( This post is being scripted on my ( 3 * owner + 1* driver)/4’s demand. Anyone else reading it, would be doing it at their own risk. No complaints entertained. )

Every new year ( since I can remember of ), the first thing I would check is the list of holidays on the calendar to see if Deepavali would be on the same day as my birthday( I am allowed a few eccentricities ). And it so happened that, that coincidence did occur this year. But as things had panned out , I knew I wouldn’t get to be at home on the day, which meant missing out on so many amma-made specialties, top of the charts being the Lehyam. Normally, my birthday always comes right in the middle of exam season, so there wasn’t ever any great fascination with it, after of course the days of cake cutting. In the recent past, it was another reason for our inter gang + yavvan to eat out ( and probably save on the bill with means best known to us ) and for me to give my engg classmates a slip as far as the treat goes ( most of the times , it wasn’t my fault; they just weren’t persistent enough ).

I was feeling pretty down, what with the lack of people around here at about that time. I was at work that day ( Nov 8 ). My employer, ( sometimes I feel she is part of the neo-nazi ideology and since then have stopped working for her ) , had assigned me work in some basement-storeroom like dumping stuff off to create space. And I had gone there, in formal attire due to a seminar before that. The full-time staff working in the basement had protective clothing all over them and here I was getting my kapde all dirty. Then came Enemy’s call. She wished me first. Both of us were at work and cursing our employers. This was followed by Ruchita’s call. I felt nice about getting these calls, time turning 12 IST. Talked with her bro, cheenu as well. Came back home to find some mail for me. My enemy had sent me two cards. A greeting card and an Aeropostale gift card. Thanks re sammy ;) .

Conference was called and entire UD3 and classmates were all on phone. I was in my room all along, everyone wishing me on phone. And then at 12, gharwaale knocked at my door, brought me down and there were atleast15-20 log. Full party level atmosphere create kare so thaa, festoons included. And there, there was. A big bad four layered chocolate cake. Most people I knew were present. Mansi and Aymen had taken great pains to get it all done. A very big thank you to them :-) and to all who made it to kick the life out of my butt. I was told later by Mansi & Aymen that it was Samatha’s idea. Thanks to her as well. Rest of the night was spent on the phone.

I had promised my other employers that I would get Chakkara Pongal for them. So was woken up by my parents, with their wishes and instructions for the preparation. Atthai#1 also called( She makes it a point that she is the first to call on everyones birthday :-) ) . Made Chakkarapongal all alone. I realized that my mom makes me do 95% of the work anyways while she makes it :P. By my own strict standards , I would rate it 8.5 /10 ( oru levella yosicchu paatha adi pidicchaa maadiri enakku taste vandhudhu ( censored for obvious reasons :D ) ) but given my first time escapade, I would rate it 15/1o. I called the cardiac surgery dept. and told them I would be a bit late. When I went there, my supervisor was missing, which was pretty strange.

At lunch time she arrived and these people had arranged a nice lunch treat for my birthday. She was late because she had gone to an Indian Restaurant and got food. They had taken the doctors' help in deciding the menu.It was the first time with Indian food for all of them except one, but they seemed to have enjoyed it. So much effort for a newbie, whom they did not even know. A very nice gesture on their part, which I shall always be grateful for. They even added in hours for which I was late in making the chakkarapongal.

Returned home with the left-over stuff ( there was lot of it ). Divya and Mansi were at home. Divya gifted me lots of Hersheys ( the previous night I received a whole load of rochers and lindt truffles ). We decided to go to Abbotts for ice-cream and just when we were going out , a very big parcel arrived. It was from Sirisha and in it were 4 pints of ice cream. Timing bolthe iskoich.

Then had a very nice sleep for about 4 hours. Anthony and Mridula came and were served the best cuisine available in our refrigerator. It was Deepavali so all of us made our way to The Hindu Temple Of Rochester ( as it is called ). From there we all( 10 of us. mind you , I was meeting many of them for the very first time :P) went to an Italian restaurant, Bazil’s. On these guys request , the restaurant waale, brought an ice-cream with a sparkler in it as a very exciting substitute for candle. Happy Birthday Gaaye :)). It was so very :)) but so very nice of them because after all Na Jaan na Pehchaan…. DDT pursued and returned home for a well needed sleep over the weekend.

It would have been great if I could have been with my parents and old friends but then again , it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. That one eventful day, in a way, made me do away with the homesickness. And ever since , all those parties involved in making me feel good about myself in Rochester , are suffering.

And I know , You Know Why.

Adios

(PS : Ash sent 11 Ryan Giggs Manchester Utd 07-08 Season ka jersey :D. Thank You Very Much :d Chelskis Suck :D )