What's going on???

I haven't posted for a few days, so apologies to my dedicated readers for making all of you bite your nails until bloody and raw...

well, i finally got to eat at an agreeable meal at a restaurant in columbus, where i met one of my cousins for the first time. I had a rather tannic and drier-than-usual zinfandel for starters, ordered by the glass, by my cousin, who seems to have a soft spot for wine. We got talking, and rajeev learnt of my passion for food and cooking, and subsequently offered to set me up with an internship in a good place in Columbus. It's an offer that is too good to be true, but i categorically told him that i'm going to count on him to help me out, sooner or later.
It was a welcome change, from my uncle and aunt, who were less than enthused by my career choice. I'm not too happy with the way they opined with me and my parents about how this career was a dead-ender, and how it would lead to an income of a paltry $50,000 a year. Of course, i'm sure in their long lives they've seen many instances where people like me ended up in a less desirable situation. But that doesn't give them the right to dismiss my chosen path, and suggest that i do something else....like medicine. Frankly, that offended me outright. I considered it as an affront to my right to choose what's the best for me. That was an extremely naive and digustingly elitist statement, and just for a fleeting moment, I hated them for it.

When i lay down to sleep that night, i realised that what i was feeling was probably a knee-jerk reaction. I contemplated that since they really had no idea about this line of work(a fact they confessed themselves) they were really not in a position to guide me. I still feel bad about what they had to say, but i'm not going to let this affect me, and like a cheap meal, let it pass.

As i was saying, rajeev was quite supportive, and even stepped in when i was being offered similar constructive criticisms by my aunt, such as, "son, don't smell everything" and "don't express yourself with your hands"

Come on people, who doesn't want to savour the full aroma of a lovely california pinot noir?? who doesn't want to sample the full spectrum of sensory input offered by a beautifully prepared filet mignon?? trusting just your tongue is like trying to talk after a shot of novocaine has been injected into your jaw. there's just so much more to food than taste.

anyway, i traveled to detroit the next day, and met our old family friends, the Prinjas. After the cavernous maison in springfield, the prinjas' modest apartment was like a meerkat's underground habitat on the serengeti...in a most welcome way. I felt royally pissed the next day, because i couldn't get to meet a friend who was quite close by, and instead went to a mall...bloody hell. the next day was scheduled for our attempt to get into Canada, an endevour that could be expected to end in both ways.

and finally, we did win the race. This kid is a bunch of fun, and i could never imagine such a compact package could make so much noise...the people at Bose need to see this. he's huge for a 19 month old, and looks like he's three.

Reporting from Springfield

Hello all...

i'm recovering from the sprained neck at a brisk pace in the rolling green hills of Springfield, OH. I'm now able to walk without looking like i've got a 2-foot steel rod up my derriere, which is what i had to do for a couple of days, in order to limit the movement of my upper vertebrae.

My uncle and aunt live up here in this mini-mansion sort of place, in this secluded suburb flanked by golf courses and lightly-wooded meadows. The decor is mainly Baroque-inspired, with sprinklings of italian and a dash of contemporary where needed. Their Drawing-room is the sort of place you'd expect to pay a fee just to peek inside. Loaded to the gills with items such as crystal animals, metal statuettes inspired by the tale of Moses, the very essential Lladro porcelain showpiece(What is it with us Indians and our obsession with useless porcelain?) and other baubles, it's the kind of place where you'd have to sit like a statue yourself in order to fit in.

The rest of this pile is more practical, in the sense that you're not afraid of sitting anywhere, lest you break a priceless artefact. The kitchen is well-endowed, the baths are quite fine, and the bedrooms are just right. The real beauty lies on the outside, where the fall season is painting the land with vibrant colour, and every morning presents a differently-hued vista. Throw in a nice little river, and it would be perfect.

This trip is also getting to be profitable gastronomically. We had our dinner yesterday at this all-mexican outfit, where i ordered a sort of steak(bad choice, i know) the rest of the food was quite good, but my order wasn't really up to the mark. My aunt very helpfully pointed out later, as i was finishing my dinner, that this isn't really a good place to eat steak...good timing.

Our lunch today was at this little Boucherie-cum-deli, where i had a decent slice of beef encased in a rather nice sandwich, accompanied by a nice coffee. The place is a chain operation, but the food was of a high standard, someting not usually associated with food chains. later we got ourselves a good sourdough loaf, which tasted really swell.

Later on in the evening, i'm going to see my 8-year old nephew and possibly meet my cousins(one of whom i've never laid my eyes on ever) and finally do some shopping.

Music- N.F.A.K- maye ni ma jogh fareed de jaana...

BANG!

Hi everyone...

Just thought i'd let you know, i met with a little accident yesterday....

i took the unwise decision of bicycling down to the Sodhi's place at a time when most car-owners dare not venture out. To make things a little spicier, i decided to take one of the darkest, most desolate roads in the city. And to top it all off, i decided to ride on the left side of the track, instead of the right, since it would help me avoid the scary traffic intersection ahead.

All was well, until an Austrian guy on his bike, like me, on the same dark road without any form of lighting whatsoever, came down the path at roughly 40 k's an hour, about my speed as well. We didn't quite see each other until our bikes and bodies collided head-on at full throttle. I felt no pain at all, just a mild shock, and kept repeating "bad dream, bad dream, Wake up, godammit!!"

I fell into a ditch not a metre from the wire fence built to keep the crocs and snapper turtles out(i did hear an investigatory splash in the reptile-infested waters though) while the Austrian lay at the curb groaning. i got up instantly, and went over to his side, asking him if he was ok. He replied, "vot happened?"

at which i gave him a brief treatise of the relevant events. He said that the could'nt get up, and despite my efforts to get him onto his back, it was too painful for him. I whipped out my pocket flashlight and began flagging down cars, none of which stopped. Instead a sheriff arrived on the scene, followed by an ambulance. By now, the pain started to set in, and i sat down. i was strapped into a neck-brace and laid onto a back-board, and taken to the ER.

of course, i was wide awake and alert(rather, super-alert) and i called Bart, Nikhil and the Sodhis to let them know of the situation. They arrived at the hospital soon after iwas wheeled in. After a few X-rays, it was clear that my neck was just severely sprained, and no broken bones were to be had. The doctor prescribed some painkillers and sent me on my way.

The Austrian, whose name is Manfred(Von Richthofen??)who turned out to be a guy in his fifties, was really hurt. He broke his collarbone, and possibly a rib or two as well. Nikhil took the details from me, asking if the guy had a light on his bike, which he didn't, and told me not to worry, admist rising concerns of a possible law-suit.

As the Irish may say, Me neck's fucked, man.

Funnily enough, there was a constant musical score to this whole episode, namely Mozart's horn concerto no.9, a rather cheery piece, which played over and over in my head all the while.