Saturday, December 05, 2009

Out to lunch ....

Click the Grahic to Vote Now

Thank you for voting .....!

British physicist Tim Berners-Lee, commenting on the Web, is supposed to have said :



Anyone who has lost track of time when using a computer knows the propensity to dream, the urge to make dreams come true and the tendency to miss lunch.


He may be right about the dreaming. Obviously he was never part of blogger lunches. In Mumbai.



Blogger lunches, like everything else , are getting more and more entertaining

The least of the complications, is the fact that people don't know how the person they have come to meet , looks. Since this was an anniversary lunch meet for us bloggers (the first one was in Dec 2008), many of us were aware of how the others manifested themselves. But this time we would have two new additions. Of the younger generation. And as is customary in situations where the modern generation participates with such ease, these folks were joining in from places hundreds of kilometers away.

The venue, by popular demand, was the same, as that for the immediately previous lunch; a wooded place on the banks of a crocodile infested lake. It may not be out of place to say a this point that we've had leopard warnings in the last 2 days. Maybe they heard about the lunch. Leopard blogs could be next. Who knows.

One of the bloggers, the eldest , was hotfooting it to the venue as she stayed the closest , when she suddenly got a message saying , "I have arrived!". A number, not a name. Wondering who it could be, she kind of accelerated on foot a bit, (no power brakes, no power steering, just some nice windscreen facility of the nearsighted type and limited by a bag she was lugging with her.).

Turns out that the person who had arrived was the second eldest. He had recently retired, and possibly drove faster than his old company driver.

This is the wedding season in India, choc-a-bloc with "auspicious days; this place was adjacent to a wedding venue, and the possibility of guests veering to the restaurant couldn't be ignored. There was a lot of "movement" all around, prompting them both to rush to the restaurant and reserve a table. They came down soon, to anticipate the next arrival.

To their immense surprise, a cavalcade of official looking cars , all in a hurry, drove in. Red beacons on top, police security escort jeeps, guys sitting stiffly in front, with "eyes -front"; one suspiciously tinted ancient Ambassador car, and a bunch of slightly modern cars, just accompanying them ,all driving just outside unposted but specified speed limits, just because they were powerful and free. Could be a Minister, or an MP. Whoever.

Bloggers don't make such drastically grand entries. But there is certainly more variety and grace in their entries. Well, at least in some entries. And some of us look like we don't need any security as such.

While this Director General of some very powerful official security set up zoomed around for some hi-fi conference, he was followed in solitary splendour by one of our most peaceful bloggers, as her car floated in noiselessly, and came to a stop on spotting the two older bloggers. When you follow blogs, you worry when the frequency drops. She had been unwell for sometime, and they were very pleased to see her fine again.

They went up and waited at their table. The other five would shortly appear. Waiters hovering with menus were intentionally ignored. One of them almost tripped over the bag belonging to the eldest, and then prudently stayed away for sometime. Spilling something over senior citizens isn't the done thing. You never know what they would blog about.

Phones rang, folks on their way, stuck in traffic jams, kept mentioning their coordinates. The others glued their eyes to the door.

All of a sudden, a shadow loomed across the table.

It was the marathon HR type. All that jogging and exercising probably gave him a light tread, and they realized his arrival only when the shadow of the abs and clavicles fell across the table. He looked a bit preoccupied. Almost wistful. They let him be. Maybe fried eggs were not a patch on idlis. And pancakes never stood a chance versus dosas. Never mind.

All this while, the last time's virtual blogger, and founder-member of these lunches, who had earned the wrath of his better half when he called us then from Pune (so he could be there in spirit), was in reality, today, on the last leg of his arrival path, through the obstacle path that is Mumbai roads. His lateness could be excused. He was travelling with luggage and after lunch, would go 200 kilometers straight home directly, to have a wonderful dinner with his wife.

For the first time, now, the phone presented disturbing news. One of the bloggers was being held captive at work. By an ad agency which should know better. They were working on ads for Food Courts. And they didn't realize that they were keeping her away from her best inspiration. It was one thing to be considered talented, and quite another to be denied a decent Saturday lunch.

She called to apologize. Maybe the guys in her office need to learn how to value HR . Particularly female. Maybe the recently retired HR type could tell them a thing or two. But bloggers lunches apart, keeping her away from her young daughters on a weekend was totally inexcusable. Not done.

We awaited the new arrivals . Didn't know how they looked. And every time a young lady would saunter by, 5 pairs of eyes would follow. The young ladies continued unperturbed. And no one could find phone numbers. The waiters, decided they had waited enough, and slipped in with the menu lists. Fancy food wasn't really on anyone's mind. Normal traditional food was ordered, and "starters" were quickly refused.

And while the food cooked, slowly the packages came out , with little gifts for everyone. This has always been a fun feature of all the previous blogger lunches too.

Just then a young girl in a sunny yellow top, came up to the table, widely smiling. She had been asked to look for a bunch of elder types with a marathoner on the side, and she hit bull's eye. One of the new bloggers at the lunch, she immediately won over everyone by whipping out of her bag, a traditional mango delicacy from Pune from where she had just arrived. While they enjoyed this stuff, and worried as to the whereabouts of the remaining blogger, it was noticed that the marathoner's hand was slowly inching towards the mango stuff.

But they let him be. He could afford the calories. Maybe it was comfort food. He was very quiet. And contemplating about things. Absent and present.

Lunch appeared, and was dug into by the hungry folks. No sign of the remaining blogger. But Eureka ! the young recent arrival had her contact number, and as everyone dug into their assorted parathas, veggies, dal, rice and raitas, the missing blogger, maneuvered herself in a rickshaw through various northern suburbs of Mumbai, dug up roads, interesting potholes, all leading to the lunch.

Even the waiters were sympathetic. They were almost apologetic asking about the dessert, and were actually relieved when told that that would have to wait till the remaining member arrived.

The planets must have changed configuration, because soon enough , she called in from the building garden, to say that she was on her way up. She arrived , beaming, the Nuest member , finally there. The quorum was complete.

This particular blogger, strangely, is often "First !" on many blogs while commenting. The eldest blogger had once offered to celebrate that with "pedhas"(= milk based celebratory traditional sweets), and was actually carrying a little box of those, which was presented to her. Maybe she had had a late brunch, maybe it was the sudden shock and joy (maybe awe), of seeing the other bloggers, hitherto seen as pages on an LCD screen, but she didn't want lunch. Desserts were ordered and demolished.

The absent blogger, who normally presided, ratified, and divided the bill was sorely missed. They shortly left and descended into a cool cloudy afternoon with a gentle breeze. The new folks would enjoy the lakefront and they walked over leisurely across the slope.

The old banyan tree, which had made light of the swinging marathoner the last time around, looked a bit older. It seemed to have lost a few of its ravishing roots. It looked expectantly at the motley crowd sauntering by. . Hopefully, the heavyweights wouldn't want to swing. Trees had limits even if people didn't.

The marathoner looked wryly at the tree, as the rest proceeded further, to enjoy the lake shore. Glistening waters, hazy shores, some willful hyacinth floating on the lake, and the sudden turn of breeze inspired the marathoner into taking some photographs. There was something inspiring in the clump of trees protectively covering the Devi temple, as it jutted into the lake on a promontory of sorts. Unchanged, unfazed, and constant over more than half a century.

It was soon time to leave. The two newest members, left. One rushed to her folks, to visit someone 25 years junior to her; someone who appears on her own blog, toothlessly smiling at the world. And the other to take a flight 500 miles away. Back into her family's fold, but with a good chance of returning to Mumbai again, professionally. The others walked back to their cars the long way, chatting away.

The smile was returning back on the face of the marathoner. Maybe he remembered someone. Maybe he remembered something. Maybe he received a funny tweet.

Then they saw the box of the sweet mango candy from Pune. Safely and firmly ensconced in his hands.

Sort of ideal for popping pieces into your mouth, while you typed your blog, as someone arrived with a steaming cup of hot filter coffee of the South Indian kind ....

Its been an interesting year. With interesting folks, And its amazing, how the persona that a blog implies matches up with the actual person so well. Which is why whenever they meet, most of these blogging types get along like a house on fire. ........

Soon it was time to go. They all smiled at each other, waved and left. Some to their homes, and some to catch a nice snooze in an airconditioned bus on its way to Pune, 200 kilometres away.

One year over. Many more blogger lunches to plan. Who knows where everyone will be. Some may move house. Some may move jobs.

But the banyan tree will be there, like it has, for the last 80 years.

Waiting.

For someone to come, and swing on it and blog about it again.

28 comments:

  1. So well narrated. Enjoyed reading as much as meeting

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great post. Relived the bloggers meet experience.

    Vivek

    ReplyDelete
  3. yes..i am sure it will wait !

    Lovely post. thanks for the wonderful bag.

    And ofcourse, making me relive the memories of another time !

    'Marathoner' though is making me a trifle uncomfortable. I am just running along with those that have already run it so many times...thats as close as it can get !

    enjoyed every moment ! Thanks for everything !

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wonderful post! It was a very enjoyable lunch, too!

    Thanks for everything!

    ReplyDelete
  5. HK,Vivek, Kavi, Manju Thanks for the comments. And I too had a great time on Saturday at our bloggers lunch. (Try replying to comments while munching Manju's jackfruit stuff . Ahahaha !:-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Manjus fanaspoli was pounced upon and finished by the others and I was left picking up crumbs off the plastic :(

    It was such a wonderful afternoon. I could not stop smiling all day. In fact, after reading your detailed description of almost everything that happened there, I am smiling again. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely Description of what fun we all had. And the best part was the mention of the Banyan Tree which is going to wait for someone to come and swing and make a post out of it...

    I'm really glad that I made it to the meet..though not keeping my natural habit of coming FIRST ;) Honestly,it was a great and such a new experience for me..looking forward to the next meet...8th March sounds great :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very beautifully written. Had to read each word.

    I have also voted. All the best for both categories!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Absolutely fantastic account.. and makes me feel really unlucky to be living so far away !! :P

    ReplyDelete
  11. Enjoyed the post n missing the meet now, when do u ppl discuss all these, I'm game, do let me know, I stay close by...

    Loved ur account n happy all of u had a wonderful time:))

    ReplyDelete
  12. nice time! grt reading abt the meet here and the mango barfi! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nicely written post of each and every minute. I feel as if I was there with you! Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I voted for you :)

    And I loved these lines... I totally agree with these, and I feel if I heard you or saw you help someone taking pictures of spitting people in Pune, I will just know it's you. I feel when we read a blog regularly we know so much about the person, how they think, what they think, what delights them, how quick are they to anger, what makes them laugh... what makes them mad :)

    So I loved these lines...
    "With interesting folks, And its amazing, how the persona that a blog implies matches up with the actual person so well. Which is why whenever they meet, most of these blogging types get along like a house on fire. ........"

    ReplyDelete
  15. How fortunate that you can get so many bloggers together for a lunch. It would be hard here because we are all so far away from each other.

    It sounds like you had a fun time.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I read Kavi's post, and now reading urs...I missed so much..

    btw, what would you have called me here if I had been there? I wonder....

    ReplyDelete
  17. You have a funny photo of you guys , like cartoon characters!
    Always enjoy reading your post. Hope you win!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow!! looks like you guys had awesome time. You are the one in the greenish grey punjabi dress rt? Thanks to our meeting i can still recognise you even if you blured the faces :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  21. G Thank you and keep smiling. I wish I could say, "more fanas poli coming up, " but we finished all of mine...

    NuThank you and glad you enjoyed the meet so much. Actually, nothing is decided about 8th March. I just thought Kavi wouldnt dare call his wife a "blog subject" if we invited her then :-)

    Vinod Sharma Thank you for your comments and also for voting. I guess its your first time here ? Welcome to Gappa !

    Hitchwriter Nu came from Indore. Maybe you can make it another time...

    PNA Thank you

    Gauri Gharpure Thank you, and heres a virtual piece of the Chitale amba barfi for you ....

    Sandhya Thank you.

    IHM Thank you. I voted for you and Solilo too.

    Darlene Thank you Wish you lived closer. We'd be honored and thrilled to have you.

    Neha How about Lady Counsellor ? Or Vakilinbai ? Or "her honor" :-)

    tina Thank you

    Enchanted Your memory serves you well. Do let us know the next time you are in town. We can have a bloogers meet then !

    ReplyDelete
  22. nice .. a blog, a lunch, gappa, you have described the surroundings so well that you have given away the destination.

    the windows seems very familiar. devi temple, crocodile infested lakes --powai ha ? please tell me have they opened up a nice restaurant inside the campus?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Nice to think that the old but young at heart meet like this. Wish it happened in my city too. Nice account.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anrosh It is not clear when you were here last, but there is a building opposite H10(ladies Hostel) now, and this cafetaria/restuarant is on the 2nd floor above a bank.

    let us know when you are here next and we can organize another blog lunch !

    radha Some of us occasionally act a little too young at heart. But its so much fun. Do join us when you are this side....

    ReplyDelete
  25. i voted for you...you ARE one of my fav bloggers :)

    and a splendid account of a meeting...and love the description of teh banyan tree

    and those mango sweets are just too yummy

    ReplyDelete
  26. Kevhacha yeun sangaycha mhantey, invariably rahun jaycha. Was out of the blog world for a whle, but I did vote for you a couple weeks ago. All the best :)

    g

    ReplyDelete
  27. Aww, reading it made me wish all the more that I had been there...missed you all, and of course, that mango delicacy.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Absolutely delightful post about a meeting of delightful people.

    ReplyDelete