Today morning, I happened to notice the first glint of salt on my head. Signs of maturity & experience or simply premature aging?? Much as I would like to believe that the former holds true, I must say its a combination of both. Though I must say that my initial reaction was less than positive, its something that was inevitable after all that I have carried on my shoulders for so long. So, in addition to possessing some grey matter inside my head, I can also flaunt some on the outside.
Welcome to the grey side, Uncle Sam!!!

P.S: The next round of character sketches is due anytime soon. Keep watching this space…

He really deserves the pride of place in this list. In all of my life, if there is one person with whom I feel at home totally, it’s this man. We met for the first time nearly a decade back in FYJC (Sathaye College). When I consider the chain of events that led to this happening, it seems nothing short of a miracle. Have a look at this:- RJD takes admission into Sathaye with Marathi as a subject.I get into Patkar College(Goregaon).I change over to Sathaye the very next day with Hindi as a subject.RJD decides to change over to Hindi after finding Marathi a bit tough. At the same time,the guy with the roll number next to me takes a transfer to another division and RJD is put into his place.The rest, as they say so often..is history.

Since then, he has been by my side through thick and thin, ups and downs. We have spent some of the most wonderful times together. What perhaps makes us tick is that externally, we are as different as two people can get without belonging to different species but internally we share the same core values, aspirations and way of thinking. With him, you tend to relax instantly and I am sure I am not the only person who thinks so. But if you think of him as only a softie, you are in for some surprise. Behind that exterior lies a determined achiever who will do all he can once he has set his eyes on something. Currently, he is into his management studies. Mark my words, this man will go a real long distance in life…and we will proudly watch him do so.

It’s just about 7 years since I first met him, but it seems I have known him forever; such is the tuning between us. A genuine person in the truest sense of the word, there is nothing put-on or artificial about him. Though he does tend to give the impression of a bumbling idiot or a mannerless slob sometimes, he does that solely to keep you unawares. He is downright serious when it comes to studies, which explains the fact that he was the 4th ranker at the University level in the final year exams. He’s the guy to have around whether you are having a blast at a function or discussing past failures, relationships, and heartaches from 11’o clock in the night to 4’o clock in the morning (yes, we have done that). He will be at home equally in both the situations, and admirably so. Apart from this, he has a great sense of humour and an ability to see the silver lining in every dark cloud, which is undoubtedly a vital asset in life. When you have to play a practical joke on someone, he is the one whom you can trust to come up with something really cool.
Over the years, the tuning between us has got better and better. There are very few things about each other that we don’t know. Also, the fact that you can always depend on him to lend a helpful ear, if not some sensible advice makes our companionship even more special.

OK Haze, before you come charging at me, let me tell you that the credit (or otherwise) for the second nickname solely goes to RJD and I have got nothing to do with it.
We first met in the summer of ’99 when I had accompanied RJD to the British Library. We happened to meet again that year when I used to accompany RJD to Xavier’s for his T.Y.B.Sc. admissions. At first glance, I knew that this one was different from the pack. Usually, I am not a very good judge of people but in this case, I have been proved to be spot on. What sets her apart from the rest is perhaps a solid sensibility and the ability to make use of the stuff between the ears. Her maturity would suggest an age far more than her actual one.I had read somewhere that a Taurean female is the ‘salt of the earth’ – a collection of qualities a man looks for in a woman but never seems to find. Well, I couldn’t have got better proof of the statement. The letters she used to write to me stand testimony to that. Of late, there is almost no snail-mail communication between us but nevertheless, I will always treasure them. Nowadays, she is enjoying her first job, having completed her Psycho post-grad.

Friend, close confidante, classmate, next door neighbour…the list of roles he has played in my life is really long. We were childhood friends but got to know each other really closely when we got into the same college to do our engineering. If people could be equated to food items, his counterpart would be surely a red hot mirchi. He’s got a shortish fuse and it does not take much to send him flying off the handle, but he cools off just as quickly. When in college, he had the knack of getting into trouble with the profs by saying the right things at the wrong time (ie: when the profs were around).“HANDLE WITH CARE” would surely be an appropriate label to put on him. Has the habit of starting off a task with great fanfare, losing enthusiasm midway when things don’t happen to his liking, and then completely struggling in the end to finish off the work. He will have to curb that tendency if he has to go a long distance, otherwise he’s a great guy to know. He will be putting an end to his singleton status at the end of 2005. All I will say is…All The Best!!!

The archetypal Joker in the pack.But as any card game freak will tell you, the Joker is perhaps the most useful card in the pack, even more than the aces and queens. The same logic applies in his case too. He will keep you off guard by indulging in the silliest of antics and then catch you totally on the wrong foot with a sudden flash of brilliance.His comic exterior effectively hides a brain thats buzzing away in the background. We met for the first time during first year of engineering and barring one semester, have been virtually inseperable right through college and all the exams, especially the dreaded viva voce ones. He is perhaps my lucky mascot for the exams and some of my best vivas have been with him sitting in the next chair.
This guy got married in May 2K3 and is expecting an addition to the family, come September 2K5. He has the honour(?) of being the first of the pack to put an end to his singleton status, even before any of the girls could do so. All The Best, Buddy!!!

Again the credit for this nickname goes to RJD. I have not mentioned her name over here but those who know me closely will know who am I talking about. She is (or rather, was) my first true love. Unfortunately, she also happens to be my first true heartache. But, as always, I have no regrets. If she wasn’t meant to be mine, there is no reason why I should strive to make it so. The origin behind the nickname is as follows: When I had decided to give up on her and concentrate more on my studies and career, RJD told me about a story from the Bible wherein a grain of wheat will remain just a grain if it doesn’t fall to the ground. But when it does, it will give rise to a thousand blooms. Similarly if I happen to let go of my feelings for her, it will lead to many new friendships which were previously unimaginable. I can’t vouch for that statement in entirety but I have to admit that it has changed my outlook towards people.
But that’s not the only reason why she finds a mention here. This might sound like a fond reminiscence but I have to say I have learnt a lot from her. A good human being, always helpful, never afraid to take on somebody for a just cause – these are just a few of her qualities. Add to that intelligence, determination and perhaps the most beautiful pair of eyes I have ever seen and you will understand what makes her so irresistible. What can I say except that a corner of my heart will always be reserved for her!!