My Experiments With Fruit

I guess I was a problem child. Though I have to establish right at the beginning that I was a docile and tame little tyke who never threw tantrums or went screaming and shouting and throwing things around. I was in fact quiet, peaceful and respectful as I continue to be (those who disagree may face dire consequences!)

My problem was more of a gastronomic kind. I refused to eat or drink anything that I should have been eating and drinking. Rather understandably it created quite a huge hassle for my parents and at times even became a cause of considerable stress.

To give you an example – I had a massive issue with milk (and continue to do so till date!). Many a battle fought in our little home had their origins ensconced in milk and other such dairy products.

However, the source of utmost distress to the parents was my utter refusal to eat anything that was either green or had pit(s) - the only exception being mangoes of course. Which meant all green vegetables and most fruits were out of the question. While I was at home I resisted both with immense fortitude. It was easier to do so once I started living on my own – I was free to pick the muffins instead of the peaches and the nachos instead of the avocado.

Then recently I decided that this was unsustainable and that I must try to repair at least some of the damage I had caused to my body in the last quarter of a century. Even if it meant that I had to throw in the weapons in my combat with the ‘healthy’ stuff. I did set a limit to how much I could bear of course – so the leaves and such greens were still out for the moment. But I opened the doors to my house and stomach to fruits.

So in the last few months I have built my tolerance to most things with skins, stones and the likes – plums and nectarines, cherries and berries, melons and apricots. At the beginning, a lot of them ended their lives in the trash chute of the building after having rotted through and through waiting for me to grant them some attention. But things are improving slowly but surely. Who knows – I may even be buying broccoli soon! (UGH!!!)

Amchi Dilli

Have you driven in Delhi of late? In case you haven’t you really are missing out on something! Things have undergone a dramatic transformation as I have been discovering. All for the good of course – it’s saadi dilli after all.

The rule of the game has now changed to “Surprise Thy Fellow Drivers”. Keep them guessing. Let them wonder what your next move might be. Whether you would cut across them just when they least expect or whether you would stop right in the middle of that honking and snarling traffic for no apparent reason. Take a surprise turn to the right from the left most lane and catch them unawares. And if you happen to be on a two-wheeler you of course have a much larger canvas to yourself – so much more is possible to you after all! Amaze them with your maneuverability as you breezily shoot into that little 8 inch gap between the bus and the car. Leave them frustrated in their fancy four wheel drives as you zoom away through those tiny corners while they struggle to surmount the web of vehicles around them.

Leave your fears behind when you step out – we have no place for the cowardly! Patience is for the meek. Here on our roads is the true expression of the paradigm of equality – we treat the buses with the same irreverence as we treat the cycles – they have equal standing in the eyes of our traffic. We have immense respect for time – we like to demonstrate it with our chronic rush. We are the true heroes – we make our own rules on our roads and we make everyone live by them.

We Delhi-ites call it ‘living-on-the-edge’. We enjoy the challenge. We thrive on the excitement. We love our roads!

Observation

They say always think positively. Therefore I won’t say that a sibling is the chief irritant and principal cause of grief in one’s life. I will instead conclude that siblings are put on earth to test your patience and perseverance at survival and thereby make you a better person.

Oh, also as an aside, my sister has come back from hostel for the winter break last evening. Obviously that has nothing to do with my profound observations above.

Also...just read this Calvin & Hobbes...was wondering how much we really paid for her!! ;-) Enjoy!