When did an Omega become a necessity?

 

“Not understanding life, we think objects will fill us, but its a cycle. A never ending wants for materials, that fill us for a second and leave us empty, wanting more”

 

Yesterday, I bought an expensive sofa-cum-double bed for myself. This was an addition to an expensive double door wardrobe which I bought last month. I’m also contemplating buying an LCD TV this weekend. I have also ‘almost’ bought a car few times before changing my mind at the last moment.

 

Infact, last week I was discussing the idea of buying a car (finally) with my friend and she asked me why wasn’t I buying a “Big car”. I guess she’s almost convinced me to buy a big car now (and I have a feeling its gonna be very very soon).

 

What it also means is that soon I’ll have all the ‘basic necessities” that a man needs to live. I already have the basics like an AC, refrigerator, washing machine, etc. In fact, I have two washing machines as i recently replaced my semi automatic washing machine with a fully automatic one (its easier to handle then the semi automatic one).

 

And yesterday, while lying on my new comfortable double bed, I was thinking that now I almost have all the basic necessities required to set up a house. And the next step would be my own house (my big dream).

 

And suddenly, for some reason, my Pune life flashed before my eyes. The best years of my life and I did well without the so called ‘basic necessities’ of life. For so many years, I slept on a matress, washed my own cloths, never even thought about an AC or a refrigerator, and roamed around the city on my bike. And those were the best years of my life. Its not that I couldn’t afford all these, but I never needed them to make my life better (or to feel that my life is better). I was anyways just too happy and at peace with my mind.

 

And then it struck me – when did an AC, refrigerator, expensive wardrobe and bed, washing machine and big car became the ‘basic necessities”? And lets be honest – almost all of treat these things as basic necessities these days.

 

And its not only about a car or a washing machine. I cannot speak for everyone but I can see my approach changing. Just to give you an example, the other day I was at a mall and I liked a Guess watch. But I didn’t buy it because I know my next watch is going to be an Omega. And don’t even ask me why – I myself don’t know. There was a time when I use to flaunt my Timex watch (though its still one of my favorites). But now when I go out for dinners and parties, I don’t even feel like wearing the Swatch or the Tommy watch. For some weird reason it has to be an Armani or a Rado or an Omega (and I don’t even know when did I start thinking like that).

 

I remember my friends in college always used to say that I smell good all the time. Thanks to the Park Avenue perfumes I used to buy from NDA canteen at a subsidized rate. And now my wardrobe consist of Armani, Varsace, Ferrari and Hugo perfumes but nobody has complimented me on it.

 

The other day, my cousin was in town. He wanted a shirt and I asked him to check the wardrobe and take whatever he likes. After few minutes, he came back and said-

“I’m confused. How do you decide what do you want to wear? Bro, when I have to go out, I wear one of 3 denims that I have, wear my only belt with the black shoes and one of the few t-shirts that I have. And I’m all set for the party. You have dozens of shirts, trousers, t-shirts, more then 50 ties, almost a dozen belts and even more footwear. How the hell do you decide? My life is so much better then yours.”

 

And I realised what he was saying made sense. I’m slowly getting into a trap and there is no end to it. I’ve started believing that these luxuries are necessities. I’m not saying that I should not buy an Omega watch or a big car. But the moment these become necessities, the joy of having arrived gives way to satisfaction (I’m not even sure if it gives me any satisfaction) of getting something which anyways was the basic necessity.

 

What it also means is that I’m not appreciating whatever I have and I’m yearning for more. There is no harm in dreaming big and aspiring for the luxuries of life. But then you should learn to appreciate whatever you have and enjoy it rather then march ahead for something better in life. Specially when you don’t even know what are you looking for finally.

 

There is no end to this. I’ll keep running after all these materialistic things in life and keep raising the bar for myself. Few years ago, if i was told that I’ll have a house with all the luxuries (or basic necessities – its how you look at it), wear designer cloths and accessories, drive my own car to party at the most expensive places in the town and swap my Platinum credit card for thousands of rupees without even thinking twice – I would have taken it gladly. It sounds like a perfect world – all that i ever dreamt of.

 

But today, I’m a slave of my own desire to get more of the materialistic world. And to be very honest, I don’t know why or for whom. Am I trying to prove a point to myself or to the world?

 

The best days of my life were spent without the expensive furnitures, AC, washing machines or a car. I was so comfortable in those lose fit old jeans and black shirts with the floaters. And I was no less a Tom Cruise myself in those inexpensive aviators sunglasses. And I took a few very pretty ladies out for coffee and dinner dates on my old bike.

 

And at the end, after the hectic but exciting day, I used to come back to my house and sleep on the mattress – happy, content and peaceful. I’m not sure if my new expensive sofa-cum-double bed will give me the same comfort and peace when I get back home after working hard the whole day so that i can pay for these basic necessities.

 

In the end, I’ll like to leave you all with the harsh reality of our lives – something that I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs (The rat race) also –

 

“Leaving the house in the morning, dressed in clothes that you bought on credit card for work, driving through the traffic in a car that you are still paying for, putting in petrol that you cannot afford, in order to get to the job that you hate but need it so badly so that you can pay for the clothes, car, petrol and the house that you leave empty the whole day, in order to live in it”

 

My ex girlfriend’s birthday

Last Wednesday (30^th July), I was working till late, went home after office, had dinner and then went out for coffee with a friend late night. Now you will ask me whats different in this. We all go home after work, have dinner and at times go out on coffee dates. So whats so special about it?

Well, its the date – 30^th July. Now you will ask me whats so special about 30^th July? All you music fanatics might tell me that Elvis Presley made his debut as a public performer on this day in 1954, or the world’s longest running music show, ‘Top of the Pops’ was broadcasted for the last time on BBC on this day. The Soccer fans might remember this as a date when the German great Jurgen Klinsmann was born.

 

There would definitely be more significant as well as insignificant events that occurred on this day. For me, well, its one of my ex girlfriend’s birthday. Now again, you will ask me whats the big deal (after all, she is my ex girlfriend). To be honest, its no big deal. Not anymore! But why I even bothered to think about it is because it signifies the very basic rule of life – that people come and go but life goes on.

 

I have so many memories attched to this day – good, bad and ugly. From saving for almost a year to buy a gift - to buying her everything she wanted - to exchanging ugly messages (i still cant believe we stooped to such level).

 

Now when I look back at those years, I don’t regret anything. In fact, few months ago when I went to Goa and stayed at the same place where I stayed with her few years ago (in fact I got the same room), I somehow felt good about the good old days.

 

Few of my friends still pull my leg asking “Bhai tu senti tho nahi hai na?” And I smile at them. The fact is that I’ve been with few other women after that and hardly even think about any of my past relationships.

 

Once, a very famous actor, who had had many relationships, and hence heartbreaks, was asked if he could name the one who he thought was the best. He simply smiled and said, ‘The next one.’

 

On a more serious note, its difficult to compare. From my first relationship till the last one, there have been highs and lows in each and everyone of them. And everyone was special. Its just that few of them had a bigger impact on my life then the others.

 

The first one will always be very special. I’ve hardly met a person who was liked by almost everyone. She was everyone’s darling and I’ve seen her making a difference in people’s life. Though we are hardly in touch but I know that she is doing well and is happy in life. And I know for sure that she wil not only be happy herself, but will make life better for everyone around her.

 

Once I started working, I dated a lot of women (I was trying to move on after the break up with the one whose birthday was on 30^th July). And trust me, I had a great time then. I was traveling a lot those days and I made friends all over. It was then that I met this lady for a coffee date. All I can say is that she was very very special. I have never been so relaxed and content in my life.

 

Okay - we are not here to discuss my girlfriends (to be honest, I dont even know the point I’m trying to make here – just felt like writing).

 

A very good friend of mine keep asking me which one is my favorite gift ( though I feel he has no right to ask me that specially when he himself has 4-5 watches gifted to him by his different girlfriends).

 

And to be honest, I don’t have a favorite. My Armani watch is as close to my heart as my Timex or Titan or Swatch or the Tommy. The Titto Bluni perfume bottle is still kept next to the Ferrari, CK and Hugo Boss perfumes. My 8 years old Rayban glasses are still as new as my Guess or the Polaroid Sunglasses.

 

They all are very close to my heart. But maybe the most precious one is a piece of paper which says, ‘Smile – someone loves you’. I’ve been carrying it in my wallet for more then 10 years now and it still makes me smile. 

 

I have my share of women (at times I was dumped after the first date itself All of them were different from each other (that means I still don’t know what am I looking for). From Pujabis to Sindhis to Bengali to Christan to even a Firang. From a student to a divorcee, from an air hostess to a news presenter. All different from each other. And if you ask me to tell you their birthdays - I can only say a few. I hardly remember 4-5 of them.

 

And thats why 30^th July was an important day. And why I chose to write about it is because nothing important or different happened that day. It went by like any other day. In fact, nobody even wished me happy birthday (till last year, my friends used to tease me). Everyone seems to have forgotten about this girlfriend of mine. They have new ones to tease me with. Maybe, next year even I’ll forget about it or will be busy preparing for somebody else’s birthday.

 

But who cares? I’m already thinking about my birthday. Last four years, I’ve spent my birthdays with four different women (never knowing that it would be my last birthday with her). I still have a couple of month to go before my birthday. And I’m still not sure whom to celebrate it with.

 

I haven’t celebrated my birthday with my parents for more then 10 years now. Maybe, the time has come to spend the whole day with them. Because the women might change every year, but they will always be with me on my birthday.

 Amen!