Nostalgic Me

My life in the last 30 years has always been nostalgic. I think some time does it happen only to me or is it a universal phenomena? Except for one thing my memory fails all the time however hard I tried till date. My childhood memories are a big ring that doesn’t even ring a bell however hard I tried ringing it.
My childhood was really different. I don’t have any fond memories of my parent s as a kid!! However hard I try to think, I picture myself as Matt daemon in Bourne ultimatum were the Hero goes into an amnesia.

My opening shot in the movie sorry my existence I remember getting down the train with my favorite uncle Jackson in Ernakulam wearing a small bell bottom pants and high collar shirt.You know I was always in vogue. He caught my puny hands crossed the track, boarded an auto reached my Mothers Grandparents house. I was warmly welcomed by Ammachi, Appachan, and Jessy aunty. My memory of my childhood starts from here. I was a very shy kid who was extremely reserved, suppressive and Asthmatic. I grew up in Temple road and went to a famous convent called St.Teresas. It did have a history and legacy. My Mother studied there, Jessy Aunty was studying there and they put in LKG in St.Teresas. So that Jessy Aunty whom we call her as Kunjachey can have a look over me. I grew up with a lot of love showered upon me by Appachan,Ammachi,Jackson uncle whom I call him as Indi and Kunjachey.

Appachan was a great cook.Ammachi a staunch beliver,Indi a hardcore communist,Kunjachey my tutor. Ammachi used to tell me stories with a morale,message and she always had one in her sleeve all the time and anytime. I still remember they way she feeds me morsel after morsel telling me stories and singing old Christian songs. Yeah she also made me cry till this day she doesn’t know that it made me remorse and sad. When ever she hears the train engine whistles “To console me she tells DAD and MUM are in the train and they are on the way to see me’’. Couple of times I believed and it took only a little while for the two and half year old kid to understand that what she is telling is consoling word for an ailing heart.
I still remember the days I would shut in the bathroom with tap open crying without a sound heard outside that big brown door. My neck will start swelling and my chin will start paining like a tumor ready to burst.I know now I went through a depression. May be that’s one of the reason why I had a constant wheezing.It was terrible,the sounds I made was hysterical.Everyone at home was so worried of my health. This was when I turned to GOD.I was a god fearing loving child. Thanks to Ammachi.I was really close to god now back slided.He used to come in my dreams,I once said I saw mother Mary in person which many of them shunned. May be it was just hallucination.

Well this god fearing child had other liking. I bet it’s because of my uncle Indi. I must admit my role model is my uncle Jackson (INDI). I like his style, carefree approach, easy go lucky attitude and they way he speaks. Though my mum and her brother Rajetan uncle were Kerala gold medalist INDI was the brainiest among all. His interests were in Politics. He was hard core communist, reads karl marx books, Das kapita, says Lal salam(Red salute- A pleasantry exchanged between communist activist) I grew up wanting to be like him. If at all I have continued my studies in Cochin I would have joined SFI in school,DYFI in college and CPI M or CITU after college. Would have participated in hundreds of strike,Hartals some obviously some clashes with other groups. I would have also gone underground like INDI did several years ago. May be my parents foresaw my future and quickly planted me in Chennai for good. Now comes Kunjachey, she filled up my mums absence. She took real good care of me. Than an aunt she was like my mum. She was the first one to give me a nick name – No it’s not jack it was Jittu. Guess what she named her son Jittu too.She made me learn multiplication in a jiff- By heart 9 multiplications then you can go and play. This actually worked in my academics. I was a bright student and a good sports person too. Cricket was my passion and an obsession. Every thing was going smooth till class 3rd std. Eight years I was in Ernakulam with my grandparents. The best days of my life…suddenly came to a standstill when my parents decided enough and decided to bring back their son to Chennai.

I continued my studies in Asan Memorial School Egmore in class 4th.
This transition was really tough for me both in school and at home. Hell broke loose. From a shy, reserve guy I became a rebel in the making at home. One saving grace for me was that at school I shined in Malayalam class because of my strong background I got in Cochin. My teacher gave me opportunity to participate in Essays and Elocution competitions and I was slowly coming in lime light. This is when I first started to compete in Fancy Dress and the performance was splendid and accolades and appreciation started flowing in. This is when I knew apart from Essays and Elocution I could also act. I was asked to join the dramatics club of school which was great honor. Apart from extra curricular activities English, Malayalam and Science were my favorite subjects. I guess hate or love for a subject has to do a lot with the teachers who teach us. One teacher who I can never forget is Rema D Namboothri a noble blood by birth was instrumental in shaping me and encouraging my interest in all literary fields.
I some how survived till 8th in that school though a good school with excellent faculty I some how couldn’t jell with the school. I left Asan and joined a school of my dreams. The great MCC School which was boy’s school was a heaven. Though a school it was more like a college. Excellent campus, awesome faculty good set of class mates. I had a very good set of friends. I have heard the phrase unity in diversity however the first time I experienced the same. People came from all part of state and country. This school promoted sports like a main stream subject. By then I have made a mark as a marathon runner winning all the major competitions in the district. My friends in school were Robin,Malick,Lijo,Vinoo Samuel in 10th and the best part is this friendship which is pure and with innocence bubbling. By now our class became the most notorious class in MCC.
In 11th I got into pure science and Robin in commerce though different groups and never in the history of MCC have commerce group and pure science group never jelled along however this set was exception we were best among friends.
A lot of new students joined 11th std. pure science group was no exception.
There was Chandra,Neethiman,premanand,shahul,vinoo, and Jacob. One thing I want to confess your school friends are always special no matter what. The bond so strong, Love so pure, We were all open books to each other , No secrets and hanky panky. I still remember the way we eat our lunch our entire gang used to march towards Chetpet Bridge and hog Beef Biriyani. I have never tasted such a tasty Biriyani in my life. Guess the price 5 Rs for a Quarter plates and 10 Rs Half plate. Jacob and me used to share from the same plate and after we have done with ours he will prey on others Biriyani. It was fun, sharing really the best days of my life. There are so many instances were our unity was put to test of fire.
One instance I remember is the way we fought Pachiyappas college students.
This is when I and Jacob became friends. I stood for him and he stood for me.
15 of them charging and we were 4 of us Jacob,Chandra,Malick and I gave tough fight and next day it came in the Indian Express that there was a clash between college students and school students. Over night we became famous, then they were a series of talks between school management and college management and things were amicably solved. MCC also saw the first strike in the history. We gave a representation for assistant school pupil leader and won the vote too however our HM didn’t allow Barak Gideon who stood for the election backed by Pure Science and Commerce group. This led to a silent agitation and it marked the first strike in the history of MCC. Till this date all my MCC guys are my best of pals and each one of us know that they are there for each of us. No matter the distance. After 12th I joined hotel management and like in any college there was ragging. By now I have grown into a super strong stud with heavy work out and my little leadership I managed to gather entire 1st year students and we stood against ragging and guess what seniors were out numbered. As days passed those seniors were my best pals. College days was filled with lot of learning, culturals,
Fashion show, cricket tournaments, and of course lot of clashes between seniors and juniors. It was fun. I always stayed in hostel seldom I go home. Actually I never missed home. Once in 3 months I might go home. I was welcomed in hostel, my batch mates rooms and of course my seniors rooms. They had a very creative name for their rooms. There was Hell, Chicago bulls, California, and Guns and Roses. Three years passed like a jiff. Met a lot of people some left a mark, some an impression and some not even a dust. Three years passed very soon, like the wink of an eye – Year 1998 April. I was in cross roads thinking should I pursue what I studied or should I do what I enjoyed doing? Hotel industry is very glamorous from outside however very shallow from inside.
I was very early to realize the same when I attended on the job training in Taj.
Gosh it was bad at least for me however it trained me the basics of customer service. College taught me empathy, customer centricity, sense of urgency and all the gamete of Customer service. College finally got over, bidding farewell to fellow class mates. Again the feel of nostalgic memories shadowed us, some sharing the slam book, some exchanging address and phone numbers promising to keep in touch every week, every month. Little did they know all those were broken promises not done intentionally however when engulfed in the race of daily chores people have little or no time to think about others, forget others not even oneself. This is life, vicious life cycle of a normal average Indian irrespective of age and gender. However some people are lucky. They live in their past, even past glory like me for an instance. And some get lucky cherishing those nostalgic moments in their life both good bad and ugly. That’s the power of the mind.