Happy new year

I am normally not in the habit of posting New year messages on this blog - but i guess there is sufficient reason to break the trend this year.

Here are two things:

Thing# 1 - The Incident

Might be classified 'interesting', especially since it happened on New year's Eve ( at least - for people like me who have antisocial tendencies bordering the level marked 'MANIAC' on the scale)

Today, Dec 31, 2008 - S, Mr. B's last son drowned in a pond - while he was enjoying an afternoon of drunken revelry with 3 more useless assholes. The assholes live. Poor S was fished out in his underpants a few hours later - as dead as the proverbial dodo - and as drunk, got rest his soul, as an english lord (His corpse puked when it was pulled out. )

As our plant is just 10 mins away, i was amongst the first to receive a call to organize / attempt a rescue - and i was like standing next to the hole when they were first searching for him and when they eventually pulled him out. It was too late for emergency procedures anyway.

To explain it in more detail - the hole in which he drowned is like just off the road leading to the hills near alagarkoil (which is a spot for all such activities - loads of greenery, loads of such small idyllic ponds & abandoned wells). And as the story surfaced subsequently, the 4 assholes got to the hole, got drunk and had this diving contest or something.

The 3 other mahatmas were so drunk that they did not notice S was missing until, like 30 or 40 minutes later and one of them - a hint of consicousness awakening him - saw that their mate was missing and promptly used S's cellphone to call S's dad, Mr. B, give a so-so description of the incident / location and promptly pass out, drunk and dead to world (as they lay, when the first search party reached them)

Mr. B knows my dad for more than 20 years he even does some work for us in Tirupur, and was there yesterday, as always. He calls me, then my old man and we call the police (who come over in 20 mins) and then the Fire service (who reach the 'spot' in like 2 hours and maybe a bit more) - We were there with a few of our employees, a couple of policemen - the 3 mahatmas are so drunk that they arent able to confirm the name of the guy in the pond, they get slapped around by the cop - manage to puke a few times, stumble out some details.

In any case, its been more than hour since S went in - and we all can do nothing but wait - cursing the fire service - S's mother comes, wails & curses every1 in sight and faints, gets carried home. Its a full 2 hours since the call went out - for the firemen to arrive. They stroll down from their fireengine, with great loops of rope and a few them strip off. Theres now a big crowd - the locals, a lot of our employees.

Then, surprise surprise, the firemen walk around the perimeter of the hole - dipping a rope / hook in - hoping to hook the corpse out - no sign of them jumping in - my father loses his cool and reminds them, in pretty severe language, about what they are supposed to be doing and what jokers they are - we quickly gather a few locals - who then dive in - the firemen watching them go in - and one manages to pull S out in about 20 minutes.

Out he came, wearing a bright orange chuddi - and the crowd actually burst out in applause! He was pretty dead in any case.

I spend the rest of the day taking S to the Morgue, bribing the cops, firemen, the ambulance man, the morgue technician and listening to a constable bullshit about drunken louts, whores, bus-marials and the general moral degradation of today's young people.

Throughout the episode, i felt nearly no emotion, except when his mom & sister were on the scene - i did not know S that well - i know his big brother, R, because i sell some stuff to him. I know his mom and his dad pretty well - they come home often.

Strangely, when i came home around at night, mobile battery dead - i hated S - for being such an asshole, for letting every1 down - for going out with trash like the 3 i saw, for getting drunk and getting killed like that.

I heard today that he was engaged to be married in April - they are so-called 'orthodox' muslims - and his mom said, scheduling his 'nikkah' was supposed to 'stop him fooling around' and 'settle down' and that he was brought up 'chellam' because he was the last kid - i actually became peeved with Mr. B and his beevi - i know that R, S - always scoot around all the time, Mr. B buys for R a new car every year - and that their idea of fun is to drive -inebriated- up to kodaikanal - cool off - load up again and drive down

- Although i wont understand these things completely - i also blame Mr. B - kids' behaviour is a reflection of how they are brought up. My own father has never told me what to do / what not to do with my personal stuff nor asks me to account for expenses - but he neednt. Not that i dont make mistakes - but i know when im crossing the line and i more than know what a foolish, irresponsible, juvenile jock can do to himself, to his friends and family.

2008, as hot and happening as it was, ended thusly.

Every now and then life throws up an experience when you least expect it - but as with all things in life, you go through it - try and take away a few things. No ?


Thing # 2 : The Gyaan

Now to copy something off another New year message and tweak it slightly:

I never used to like New Year's - Faux merriment, drinking, SMS greetings, socializing with jocks/assholes or louts (however cool or hip or socially required it is) - from this year - i make it OFFICIAL and consider the above experience as a validation of my regular existence as a voluntarily obnoxious person.

('an excuse!' C says on the phone ;- when he called me today. He was surprised that my phone was switched off one New year's eve and he actually thought i officially turned lunatic!)

More important :

While you are still growing up - PLEASE do not indulge in behaviour similar to poor S's. EVER. Dont mix with trash who are prone to such behaviour. They arent worth it. They are just foolish, juvenile, attention seekers who have nothing better to do in life.

When you are grown up - PLEASE bring up your kids right or you have no right to spawn any.

And Lest i end on a morbid note:

HAPPY 2009 ;-

( p.s - funny telecon from evening, 1 Jan 2009:

me to A: Dei, 2009 is going to be an important year for me at work da. Possibly the most important ever.

A: Poda waste fellow. Youve been saying that every year since ive known you. )