Mumbai Diaries…

I believe that if Delhi is a city of posh bearings, Mumbai is a city of bare essentials. Metaphorically so! I have almost completely two years in the maximum city and figured that I have the ability to like it after being an ardent lover of the capital. 14 years of being in the ‘not officially tagged’ heritage city, I moved to Mumbai because of work. The divide of the cities is very clear when you start working here. No stare-cases, no eve teasing, heavy moral policing and very health conscious people. But then, this is not what my new series of blogs is going to be about. It is about relationships that bind us in different ways and move along us to shapes us for our future version with grey hair (hopefully full growth remains). Keep the current time in mind, here I go…

THE FROG THAT LOVES TO SHOP!

I was told by a very hot looking Tam-Bram guy, “you have to kiss many frogs in the pond to finally find the prince.” He was calling himself a frog by the way! For most single people looking out for a fling or a relationship or whatever you prefer to call it, seems like a thing to do when you are not working. At least this is the nature of the city I inhabit now, Mumbai. Here people are either committed or looking. The word single seems to have taken a backseat. So while I have been single since it was discovered that Pluto is not a planet, I complete was in love with that status until very recently.

You don’t figure out how much to crave to be with someone till you are reminded that you can be someone’s someone. Just like Ingrid Michelson’s song, Are We There Yet! So I was told very recently that I have the ability of being that someone to a very North Indian, fair-n-lovely kinda fella. He is, let’s just say, the opposite of what attracts me when it comes to physical appearance. But when did I say I am perfect.

So after a quick nibble at a restro-bar, me and Mr Fair-n-lovely decided to head for a coffee shop for some casual talk. Only if I knew that I am going to be asked out officially soon, I would have made an effort at least to fix my kajal and lip-gloss and not looked a road-run after a long day’s work. But then I always think of these things when I am home and look at myself in the mirror and ask, “What attracted him!”

We settled for a coffee shop in Juhu and started our conversation about work. He is a workaholic, just like me. He like challenges in job, just like me. He is the only child of his parents, just like me. He loves music, just like me. He loves reading fiction, just like me. He loves to shop, just like… no, not like me. ah… well… this was the bitter reminder of my first boyfriend who could spend hours together looking for formal trousers and end up buying a bag and then saying that we need to go shopping for the trousers. When did men become the shopaholics? And why wasn’t I warned before? While I confessed to my displeasure for shopping, his jaw dropped, like I had uttered the last words he wanted to hear me say. He pursed his lips and asked me awkwardly, “So what do you do when you need clothes, bags, and other daily important things?”  Of course, I get those only when need be. But as far as pleasure of the same is concerned, I let my mother do the dirty work.

We had our coffees in silence after that. This was the exact opposite of what our dinner had been like. From “where have you been all this while” to “what’s wrong with you” took only 40 minutes to happen.

He offered to drop me home, but I declined and he didn’t insist. While going back in the rick and lighting my cig, I realised that this was not going to go anywhere. The deal breaker here was shopping. Did I like him enough to shop? Or did he like me enough, not to push me to shop? The answer’s NO!

All pictures in this blog are mere representation of the theme and do not bear resemblance to anyone in particular

What happened to the good old MAN, who hated shopping, indulged a woman, took pride in his chest hair (certain Mr Kapoor not included), didn’t know what really were manicure and pedicure and was strong enough to make a woman depend on him. Sigh! Or have we women become too masculine for these men to handle? The confusion continues and no does the quest because now I am ready to fish in the pond of frogs!