more serious turn now. The previous birthdays were fun and heady and now it’s more sane and pragmatic. Aravi and faizoo readily agreed upon the point about the transition that one need to follow as he ages. Its always better one takes it not too late. Aravi,faizoo and for that matter most of my friends had already moved onto the serious ways of life. But I hadn’t. It hit me the hardest because the transition clearly showed me my vulnerabilities. I was never serious and responsible and the now the ground realities demanded me to be just that. I felt that I need to traverse a sweeping phase change that itself might be too big.
Morning I was woken up by the phone ring and my most beloved mom was at the other end; I didn’t hide my disappointment in turning older and grimly stated with a bewildered tone.
“ammo.. Am aged 24 now”.
mom was first appeasing me and said wear a maturity cap from now on. Then gave her gyaan on saving money, being more mature and most importantly admitted you should now be on the preparation mode for a fly life. It again dwindled my falling spirits. Marriage means more responsibly without even the perks of better remuneration. I protested back. How can a fellow who can’t look after himself think about the vagaries of a life long association with an additional burden? There was silence at the other end. I thought mom was patiently hearing my protests but she was in the meanwhile figuring out her age and was taken aback by her newly found age. So two unhappy souls bridged by a phone line. With despair and a bit of dismay mom gave a chakara umma and gave it to my father. If you ever wanted to see someone symmetrically opposite to me see my dad. Physically, temperamentally, socially and in all humane parameters he is a known opposite to me. He also started with a warm wish and settled on to serious chores and a bit sarcastically told even if there is no traces of maturity on your face keep yourself reminded of your age He even sprinkled in with a dose of personal trivia of the kind of activities, roles and responsibities he handled when he was at my age. Unsurprisingly it only made me more sick at myself.
There was some respite at the office front. I still hold the record of the youngest guy in our division. So even at this age I feel am smaller there at office. The HR unfailingly sent me birthday mail and so were hordes of others from colleagues. The director then came along and gifted me a bouquet of red roses and wished me well and as was the norm asked the same boring question: what was the plan for tonight? I gave the default answer “not planned”. He was happy with the answer and rushed off to his cubicle. All mere superficiality.
At the end of the day I was getting myself more prepared to the bigger battles with life ahead. This birthday in many ways drew battle lines with me and the parable called life. I penned a set of new resolutions and pasted on to the wall and I was now very much focussed of being serious from now on. I began to realise that my actions from now on would be closely monitored and any follies would be never taken lightly. So I surely on his voyage to manhood.
P.S.
Resolutions
Talk less. Act more.
Make myself stronger. Upgrade from the featherweight category.
Read better and more.
Be calm composed
Be focussed
Crack cat or mat or xat or snap or any good entrance and enter into a premium b school.
Walk more. Don’t have grudges. Call up ur frnds more often. Always keep on doing something. Write more blogs. Smile more. Take every problem with a stoic mindset that “this too shall pass”.Love me more. Be anand!!!