Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Guest Post

A few days back, actually a few weeks by now, I was going through a four month period of writer's block. So one day I felt bad for this blog of mine and wanted something up here before it faded completely from everyone's memories. So one day while chatting with this friend of mine, I asked him to write something, absolutely anything for my blog. Knowing him I was sure it will definitely be worth a read even if the content was zilch. I am sorry for the delay in publishing this post. But its a good read even now (though the then-relevant cricketing examples might appear a little untimely now). Over to Abhishek.

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The other day I was bragging to Mr. Banerjee that I quite fancy myself as a writer these days. Well, "basically" I was bull-shitting him, but then he has asked me to write something, anything,... so here I go. The proof of the pudding is in its eating, or in this case the proof of the writing is in its reading. So unsuspecting readers - read on, you really don't know what's coming your way!(Do I??)

Serendipity is a beautiful word. The WordWeb dictionary which is stored in my laptop defines it as - Good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries. I also really like the film by the same name, not least because Kate Beckinsale is in it, but really you can watch it. I mean if you are "serious" enough to read this stuff, then the film is a classic.But coming back to serendipity, all of us get this feeling. Take me for example. You are going back home from school one day and you come across a beautiful girl who just happenned to have won the inter-school debate the previous day. She is super smart, razor sharp with a killer smile and has an aloofness that makes her seem to belong to a different planet(satellite in fact!, right Suhel - its a technical term so one has to be careful) And your life is never the same again. It isn't quite the same again, but not in the way you are imagining at the moment. Or say you are scrutinising advances and come across a big contingent liability.(In simple speak that is a big deal for a professional auditor like me.) Or take this more weird example. You are 15 years old and about to sit on a ropeway(A conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers). These are individual chairs with a single iron bar in front of your seat to lock you. You get up on one of them, very excited. 30 seconds later you realise that the iron bar is missing in front of YOUR chair and you are in BIG trouble. This is an example of an unexpected discovery, but hardly a fortunate one. But as you somehow manage to hold out through the 15 minute journey knowing fully well that a just a strong breeze and its "Good Night and Good Luck"(Hey GC I put this one for you man, you know I love you), you suddenly discover your inner courage, your survival instincts take over and basically you live to fight another day because you want to. And this discovery in the face of adversity is also another form of SERENDIPITY. (At least my version)

And finally since the Pakis are kicking our butts so hard these days, here is a serendipity story from across the border. The legend Imran Khan is at home and opens his TV set to watch a match featuring the Indian and Pakistani domestic champs. He sees a young guy bowling on a flat pitch getting hammerred by the likes of Kirti Azad(yes that is Mr. Silly Point) and Raman Lamba( and he got killed one day fielding at Silly Point). He sees something in the kid, goes over to the stadium watches him... and within days the guy is playing for Pakistan. The kid was Waqar Younis and the rest, as Mr. Banerjee would say with great flourish, is history.

I really can't write any more on one word and without having any good reason for doing so. I hope I have written bad enough not to be invited to write again. Also any complains for a total and absolute waste of your precious time are to be directed to Mr. Suhel Banerjee only. This misadventure is in his blog and is his baby.But just for the sake of it, I am Abhishek, signing off, wishing you all the best.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Imran Khan discovered Wasim Akram like that too and Akram did the same with Abdul Razzaq.

Serenditpity can be very ineresting. How about serendipity in blogs. All that glitters is not gold and all that is gold does not glitter- I have that experience all the time.

And ok, the pudding was not bad.