The hiatus is finally over

To me, the past three years seem like an eternity. I only have faint memories of my last trip to the US, sometime during first half of 2006. Back then I was a young bloke, barely two years into my job, very excited about my second visit to the US, and had already made plans for the third. And this one was not to be a 3 months affair, it was for 3 years. Call it luck, or planning - everything fell in place one after the other, and I ended up lapping the then coveted H1B visa. But what followed was completely unexpected and least of all, totally un-welcomed.

Initially it was a race against time to get fit before I leave Indian shores; then it became a struggle against whatever was inside my body that the doctors couldn't find; but later on, it was a struggle with myself to keep the spirits high when all the chips were down.

But as they say "All's well that ends well" - here I am today, in US once again, slogging my ass off on this new assignment; still happy because I could make it!!

Company_6

17 January, 2003, a date none of us [for whom this post is dedicated to] might remember, but if reminded, would certainly hold it close their hearts. On this date, started an online group which would help us stay connected [yes, back then we couldn’t afford mobile phones]. On this date started COMPANY_6 – our very own yahoo group!!! Before this day, we were just friends; but suddenly, we became a COMPANY!

Aah! Did I forget to introduce who WE are? Well read these lines below, which still are part of our description on the yahoo group’s page of Company_6:

COMPANY: Hum 6 punter
Vivek bhai – now in Mumbai – iFlex Solutions
Punit bhai – 5th year Elec – IIT Bombay
GD Pseud Man – CSC
Dhammo Ustaad – now in Pune – HSBC
Choubey Dada – now in Hyderabad – Satyam
Bharat Shaayar – now in University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

Belong to different places now
Have different goals in mind
But a Master plan going in all’s mind
A .plan file always under construction
So enjoy us!

Our locations & professions might have changed over the years, but the pseudonyms used in the description – they still remain the same. Our responsibilities might have increased multifold now, but that carefree, fun loving person inside us - he still remains the same. We still are the same bunch of 6 buddies, who got together one by one, sometime during our school days, not knowing we would stick around for so long [some of us have been together for over 15 years now]. We still love the same food, we still love to visit the same joints, we still enjoy the same pranks, we still crack the same jokes, we still rant & rave about the same things – everything is just so same about us and our Company; yet, so much has changed.

We no longer get to see each other every day; we no longer get to cycle around the town; we no longer get to spend those evenings together; we no longer get to ‘attack’ the home-made chocolate cake on Bharat’s B’day; we no longer get to fight over the bill amount for B’day bashes; we no longer get to eat butter chicken/egg curry at Sanjha Chula; we no longer get to dare each other for a paan at Parsavnath; nor do we get to ‘talk’ at Sukhliya chauraha. Also, in a long long time, all 6 of us haven’t been together at one place. The closest we came, was on our trip to Matheran last year, but even then, Bharat could not join us.

However, amidst this conundrum of missing each other and trying to stay connected, something that doesn't cease to amaze us all, is the alacrity with which we welcome new members to the Company! Be it Dhanashree's induction to the group over a couple of years ago, or Malabika's, or more recently Aditi's. All of us share the same excitement to welcome the better halves of our mates. And boy, do these ladies gel so well, so quickly; it's almost like we have been together since the inception of this group.

They say, "Birds of same feather, flock together" - appears to me that Company_6 is an exception. Here, no two people are alike. If Dharmesh is the live wire of the group, Bharat has a more calming effect on us; if I am kinda timid fellow, Puneet is the ever confident dude around; if Shobhit is the go-for-advice-to person, Vivek is the go-for-help-to guy! So much variety, so many traits - yet everything blended with the bond of friendship! That's Company_6 for me, and I hope this extended family of mine always stays together!

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A more contemporary description of Company_6 is:

COMPANY: A fleet of 6 cars

• Vivek Makodey - Vivek bhai – car that runs more on US roads than on Indian; working for iFlex Solutions
• Puneet Parakh - Punit bhai – car in love with Mumbai road;, fitted with ‘made in Miraj’ radio; working for Normua (previously Lehman Brothers)
• Dhanashree Deval Parakh - Dhan Dhana Dhan – the ‘made in Miraj’ radio certainly spreads her gullu magic around; working at IIT Powai research lab
• Ankit Agarwal - GD Pseud Man – the only car still running on Indore roads; working for Impetus Technologies
• Dharmesh Akotiya - Dhammo Ustaad – running on Hyd roads; this car recently placed an order for a ‘made in Indore’ radio, upgrade due May 12, 2009; working for CTS
• Aditi Jain – the ‘made in Indore’ radio has certainly brought some new tunes along; Interior Designer
• Shobhit Choubey - Choubey Dada – this black beauty is fitted with a ‘made in Bhubaneswar’ radio, and runs on Hyd roads; working for Deloitte
• Malabika Choubey - Mala – this ‘made in Orissa’ radio wouldn’t part with the car for a moment; working for Deloitte
• Bharat Mahajan - Bharat Shaayar – car that preferred US roads over Indian; working for Technotherm Corp.

Belong to different places now
Have different goals in mind
But a Master plan going in all’s mind
A .plan file always under construction
So enjoy us!

[Sorry folks, car-radio & gullu are company_6’s copyrighted private jokes]

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Here are a few cherished moments of Company_6 - Enjoy:

Rollover to rotate the pictures.

Untitled

Last week, when I visited my doctor for the routine follow-up, everything appeared so different.

This time, the Doctor didn’t have words of compassion for me,
Neither did he show any sympathy.
This time he didn’t prescribe any “more” antibiotics,
Neither did he write any “more” tests.
He no more called me a subject of an intriguing medical case,
Rather, he wished me luck for all my future endeavors!

This time, my Dad didn’t have words of reassurance for me,
Neither did he feel sorry for my condition.
This time he didn’t frantically make calls to his friends & cousins,
Neither did he take me to other doctors.
He no more locked himself in the balcony and puffed away his tensions,
Rather, he chose to talk to me about my plans going forward!

This time, my Mom didn’t have the gloomy look when I returned home,
Neither did she have tears rolling down her cheeks.
This time she didn’t stay awake the whole night,
Neither did she resort to any anti-depressants.
She no more apprised our relatives of my medical condition,
Rather, she gleefully attended their calls and told them about my future plans!

This time, in front of the doctor, I didn’t pretend to be strong,
Neither did I pretend to be in control.
This time, when the doctor spoke, I didn’t feel weak in my knees,
Neither did I get dizzy thinking of the O.T. again.
I no more thought of the cuts and the scars I had,
Rather, I chose to ignore them and move on!

This time, when I returned home, I didn’t get cranky with my parents,
Neither did I avoid any conversation.
This time, I didn’t re-live the years of excruciating mental & physical pain,
Neither did I think of the lost opportunities,
Though I could not help, but remember someone I lost forever.

This time, I didn’t indulge in depression drinking & eating,
Neither did depression shopping get stronger of me.
This time, I had no excuses for being out of touch with my friends,
Neither did I crave for them to be with me.
I no more cried behind those closed doors,
Rather, I could finally smile!

Of all the innumerous visits, to scores of doctors over the past couple of years, I know I will never forget this visit.

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After hours of deliberation over the title for this post, I could come up with nothing that would sum it up in a few words. So I have decided to keep it blank!