My Crushes

Whenever I see the antics of the young hero in a song from 'Sairat' "Yeda Lagala" [ I am possessed ] on any music channel [ it's being run on one or the other Marathi channel throughout the day ] I go back in times more than 50 years ago. I too was a gawkish teenager educated in all-boys school entering the coed Junior college with too much baggage. After going through medical education I am now aware that what puberty is all about but when it really was catching up with me I was flummoxed as any other teenager in that age. Whatever was done, was done out of sheer innocence and was nothing but the surge of hormones, about which I came to know much much later. Categorically I must put it down here that in those years of innocence, 'Sex' was last on the mind! At least in my case ! Yes, of course, there was a lot of curiosity but the actual act was never ever on the mind. [ Here I am talking about normal middle class lads, not psychopaths]

Hardly 16, an encounter with the opposite sex even for a chat was like a huge conquest. There was this dusky girl with dove eyes from my class  I fell in love with, for the first time. Whether it was love or not, that too I did not know at that time. But it was some unusual special feeling.  Her first 'Darshan' in the day, created a vacuum in the pit of tummy, full with ample butterflies making the heart to run faster. Was it anxiety, was it is feeling of missing or longing for something unknown, I don't know, it's so unexplainable, words really fail me!  Now! Though very short for my height, the word 'Petite' would describe her aptly, she was the cynosure of all the eyes no doubt, but in my eyes, she had special place. 

To have a passing glance, almost clandestine, at her bench as soon I used to enter the class to ascertain whether she has come or not, was a daily ritual. And it was mutual! If she wore something new I used to convey only with the nod while when I tried to be debonair she made it amply clear by the delicate gestures of the fingers. That innocent undefined attraction was so engulfing that once I followed her in my home pyjamas up to her home on the bicycle ! Thank god I was not caught. Once I had to bunk the college for something, next day she met me behind the college building and asked,' Why did you not attend the classes the other day ?' And like a vacuous gas-filled egoist [ but innocent ] male of the species I had said, ' Why bother ?'. I must have been the fool of the century! Being from two totally different socioeconomic backgrounds and me being fully aware of my shortcomings whatever that was between us, was destined not to make any progress in any direction and over the years after parting ways, which was natural, our paths never crossed again in life though we were educated in the same field but from different colleges. Even now when I remember those days. that feather-soft feeling of calf love caresses the heart fondly!

She used to stay in the next building. My second crush. And right from the beginning, it was a doomed affair and I very well knew it, but ' Yeh Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin' [ This stupid heart does not listen to the reason]. She was beauty personified. The complexion was so flawless that as if made from the classic transparent Italian marble, light wheatish tan like colour, oblong heart-shaped face with wide brown eyes, well heighted almost coming to my shoulders, gait full with cheerful bounce, that made her ponytail toss in the air every time she took a step! Still, a student studying for my last year M.B.B.S. she was distraction for the studies. She too was studying and used to attend the classes riding on a mobike.l As soon as I used to hear the whoom of her bike I used to abandon all my studies and rush to have the glimpse of her. Not her alone but my mother too became aware of the things. ' Stupid' she, my mother used to say, 'Study first !' And she, the beauty,  used to be annoyed at the most! Because she was already married to a guy, the brother of her friend! She used to complain to her husband about my innocuous flirtations and he used to advise her, ' Don't bother !' It ended automatically when they changed the residence! Many years later when I attended a wedding in Pune,  I was made to sit next to 'The Husband' for luncheon! I could not dare to ask him 'How's at home ?' even as the courtesy talk!

No, the list is not unending. But there is this third one and the last one, the crush before I fell in love with my would-be wife that I married.

I was doing an internship at a district civil hospital and this girl was an NCC cadet in a college opposite the hospital. Few encounters and I asked her out. As it was small mofussil town she did not come, probably did not dare! I was like wasted. Not angry but to ask the reason for making me stand I reached her home. And I was perplexed. I was having numbers and had forgotten to carry the specs and I just could not recognise to whom I was talking to! She had an identical twin sister! Another fiasco of crush that did not run its full course. 

I left for Mumbai then, for my higher studies where I met my present wife, I mean the only wife, but that's another story. Later some time !. 

Olympics

Before I put down a single note about how I purview Olympics, 'Down with Shobha De' and alike. She is habituated to put her foot in her own mouth repeatedly, so no need to pay any heed to her utterances. There is saying in Marathi that 'In the 60s your wisdom takes a crooked turn.' So apt for her!

I don't know but the London Olympics were not watched that keenly in India. May be Rio the name itself carries more glamour than the old outdated mare, that is London!

So many events, that time table did not have enough space to watch every which one. But got to see many events where fellow Indians were trying hard, shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts from the other parts of the world.

I don't know why but the beginning for India was dismal. All the shooters raised our hopes or was it just the hoopla created by the press? Gagan Narang, Jitu Rai, Abhinav Bindra Chain Singh just came and vanished. except for Bindra, who secured 4th place. But Is he really Indian? For the most part of the year, he stays in Germany, I am told!

On the contrary, the women archery team showed much promise in the individual event. And I though a layperson felt that our own Bombayla Devi or Deepika Kumari were no less than any archer from anywhere in the world, but as you say, Right man at the right time at the right place. maybe it was not in our stars! Yes, they definitely showed the spark by having arrow hitting the ten many times!  The concentration was perfect, the skill was above normal, the dedication was up to the mark but...

My heart goes out to Deepa Karmakar. A lass coming from deep, mostly neglected interiors of India, getting training from the tender age of five, reaches the finals in gymnastics, a field or event so far practically unheard in India, in itself is a big, very big achievement. Here again down with 'Shobha De' and alike. She vaulted so gracefully that medal [or no medal] was immaterial.  And yes I feel, maybe biased, or seeing from an Indian point of view, in the world arena, Indians are looked down upon and so the doubt about judges being partial can not be set aside, just like that, it's really A point to ponder. Secondly, I feel our coaches,[ mostly non-Indians, but again  Indians even ] do not put our point of view forcibly or register a resent,  a fact that was observed with both the hockey teams when penalty strokes were being given to the opponents. So though India got penalty shoots for four times, for obstructing the game unabashedly Germans were never reprimanded.

Lalita Babar, Dattu Bhoknal tried really hard, but all the efforts did not bring any results. But the efforts really showed. Definitely, it was not, 'Khao, Peeo, Selfie Nikalo, and come back home' for them !. Here I would like to raise a point, maybe debatable but" Do we as a race, are fit enough for such types of events, where stamina along with personal strength and skill counts to the last 'T'." Because if you see our race from the subcontinent, not only Indians but Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Nepalis, even for that matter Pakistanis were conspicuous by their absence.

It has been conclusively proved scientifically beyond doubt that because Ethiopia is situated at the heights on the equator, her residents have peculiar haemoglobin that utilises oxygen more effectively so all the marathon winners, well mostly, are from Ethiopia! That haemoglobin helps them to do the feat.

If you take the events where agility is required along with finesse and dexterity, the 'Yellow' race always dominated, be it the table tennis, the badminton or the gymnastics!  Saina Nehwal or Sindhu may be making inroads lately but are at the most, exceptions.

Where plebeian raw energy is required in outbursts Blacks are ahead of all. You just can not think of any other colour winning the hundred meters sprint! 

Michael Phelps proved the point beyond doubt. His supernormal torso gives him so much of advantage over the fellow competitors that it is well nigh impossible to outdo him till he himself bows out due to age or lack of stamina.  

Do Indians fit in the pattern physically?
But the problem does not start or end at that. All pervasive 'Babu' nepotism overshadowing the merit, pure merit is another typical Indian problem and that's the big hurdle between India and the medals !.

P.S.

In my last blog, I had mentioned about the attitude of today's Indian youth. We lack motivation, zeal, zest, discipline, dedication, you name quality and we don't have it. To be a super-powerful nation in all respects we not only need these qualities but many more. When we were young, we were raised on PL480 wheat doled out in limited measures on ration. Sugar used to be in such a scarce supply that wedding receptions were unheard of. Our generation was practically wasted in making both the ends meet. Now the situation has changed. There is money, easy free-flowing money. So has come along, the arrogance, the power and the feeling that everything can be bought with money. Yes on Indian soils but not at international levels where it immediately becomes apparent that our feet are made of clay!

There is no short cut to merit, dedication, discipline and efforts!

Youth

India is entering 70s. and why I am still feeling that many a thing amiss. 3 incidences I myself went through. 2 recently and 1 way back in the 90s.

After hectic monsoon schedule, I and my son both doctors went for a movie at multiplex nearby our home to relax. Late late-night show at 10.45 PM. Jason Bourne. The movie is an extremely fast-paced crime thriller, not allowing you to have any distraction least you miss some dialogues. And there was this girl, from a group of say 4 or 5 youngsters in their early or mid-twenties started using her mobile to send some message. Her seat was diagonally opposite to mine, so in that dark, the glare of her screen started bothering me. It was directly hitting my left eye and I then was unable to concentrate on the screen. I was about to say something but my son prevented me, saying, ' Better sense will prevail on her, wait'. She was not bothered about what was going on screen and was totally engrossed in using her mobile. But no, better sense did not prevail, she went on and on. I had to interject, so I asked her to put her handset off as the glare was bothering me Without really meaning she said 'Sorry' and put her phone off. Within minutes it was interval and she started giving me, explanation, that was not asked for. It was some urgent message she had to pass on. I really don't understand this stand. If you are that busy just don't come for a movie and bother others. I said sarcastically, 'Was the message that important that somebody was asking your yes to bomb Pakistan? In that situation or for that matter in any situation, no matter is that important, otherwise, you weren't in the cinema hall in the first place!' And as if the hell broke loose. Her partners in crime rushed to her help almost pouncing on me. 'But she has said sorry'. I retorted,' Really? I feel it was only lip service !' The fracas went on till one them asked me to shut up. I had to say' I am your father's age and this language ?'  Arrogance, nothing but arrogance! The 'Sorry' was so fake that had it been real, the verbal skirmish that followed, would not have occurred in the first place! He said something but by that time I had realised it was waste to put sense into their heads. So stopped from my side.

My complex has a beautiful gym with attached spa and swimming pool. Though in my mid-sixties I regularly visit the gym to stretch my legs and have few laps in a turquoise blue pool. Another day I found a lad from the same age group, maybe even younger.  playing football, in the GYM! The gym has mirrors on all the walls. And he was toying with the ball [ meant as a handover ball for stretching the waist ] just next to a mirror. I had to shout at him.  'Uncle do you want the ball, have it ' was his answer! Nowhere the tone of remorse but the sense of being caught! I said This is Gym and not Football Stadium. If you really want to play, go outside and play.' Another shocker. 'But everybody plays' I started losing my temper, this lad without being sorry about playing football in the Gym was shamelessly arguing about it. I said, 'You should be sorry to play and say such things to me !'
 'Who are you and why should I say sorry to you?'
I really lost my cool and shouted at him' I am a responsible member of this society and I have every right to stop you from doing mischief here.'
What he was made of, I really don't know, but he simply said, ' I am not bothered'
I had to call the manager and expunge him. Later he asked me' If simply saying the sorry was going to end the matter why did you stretch it so much, I say sorry' 
I was really aghast! Again shameless lip service. Defeatedly I said, 'If you are the youth of today's India, I don't see any future for her.'
It reminded me of an incidence when we were travelling on Eu rail from Rome to Nice as backpackers way back in the early 90s. The train served as Dombivali slow for the day today travellers after it entered France. The name of the station I still remember 'Ventimiglia'. A group of students in the same age group as abovementioned lads and lasses had boarded the train to reach early morning session of school in Ventimiglia. All were typical teenagers. Bubbling, talking incessantly, and pulling pranks like any other teenagers.
The railway line was meter gauge and the platforms of the station were not higher than the knee height. Anybody could have jumped the lines easily and reached the main entrance /exit that was 3 platforms away. Our train came on platform number 3. So only two platforms to the main exit. And sparsely crowded station with no train in next an hour or half. But none of those weird-looking kids crossed the lines from above. In the neat disciplined manner, each one of them climbed down the underpass to reach the main gate still kidding around with bubbly effervescence of teens!
And we cry why India does not get any medal in the Olympics ?