I am heavily low profile. I am not a fancy major
guy. I am a gawky 24 year old. I am rarely on Facebook. I rarely trawl malls
and try out new brands, new restaurants. I avoid pulp fiction and Hollywood
blockbusters don't excite me overmuch. Dating a celebrity is not my idea of a
great evening out. And no, I don't go to Hard Rock Cafes to party or Bahrain
for F1. I don't even own a Blackberry or an iPad. I haven't worn a watch in
days but am almost always on time. And no, I don't consider myself famous,
never did.
Now doesn't this make me the perfect bore?
I worked in one company for my livelihood, wrote
for my pleasure. I walk into bookshops, sit in a corner and read. I roam around
a lot because it allows me to escape the ennui of routine. You can recognise me
anywhere by my faded jeans and white shirt. A grey waistcoat and sneakers
complete the ensemble.
I listen to all music, enjoy them all. From Bryan
Adams to Kishore Kumar to Raghu Dixit to SP. But yes, I love music where the
words touch my heart. I love Sahir and Kaifi. I re-read old classics. But I
enjoy watching Tom and Jerry too. It bothers me when Inception tests my
intelligence, and my patience. But that doesn't mean I watch Kya Super Kewl
hain hum. I would rather watch ZNMD or Kahaani. Mystery and magic are what I
seek from life.
So rarely do I go to parties that people have
stopped inviting me. The company of one thoughtful intelligent person excites
me far more than people in the collective trying very hard to enjoy themselves.
I find the world a charming place, best savoured on one's own or with someone
you love.
Even then I am deadly boring. S&M doesn't
titillate me. Mozart may. Alcohol makes me drowsy. And the current obsession
over food I find gross. I eat little, speak less, grab the passing moment.
Neither greed nor gluttony excite me. I wouldn't notice if Gordon Ramsay was in
the kitchen. It's the person I am with who makes it happen. I never eat alone.
The only food I miss is what I don't get. Ergo, nostalgia food. I miss food
from little known places that have shut down. I remember a city by what I ate
there, usually happenstance street food.
I believe our hearts teach us how to react. A
book, a film, a song may move me to tears at a special moment. On another, they
could leave me untouched. That's why it's so tough being me. You have to carry
your moment with you. Trees, dogs, cats, birds, flowers, squirrels running on
the fence, the sound of laughter work any time for me, and the delight of
walking through unknown streets, empty fields, unseen dreams. I love them all
and wish I could pass on the memories to those I care for instead of the
trinkets we gift each other and so easily forget.
And evolved the JD. And I am not a DJ. The
reticent – boring JD.
