Today working in America for a top American company(General Electric) is just that --working! But in the years 1994-1998 while i was doing my degree that was inconceivable . And even i after joined my present job it remained more of an illusion !
August 19th arrived last year and i arrived late , very late (late afternoon hours)at office and my boss was annoyed -- that's what my colleagues informed me . After meeting him i could make out that he was also annoyed because he'd been searching for me since morning . "....and you don't have much time " he warned . And may be it was already too late for me.I'd to fly across seven seas (I didn't count them ....i was asleep on board !) the very next day. Oh Gosh!

                  I left my office, collected foreign exchange.....Hmm borrowed some money .Untimely boarded the local in rush hour and was back at my apartment in a record time. There I started getting panicky like a lost warrior. To my pleasant amusement my roomie was back at our place early, rather earliest i could think of. "I've to leave Bombay tomorrow "I declared . Where ?...."The US of America " I was trying out a smartact miserably ." Hmmm..."he said in a Zenlike coolness "Finally !" .He was a frequent flyer . No doubt it was cool for him and i consoled myself " moreever how could he possible gauge my excitement ?" He continued unfazed ....again Zenlike "You need to prepare a lsit of what all you need to take from here.....spices, 6-7 pairs of undies(not the spicy ones for me!), medicine....mane Hajmola,Pudin Hara,Crocin...ye sab....warm clothes..." I interrupted "But i thought you are not allowed to carry more than a certain weight " again trying to act smart and again undoubtedly faling in that ."This won't amount to more than 40 pounds even...i mean pounds and not kilos " he corrected me and he knew that was a smart answer ! .And the list continued "....tooth brush, agarbati(kabh kabhi poja bhi kar liya kar) ...pressure cooker, frying pan.." . "Hey hey stop why of all the things pressure cooker and frying pan....i'd look like a ninny...no not me..." i beg to say i'd to interrupt .He continued as if it was part of the long never-ending list " you don't get them there and you have to take them along if at all you know cooking. By the way do you know cooking? If no ....Well go and get married now to a girl...take care that she knows cooking " and i was clean bowled. Plump.I decided not to let myself look like a fool and atleast remain silent even if I won't be listening anything."Pressure cooker , frying pan " kept coming to mind as if they were demons...."go and inform your parents about this" I suddenly heard this and i knew the list has come to an end.But no "yup! also don't forget...."and the list resumed......

                                            The list ended .It'd to end .It could not have gone on for ever. And now whenever a friend calls me up to inform he's flying abroad ,I smile and start "The list...." . These things help sustaining yourself abroad. Remind you of your roots back in India . The pressure cooker feeds us here !

                                                                                                                                     zulu