Gatsby's Gospel

Jordan Baker instinctively avoided clever, shrewd men, and now saw that this was because she felt safer on a plane where any divergence from a code would be thought impossible.
She was incurably dishonest.
She wasn't able to endure being at a disadvantage and, given this unwillingness, I suppose she had begun dealing in subterfuges when she was very young in order to keep that cool, insolent smile turned to the world and yet to satisfy the demands of her hard, jaunty body.
It made no difference to me. Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply - I was casually sorry, and then I forgot.

The Great Gatsby
- F. Scott Fitzgerald

Dogs are better . . .

Of all the lists I've seen this one is my favourite & slightly customised by me.
1. Dogs don't cry.
2. Dogs love it when your friends come over.
3. Dogs disposition stays the same the whole month.
4. Dogs never need to examine the relationship.
5. Dogs never criticise.
6. Dogs don't want to know about every other dog you've ever had.
7. Dogs agree that you've to raise your voice to get your point across.
8. Dogs don't expect you to express yourself.
9. Dogs don't care if you forget things.
10. Dogs are excited every time they see you.
Great, huh?

360 Degrees

I came a full circle yesterday. The journey which started on the 16th of August, 1999 reached a major milestone on the 19th of September, 2009. My very own dus saal baad!

Notes on Nose

I don't remember when exactly I started sketching side profiles looking towards the left. What I do remember though is that it was during all those boring lectures in school & college.
In school time I used to do it on the back pages of my class notebook. I used to draw other things like cubes, elaborate geometric figures which I used to meticulously shade, cars, trucks etc. Amongst all these side profiles formed a sizeable bulk.
During my college days, or lectures to be more precise, I went on with my free hand sketching on the margins of my notes. Dental Material being the deadest of all subjects brought forth my artistic talents in first year. I expanded on the side profiles, added different age groups, hair styles, ears, eyes but the nose more or less remained unchanged. Except for kids of course. 2009 May ending I went to Leh. There in a cafe at dusk I was sitting with Ayush facing the entrance. Suddenly the light went off and the candles at the tables provided mellow lighting. Just then a woman entered with her husband and 2 daughters. Slim, dusky, around 5'2", early 30s and very bengali. There was something about her which seemed very familiar. She sat facing me on the next table. I racked my brains for school mates, neighbours, college mates, train journeys, weddings, patients but couldn't place her anywhere nor could get over the feeling of familiarity. Made Ayush take a look but even she was clueless about her identity. The fact that even she was looking towards me made it all the more frustrating.
Then all of a sudden she looked to her left . . . . . . . the epiphany hit me like a bolt of lightening, the face/nose I had been sketching all these years was right in front of me!
Delicately curved tip, straight bridge, floor at a slight inclination, narrow nostrils, at a perfect junction with the brow and the upper lip. In my excitement I pointed it out to Ayush but she obviously was both clueless and bored by my weird excitement.
So now what are you supposed to do in such a situation? You just can't go over and say "Excuse me, you know I have been drawing your nose for years. I am glad that we finally met. That is your nose and me."
So like a chicken that I am I just sat and gapped at her nose while she got all flattered by the attention.

We move on to today i.e. 28th of August, and today again I saw a nose quite close to perfection, that to on a parent during Robin's class presentation. This nose was pretty good but it was no match to the picture perfect one I had met in Leh.
Aah! Memories came rushing back . . .

The Unforgiven

Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better, even of their blunders.
Nietzsche
Beyond good & evil.

I have been attributed to be 'blessed' by this gift, and as I have no reason to doubt the attributing autority, there must be some substance in this fact. But I wouldn't know that, would I?

On a different but yet in some way similar track Nietzsche also said, the highest wisdom is to have no fear!

Hum

Kahan gayab ho sub?

Dracula re-defined

So this is what I believe happened in reality.
Dracula was a great guy, the original romance icon. He had this immaculate dressing sense - all black & full formals. Perfectly tailored of course. Amazing dentition & a hypnotic gaze.
He partied hard & only at night. The classy castle didn't hurt. He slept in a coffin, but hey! no ones perfect.
Dracula got too close to the lady he loved & smothered her to death.
But then, don't we all?