After 20 years

Here I'm referring to the classic prose "After 20 years" written by O.Henry which was part of my high school syllabus for my Xth standard.

There is phrase in that prose "uncertain almost to absurdity" which was perhaps, the favorite line of my teacher as it came in every exam from class test to main semester exam. Every exam I used to mug thing up and answered it. Got good marks but, deep inside I kept on asking myself what was the real meaning of the particular phrase. What the writer wanted to emphasize by saying such a thing. I knew the answer but, never able to understand at that point of time.

That day, I was scrolling my phone list and calling each one of my friend to make a point to come home in February 2009. Among the list there was friend who was a very good friend of mine during my high school. We parted way some decade ago due to pursuing higher education. Afterward except for occasional snail-mails we had almost communication a decade back. I had lost track of him.

I was feeling ecstasy when I got his number and very happy thinking about catching up things with him after a long time. The phone got through. He said "Hello" on phone. Afterward, I was talking to him as if I was talking to a stranger not to a long lost friend. His homecoming on my invitation was very uncertain.

Perhaps, after talking to him now I understand what the writer wanted to say in that particular phrase.

Time and distance separates everything no matter how much close you are at point of time.

My Update

From the usual news site which I check every morning I have also started checking sites which gives me information for house-on-rent. The prices of house even in rent in Mumbai is shockingly numbing high. No wonder there are so many slums in Mumbai. When I can't afford a decent 1BHK then more than 80% of the people can't afford a roof in Mumbai.

The recession is making a bad hit. Almost every news of recession I update it to my cousin who is in Final year of Engg and taking life easily for being he is already placed through campus. I'm playing my part to ensure that he doesn't make the same mistake I did five years back. I'm insisting him to go for higher studies as the market is down and really bad.

But, on the hindsight the trouble brewing due to recession particularly realty sector is bringing me a little relief and smile. Relief because there may be softening of prices. A smile because there will be soon a sanity check of housing prices particularly in Mumbai.

That day mama called me and was asking about my progression on finding a new house. When I told her the prices she was shocked and later she said my cousins in Bangalore were also paying almost the same rent. On which I replied I would be paying the same money for 1BHK and there were paying for 3BHK that too in a posh-area. Afterward, mama didn't say anything.

Lately, health-wise I'm not doing well. But, still I'm making point to attend office with tablets of medicines in my pocket. Perhaps, the transition of summer-into-winter is taking its toll in my body. Yesterday, I happened to check my weights and was shocked to found that I'm almost 70kg. Same time last year, I was about 56kg. In less than a year I had gain more than 10kgs. No wonder, my trousers are getting tighter and I'm easily getting tired unlike the previous times.

Fainting at Mumbai Rent

Been looking for a 1 BHK flat around the office as I needed to shift in few months to come. Literally, fainted when i saw the prices listed at website of realty. A simple 1BHK is costing not less than Rs 15k per month with a deposit of not less than 1 lac. Perhaps, the market crashing has little or no effect in Mumbai when comes to housing. Hopefully, the market will have more impact in housing price in few months to come. That day I almost shouted at the broker when he quoted Rs 18k for rent on 1BHK with 1.5 lacs as deposits. I questioned won't it be not wiser to straight away buy it rather than paying this astronomical and stupid figures. He politely answered the owner wanted it this way only or leave his flat unoccupied.

With the hope of staying near to office crashed, I'm now started looking for staying far away from office with affordable rent.But, this will substantially increase my travel time to 3 hours per day (which will be combination of train, bus and autorickshaw) from 30 min day currently.

If I leave my job someday, the prices of housing will be one of the biggest factors. Staying in Mumbai become almost impossible with this kind of astronomical rent. This is the point where I get jealous of my friends working in smaller cities like Bangalore, Pune where the rent is much cheaper than Mumbai.

Staying in Mumbai really sucks with this kind of rent. The harder it hits if you belong to working class like me.