My retreat
This morning when I woke up,I needed some time to figure out where I was.I had gone to Atlanta to meet up with my brother and frankly, the trip did me more good than I would ever care to admit to anybody.Well lets start with the day I arrived.My brother and his friend (lets give everybody names.This friend's name is N and my brother is P) picked me up from the airport.N had bought a new car that day and P was driving it as N was not very confident of her driving skills.My flight was late as there was a two hour delay in Memphis.But anyway we reached home.P had a cake ready for me and I was told to cut the cake again(it was my birthday) and we had a round of eating it.I was hungry after my "exhausting" journey from my place and as usual was hungry.Now P's fridge is stocked with a lot of things but the moment you want something to eat,nothing much which I can eat was there.So we resorted to making Maggi. After eating up all the Maggi and cleaning up the place,we decided to sleep early(it was already 2:30am, but it was early for P!!!).
The next morning (as is the case everywhere), I woke up early and somehow managed to wake up P much earlier than he is used to. I can write a book on the joys of tricking people into getting up early.We made coffee and got dressed and ready to go to his school.He had some work he wanted to finish.Now,P has seven eggs every morning.I hadn't eaten anything the whole day.So P was generally feeling guilty and flustered.P and a friend of his C jr(Trust me on this...there a two Cs and this person I'm naming jr because he is a newer friend of P as compared to others.) had decided on dining at a chaat corner called Chatpati as C jr's mom had come over.So guilty P and I went there with Cjr and mom and another friend,S.I don't remember all that we ate, but I was just dying to eat some Indian food and I was really pleased to eat chaat. P's good friend C sr who was working in a town called Charlotte was coming over. So me,P, C sr and S decided on going to a movie. We were joined by two of P's roomies,R and Pa.The initial four of us had gone to watch 'The Inside Man' and the other two to 'Mission Impossible-3'. The movie was alright, I guess.After the movie, C sr who was complaining from the time he came that he was hungry insisted on wanting something to eat. So we went to this all-night diner, the name of which I forgot. P had planned on going to a small town called Helen, close to Atlanta the next day. He was inviting anyone and everyone to come along. We (by we I mean, P and his friends) made plans in the diner to "set-up" Pa with a girl. Now, I am thinking at some point, Pa might have made the mistake of telling these guys that he liked that girl. This bunch planned out to exact precision what will happen the next day between Pa and Su!!! P, the diplomat forever went along with the plan. Poor Pa, his leg was pulled so much that I'm amazed it did not come out unglued!!!After eating, we decided to crash early as the trip was planned for early morning.
The next day N was driving on the interstate for the first time. After all the "yes,no,may come,may not come" ,there were twelve of us who went to Helen. To give N due credit, she drove pretty well for a first timer.Although, I cannot resist saying this, due credit should be given to P who patiently told her what to do all the way.There were four of us in the car- me P, N and G and "no music".When we reached Helen, C sr gave me a showpiece of an elephant and her child.I don't know when he bought it but I was very surprised to get it from someone I had met hardly for a few hours. All of us had a splendid time in Helen, what between poking fun at N and her driving and at C sr and egging six of the party to finish 4 pitchers of beer!!! We played miniature golf at Helen, ate large ice creams and generally lazed around a bit. By the time we reached Atlanta, it was quite late and all of us and some more, decided to eat at the Hot Wok. Here too the scene was remniscent of the afternoon with more leg-pulling. The day ended with drinking chai at C jr's house with plans for the next day made.
A trip to the temple was planned the next day followed by a visit to the mall. P,G and me went in his car and spent the entire day in temple followed by the mall. As I know of P's shopping capabilities, I knew it will take us a lot of time.In the evening, P took me to Saravana Bhavan and made my day by treating me to really good South Indian food. This was my last night in Atlanta and the next morning it was time to leave. C sr who had left the place by then called up and told me to send him a rakhi every year.
My impressions of the people I met was good and I had said so to P also. But the most striking thing I felt was how P resembled my uncle so much in action as well as in looks. P and I had long talks and this was the first time I saw him in an environment where he was not with family. P takes after my uncle in that aspect too as the friends he has made are right for him. My trip to Atlanta was an eye-opener of sorts to me and I am glad I went. Looking forward to a retreat soon and hope I have as much fun as I had this time.
The next morning (as is the case everywhere), I woke up early and somehow managed to wake up P much earlier than he is used to. I can write a book on the joys of tricking people into getting up early.We made coffee and got dressed and ready to go to his school.He had some work he wanted to finish.Now,P has seven eggs every morning.I hadn't eaten anything the whole day.So P was generally feeling guilty and flustered.P and a friend of his C jr(Trust me on this...there a two Cs and this person I'm naming jr because he is a newer friend of P as compared to others.) had decided on dining at a chaat corner called Chatpati as C jr's mom had come over.So guilty P and I went there with Cjr and mom and another friend,S.I don't remember all that we ate, but I was just dying to eat some Indian food and I was really pleased to eat chaat. P's good friend C sr who was working in a town called Charlotte was coming over. So me,P, C sr and S decided on going to a movie. We were joined by two of P's roomies,R and Pa.The initial four of us had gone to watch 'The Inside Man' and the other two to 'Mission Impossible-3'. The movie was alright, I guess.After the movie, C sr who was complaining from the time he came that he was hungry insisted on wanting something to eat. So we went to this all-night diner, the name of which I forgot. P had planned on going to a small town called Helen, close to Atlanta the next day. He was inviting anyone and everyone to come along. We (by we I mean, P and his friends) made plans in the diner to "set-up" Pa with a girl. Now, I am thinking at some point, Pa might have made the mistake of telling these guys that he liked that girl. This bunch planned out to exact precision what will happen the next day between Pa and Su!!! P, the diplomat forever went along with the plan. Poor Pa, his leg was pulled so much that I'm amazed it did not come out unglued!!!After eating, we decided to crash early as the trip was planned for early morning.
The next day N was driving on the interstate for the first time. After all the "yes,no,may come,may not come" ,there were twelve of us who went to Helen. To give N due credit, she drove pretty well for a first timer.Although, I cannot resist saying this, due credit should be given to P who patiently told her what to do all the way.There were four of us in the car- me P, N and G and "no music".When we reached Helen, C sr gave me a showpiece of an elephant and her child.I don't know when he bought it but I was very surprised to get it from someone I had met hardly for a few hours. All of us had a splendid time in Helen, what between poking fun at N and her driving and at C sr and egging six of the party to finish 4 pitchers of beer!!! We played miniature golf at Helen, ate large ice creams and generally lazed around a bit. By the time we reached Atlanta, it was quite late and all of us and some more, decided to eat at the Hot Wok. Here too the scene was remniscent of the afternoon with more leg-pulling. The day ended with drinking chai at C jr's house with plans for the next day made.
A trip to the temple was planned the next day followed by a visit to the mall. P,G and me went in his car and spent the entire day in temple followed by the mall. As I know of P's shopping capabilities, I knew it will take us a lot of time.In the evening, P took me to Saravana Bhavan and made my day by treating me to really good South Indian food. This was my last night in Atlanta and the next morning it was time to leave. C sr who had left the place by then called up and told me to send him a rakhi every year.
My impressions of the people I met was good and I had said so to P also. But the most striking thing I felt was how P resembled my uncle so much in action as well as in looks. P and I had long talks and this was the first time I saw him in an environment where he was not with family. P takes after my uncle in that aspect too as the friends he has made are right for him. My trip to Atlanta was an eye-opener of sorts to me and I am glad I went. Looking forward to a retreat soon and hope I have as much fun as I had this time.
1 comment:
I enjoyed this read as I know all these A, B, C and D you mentioned! Come again sometime and you will meet another E! :)
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