Sunday Afternoon

I was supposed to go for a boring presentation at 1:30 in the afternoon. Got a
call from LL. Also got a call from couple of other friends who were planning for
a little trekking and swimming in woods. Got another call that informed that
the presentation would be postponed.

So I went. It was a lovely afternoon. A mansoon kind of afternoon. Hopped into
our cars with chilled beers and drove towards the woods. Since I cant mention names
here, here is peek into the crowd. One guy is a Mumbai based Musician. (worked for
several movies. His Ex Wife is Ex Mrs India). Couple of French Couples. Couple of
locals, us and this woman, Saveena. I have to tell about her. She is a Gold medal winner
in Fine Arts, a Herpatologist, assistant director to Ram Gopal Varma, made several
TV serials and acted in couple of movies.

We drove into a small village. She got down and gave instructions to the locals
for the preparation of some food. We had to walk to the lake. Oh by the
way, there is this snake catcher Raju, his Bengali wife and their son Tin Tin.
Also this boxer dog named Boxy.

It was P (the music guy) who jumped into the lake first. I followed him. When
I was in the middle of the lake I have realized that I have over estimated my
stamina. (Always happens).

By the time we finished swimming, the weather changed dramatically. Fierce winds
and dark clouds around us. It was such a lovely evening. There was a huge
rock where the ones who didnt know swimming sat. By the way, there was this
Telugu movie hero (who is also a son of a great singer) and his sister. They
were stoned.

Saveena: "Lets go for a trek."
I: "Did you say f***?"

We all went. Suddenly, Raju (the snake dude) jumped into a crack and came
out with a snake. He showed it to us. Saveena took the snake from him.

I: " Saveena, Saveena, I want to hold it."
Saveena: "It has a nasty bite. It will be very painful. You can touch it but cant
hold it"
I: "No, I want to hold it"
Saveena: "Not this one buddy. I will give you a good one to hold."

I touched the snake for a while and felt like one of those dudes on Discovery.

They left the snake back. We trekked further. We reached a small cave kind
of thing. "Saveena's ass wouldnt fit in there", I thought. But somehow she
managed. We crawled and saw light on the other side.

One of the French guys (David) was wearing a Patan dress. He and I wanted to
explore a rock. We climbed it.

I:"Dude, you dont have an ass. Whats wrong?"
David:"I trek a lot. I have no bum. They call me a goat. So, I goat no ass."
I:"Huh".

We reached back. Weather was over whelming. Huge dark clouds. Great winds.
The lake looked fantastic. Me and the ass less goat got carried away. We left
the group and climbed further.

When we reached the lake back, we were dead tired.

Food was ready. Beer was ready. I watched the sky for a long time. It started
raining. In that pitch dark rainy night I felt like I was part of the nature. I
felt like a beetle in cow dung. I thought couple of Haikus for myself

Rain, rock, lake, wind,
beer, food, friends, night and
creatures. Thank you God, but
who do I share this with?

Rain, you have the earth,
Rock, you have the fossil,
Sky, you have the clouds.
Who do I have?

They served food in (on?) leaves. I ate half of the food on the leaf and another
half on the rock. After food, while sipping gin from the ass less Goat's gin bottle
I asked him,

"How do you pronounce Joie De Vivre?"
"Jooooo the Viiiiv"
"Is my life still Joooo the viiiiv without a soul mate?"
"You have no her?"
"Answer the question, Goat"

Goat paused and pondered thus,
"It can be. Love the lake. Love the snake".