Ramblings Only

This weekend was yet another trip along the memory lane, of good old college days. One of our friends is moving to India permanently. So he wanted to meet most of us if possible, have a mini reunion of sorts. Six of us, including me and DH were able to make it at short notice. My brother had planned to visit us this weekend, so we took him along.

After college most of our class took up jobs while only a handful of us came abroad to study. Since each of us were in different corners of the country, and since we were all newbies still getting acclaimed to the culture and country, and also the first batch of us being too lazy to take pains to organize a gettogether, the first time we had a reunion was two whole years after we landed here. Credit goes to S, our official organizer of every reunion we have had so far. He is one heck of an idealist, I can go on and on with praise for him, but the post is not about that. As it happens he is the one moving to India. He made a decision and stuck to it, I respect him for that. Last year he said he would work in the US for a year and then move back to India. Well, I said that too, but things changed. So while he has stuck to his plan and is moving back, we are still here, not even close to our words.

Our first reunion was in the mid-west in Cincinnati, couple of us flew, the others where there. It lasted for two days. DH, then just my best friend, was the only one with a driving licsense, even though he was the last among us to land in this country ;--). It was five of us, we rented a car and went to Mammoth Caves and downtown of Cincinnati. It was a memorable trip.

The second reunion was last year. Most of us in the Midwest had migrated to the West Coast. Some graduated and got jobs here, while some simply changed projects. Some others flew to visit California all the way from New York. It was a grand reunion, plus a reception kind of, for our wedding, since the US folks were not able to make it to our wedding.

Ok the so called story begins here. We were unbelievabely late for lunch. We left as late as 11AM to bay area, given the traffic it took us almost three hours to reach the designated rendevous place. Of course all of them cursed us, but also forgave us as we were then newly weds. We were about 12 of us. We spent way too much time at the Indian restaurant, until they were almost at the brink of throwing us out. So we went outside and chatted for a long time, while deciding on where to go and what to do next. Of us, only one was from Bay Area, so he suggested we go to Half Moon Bay and chat by the sea shore. It was a fun reunion, I didnt feel odd at being the only girl there. I was seeing some of them after four full years. Some had become thin, some fatter, some looked the same, mal-nourished ;--) One was developing a receding hair line, thanks to his PhD schedule. Later we went to Starbucks for Coffee, chatted more, pulled each other's leg until it was got dark and we chose to take leave.

So when we got this email, this time I did not want us to be late again. So much so, that I was fully up at 6:30AM, nudging DH to wake up also. ;--) We were supposed to start by 9:30 so that we will be in time for lunch at 12:30 ish. We were fairly on schedule, picked up my brother from campus and were on 880 by 12noon. When I got a call. Obviously somebody had to be late, delay the meet. The guys said they had to pick one of our friends from near Oakland and then come to Saravana Bhavan. They estimated that they would be there by 1:30. So to kill time, we decided to visit the Intel Museum. DH was a little disappointed at the HQ of the largest chip maker in the world. He expected something close to Infy campus in Bangalore looks like ;--) It was a nice trip, worth it I would say, brought goosebumps, to think of the advancement that has been made in silicon industry in the last 30 40 years.

1:30PM I get a call and these guys say they havent even started from Oakland yet! They asked us to go ahead and have our lunch. We reached SB at 2PM, booked a table for 7 and sat outside, starving like hell. DH and brother were ravenous. DH thought it would be a good idea to go in and have something to eat and then wait for these guys, as the drive had tired us out. I was angry with DH for even suggesting something like that, quoting the last meeting when all of them had waited for us, when we were unpardonably late. After some half baked convincing, we went in, changed the booking for party of 3, as they said they would not let us sit inside unless all of us in our party was present! Typical! I kind of expected it, given that there was a constant waiting for tables at the place. We ordered yummy slurpy enticing dosas and puris, keeping an eye out for these guys. I was feeling guilty all the while. No sign of them. We came out and we reserved yet another tabel for 7, praying hard the same waiter would not wait on us the next time. We blasted them, as they called and said they were 10 mins away at 2:50PM. The restaurant closed at 3PM! We looked longingly at the place, inside was yummy food to be devoured, and here we were waiting, trying to be civilized for the bunch of folks who had actually had home made lunch already at a friend's place, we were to know later! So we went back in and sat, luckily at a big table enough to seat 6. We made our orders and they waiter said we had to order everything because the kitchen was to close in a few minutes. Just as we were waiting these guys came in. It was our turn to curse them for being so late. And this one guy [receding hairline, almost bald Doctor] joked that the actual plan was to meet at 3PM and they had told 12noon to us, because from the lasy experience, they knew we would come at 3PM only if the scheduled time was 12noon! :--( Of course he was kidding, but still I would never wantedly be late for meetings. After initial accusations and leg pulling, all of us shared what we had ordered earlier, and started chatting away to glory. Initially we did not tell them we had already eaten, and they did not tell us that they had already eaten. And slowly when they observed that we were not really eating like hungry goats, we had to tell them we had our first course not long ago. ;--) So finally, all of us had had a light lunch before meeting and none of us revealed the fact. :--) DH was giving me the 'I-told-you-so' tale, as I was the one who was angry with him for being uncivilzed and going ahead and ordering food while there were others still hungry. :--)So after that, we went bowling. We left at 5:30PM to be back home on time.

Over all it was a nice reunion, although we didnt get to talk as much as we would have liked. Thanks to them for being late! We had a successful reunion for the third time. We did feel like we were all living in different worlds now, only four years of our life holding us together. I am not sure if we would have any more such meetings in US, as our organizer will not be here to organize them.

All the same, I am glad we will have company when we ourselves return to India, which not too far in the future. :--))

As we were driving back, I was lost in thoughts, felt suffocatingly nostalgic. Lately I have been missing a lot of things from the past. I know, I know it is not right, I have to always enjoy the present. I am doing that too! But still....!

We made Bisibelabath on Sunday, and I put my dieting regimen on hold and ate to my heart's content. I was feeling guilty all day today, but apparently dumping diet once a week helps, to kick the metabolism and hence, I had actually lost some weight over the weekend. :--)) So I am all happy now!