The year that was............

The year in concern is 2006-07. It was my last year in college and also a year that saw the last of a lot of other things. A lot of people, a lot of incomplete stories, a lot of reasons to smile and a lot of life. It was a situation that i had seen coming for a long time, but when it came, it hit me like a sucker-punch. Every single year, i would say to myself, "College has to end some day, and so it will.." However, accepting the fact the way it was, wasn't even half as easy as saying it to myself. I wasn't just sad because the best time of my life had come to an end, but i was rather scared about leaving my people, my world behind and being out there all by myself, all alone.

For some reason, i felt like a child who was about to lose the grip of his fingers around the safe hands of his parents. But i knew that there were a few, who would always be there for me, come what may. And i'm happy to say that i haven't been proved wrong until now.

But still, there is a void that the past 6 years seem to have left in me. It still feels a bit weird that i was the only one who felt that way about leaving my old life, as everyone else seemed so excited about the new one that they were about to embark upon. In fact, most of them didn't even seem to care in the first place. Sometimes we are so engrossed in embracing new beginnings, that we forget to bid adieu to the old times.

I was told that i needed to get rid of this emotional baggage that i was carrying around. And i know i haven't taken that advice yet. And may be, on some level, i don't want to. I always keep saying, that the best is yet to come. But, in my heart of hearts, i know that the best is long gone. The memory of it hasn't though. And it never will. Never.

In the name of names...

How many of us really like our names. I don't like mine. It's PRATIK, by the way, if any of you have cared enough to go through my profile. Anyway, i have always hated it for some reason. Actually, it's my last name i hate even more, it's KHOPKAR. Why would anyone opt to take such a horrible last name....? I mean how dumb were my ancestors...!!!!!!!

They have passed away long ago.....and probably don't even have the time to occasionally glance up [ most of us go to hell] and see what i had to go through because of that name, back in school. I was called KHOPS, KHOPI, KHOPDI, KHOPCHAND...and what not. I vividly remember that someone even tried establishing a link between me and ISHA KOPPIKAR. To speak of the best among the worst lot of names that i was called by, back in college i remember a friend calling me KHOPKA... I know it sounds like the name of a cold drink brand which would surely not do well in the market or a Sri Lankan bowler ...but somehow it seemed cooler in contrast with the ones i had heard earlier.

But, i was called by all these names back in school, by kids, who can be brutal at times. But that's alright. Because i also knew a guy in school named -SANDY. That's right, parents can be brutal too.

The road till here....

This has been a weird journey so far. And a fast one too. At times, i wish the pace at which it proceeded had been a bit slower. May be then, i would've had lesser regrets. Not about what i did, but about what i never did. Or never said. Or how late i said it. Or how late i realised the fact, that i was late.

May be it was dumb of me to expect life to run at a speed at which INZAMAM-UL-HAQ ran between the wickets. Sadly enough, it ran at a pace at which a ball hit by ANDREW SYMONDS travels to the fence.
I'm not very good with the metaphors.

So there's a lot that i've learned in the past few years of my life, apart from the fact that i should talk less, which is something that people have made a habit of telling me. I've learnt that 10 or 20 years down the line, it is not my bank account that i want to be full of cash; but it is my life that i want to be full of people whom i love.
And i hope it will be. Actually, i know it will be.

Your's truly....

It has always been my dream to be heard by everyone around me. May be because talking my heart out is all i know how to do. So...that's what brings me here...a thirst for attention. Some of you may be thinking that i am really desperate.

Well....i am. I am 21 years old, single, broke, non-smoking, non-drinking, non-good looking, non-rich...It's really smart on my part to put a pic on display that successfully conceals the fact that i and Fred Flintstones go to the same gym.

If you put all these things together, what you get is a desperate guy-next-door, looking for a girl behind any and every door.

The reader is probably cursing himself for going through this in the first place...but my suggestion is that it will start growing on you after a while. And if it doesn't, then what are the 'comments' for. Just let me know how much i suck. I have had people telling me the same in person; i think it might seem different via the non-verbal medium.

So long folks.....take care ....have a great week.....and get in the groove for DIWALI.......HASTA LA VISTA....and VIVA LA RAZA...!!!