BY-TWO-TEA

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent. Taken from the mobile phone (of low resolution).

By-Two-Tea

Imagine a situation wherein YOU are an entrepreneur.
People around YOU pay YOU, so that YOU can tie-up with one of the best advertising agencies in town.
They pay YOU to afford more space in premium newspapers.
With THEIR payment YOU can pay an Interior Designer, WHO YOU know for a fact is making a killing out of YOU.
They pay YOU so that YOU can afford a premium space in YOUR town.
They ensure that YOU can afford swanky radio jingles.
They pay YOU so that YOU can collect money from PEOPLE, WHO want to talk to THEM.
Ok, let me keep it short & simple.
I AM talking about the coffee that we have at premium Coffee outlets in OUR city, where WE know for a fact that WE are paying ten times the cost of each sip.
WE pay THEM ten times the money without even knowing that THEY are making money by just OUR presence in THEIR outlet anyways.
This reminds ME of MY Rs. 2.50 ‘Chai’ from ‘CHAND BHAI’.
I have been HIS loyal customer from the times when OUR generation had no clue about the concept of a BRAND.
His tea is not branded. He has no other outlets. I don’t pay HIM so that HE can advertise, afford newspaper ads, pay interior designers who would make a killing out of HIM, so that HE can shift HIS outlet to a premium spot in town and so on.
His tea promises only one thing every time.
BY-TWO-TEA-OR-ONE-TEA-IT-WILL-BE-A-GREAT-TEA.

LEO

Note:
My intention here is not to degrade any coffee outlets in the City.
My only intention if any, is to bring out the essence of very small things in our life, like enjoying a cup of tea.
I also want to clarify that, I don’t write my articles in paragraphs so that you guys have a visual relief when you read my blogs. I am sure you guys read my blogs after a crazy trip down the crowded roads of Bangalore.
All pronouns are in uppercase, to get your attention to all the characters involved.
And that ‘CHAND BHAI’ is a real character in my life and I do visit his tea shop almost every day with a friend of mine.

Friday’s Mirth

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent.

I left with an unexplained smile.
Morning felt long like the Nile.
There’s enough time for everything today.
I leave with all ammunition planned for the DAY.
Now 7PM feels like a click away.
The ride to my perennial destination had never felt this good.
What does this day have which the past few days don’t?
The sixth day of the week; always makes me happy.
The dearth that I carried the past few days is today’s Mirth.
O my Friday’s Mirth, when will we make love again?
It’s Friday again.

Leo

The Only Constant

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent.

I have CHANGED.
People around me have CHANGED.
The way we look to the outside world has CHANGED.
India has CHANGED.
The streets have CHANGED.
It’s not the old Bangalore anymore, so Bangalore has CHANGED.
Your Girlfriend has CHANGED.
Your Boyfriend has CHANGED.
You are married, so your freedom has CHANGED.
The way India and Pakistan solve their disputes have CHANGED (Oops that was a close constant).
All of us have CHANGED. So get CHANGED. As it is the only CONSTANT.

LEO

Letter to the Boss after an India - Pakistan match

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent.

Letter to the Boss after an India - Pakistan match

Dear Sir,

Sub: Asking for leave when I know for a fact that I am the last one who deserves it.

Due to unavoidable circumstances, such as the match yesterday, which really got me drunk. I will be not be able to make it to office today. Common sir, please understand the situation, how do you expect India to win a world cup final? I know it is 20-20 but, when 90-90 goes inside, how the hell can you expect me to come to office. I have a list of my friends who are also taking leave on this eventful day. Even they work in a reputed firm just like ours.
Sir, when I am back to work tomorrow, I still want my job. Because the Indian team will get all the incentive and million dollar endorsement deals. But, I have to still depend on just my salary and it’s too late to get into the Indian team now.

Yours eternal faithful employee,
Leo

Note:
All characters in this letter are fictional characters. The person who wrote this letter and his group of friends are very efficient and committed to their respective employers and have promptly come to office today.

When do you get sweets from a total stranger on the road? After India wins a world cup match against Pakistan. That’s exactly what happened to me yesterday; a bunch of total strangers stopped me on the way back to my house and gave me a pack of sweets.

I don’t know whether you love cricket or not. But if that units us, why not I SAY.

Vitamin 'ME'

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent.

Vitamin ‘ME’

If u feel lonely...
Lost...
Very uncomfortable...
Freaked out…
Inferior…
Then you should know what your problem is!
You are suffering from the lack of vitamin "ME"...

Leo
Idea courtesy: Mr. Shubankar

Independence from Dependence

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent.

Independence from Dependence

60 years of freedom
Been a part of it for 27 years now
Parade ground will be getting all decked-up for March past
Restrictions in most parts of the town tomorrow
VVVIP’s visits all over the city
Another holiday for school children
A break from the normal routine for the IT crowd
An opportunity for friends to unite
But with all kind of dependence for our every-day life ‘Independence’ is the most abused word
Ask a kite what independence is
Ask a paper plane what independence is
Ask the fresh air that you hardly inhale what independence is
If you break-free from dependence that's your independence.


Leo

WEEKEND

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent.

Weekend

Five days are up, now you are eager to spend those two days that we get for ourselves. Then, the day arrives…Thank God It's Friday. Friday evening, you can go to bed with the realization that there’s nothing on the agenda for tomorrow.

Then it’s Saturday morning. Woke up late…what time is it? Around 10 maybe. What now…how come no call from anyone. There is some kind of emptiness. Why why why…? Those five days, when I am stuck at work I wanted a break. But, why did I need thisbreak?

Then the news from Mom, that some cousin of yours is getting married, or is it that, that cousin got married long back and then had a kid and it’s that kids naming ceremony. Or is it that, that cousin already named her kid and that they have moved into a new house and it’s their house warming ceremony. The list goes on…it could be anything. Some cousin, uncle, aunty or family friend is doing some dam-thing and we need to be there. But mom I get only these two days? No that, no this, you must attend….here goes my weekend…

After all this the time is 9:30 on a Sunday. Then the thought that from tomorrow it is waking up at 7:30 and rushing yourself for every dam thing and rush to work…supposed to be at work by 9:45…but its already 10:15…get back to the program…it will run until Friday 6:30pm…

Then life goes on and on and on…2009 will be the same

Leo

Light and darkness

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent.
Light and darkness

I walk holding hands
Forming a chain is a daily affair for me
Bonding is a necessity
Bangalore/ New York is the same to me
Advertising to me is useless
I am sure to love a person for what she/he is
Sound is my ultimate truth
I don’t need to look at that 17inch screen during work
My colors are my emotions
I can go to a concert and stand out, to still be there ‘right in the front’
Height fear…no way…I have none of it
Fear of darkness…you are kidding…that’s my constant companion

What’s darkness to you is light to me

Leo
If you are able to read this, that is your greatest gift in life. Vision?

Friends

*Personal Photograph. Not to be used without consent.
Friends

You come alone and go alone without having a clue as to where you came from and where you are headed. But during this stay for identity, struggle, desire, possession and what-not, we need an ‘entity’ called friends. Few of us would have celebrated friendship day yesterday (5th August). It’s great to be with friends. We will definitely earn lot of things in this lifetime, but make sure in this tenure you have earned yourself a true friend. A friend whom you call anytime, speak anything, count-on no matter what the situation is, who understands you when you have not understood yourself…

Cheers to those friends in your life…because your bank balance will not remember you when you are gone…

Do we need a friendship day to recognize that important asset in your life?

Leo

Counter

Farewell which is not welcome

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Farewell... (Which is not welcome?)
Will I see you again?
How long will you be gone this time?
They say this time it would take longer,
Whom am I to believe.
I am sure you will be back to say hi again.
This time I really don’t mind those pranks,
that you play.
When you are here, I don’t get to miss you.
When you are near, there’s no reason to miss you.
You should have let me miss you when you were here?
They say my friend that you are dead.
Whom am I to believe.
Will I see you again?

Leo P L
I really don’t have an exact reason why I wrote this. But, I like it. There are few people in your life who mean a lot to you. Loosing these individuals would mean a disaster. But, even with these people around you, the very thought of living without them will freak you out.

Few of you guys would have lost these important individuals already in your life…All I can say is, I really can relate to that pain.

I hope that you find them some day.