a qUick laaf

an article on the web caught my eye nd strained my lungs ........
go on and have a laugh..........

If you grew up in 90's...........


1) You know the words to ‘In-pin-safety-pin’ and ‘akkad-bakkad’ by heart
2) Cricket is almost a religion for you, and you idolize at least one of Kapil Dev/Rahul Dravid/Sachin Tendulkar/Saurav Ganguly
3) You have read at least some Chacha Chaudhary or Tinkle comics
4) You’ve watched Shaktimaan on TV at least once in your life. And you can immediately recognize the character when you see him.
5) You have some ‘NRI’ relatives.
6) You couldn’t wait for it to be December so you could have the Toblerone chocolates your NRI relatives brought you
7) You watched Cartoon Network, and then the late night movies on TNT that came after Cartoon Network ended.
8) You watched corny dubbed versions of Small Wonder, Silver Spoon, and I Dream of Jeanie
9) You were THRILLED when McDonald’s opened in your neighborhood (or even eight kilometers away)
10) Your first burgers were at Wimpy’s or Nirula’s.
11) A visit to Pizza Hut used to mean a special treat
12) You have seen Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun at least 5 times each
13) You still remember the theme song to Hum Paanch.
14) You have played hours upon hour of Pukdam-pakdai, oonch-neech, kho-kho, ‘Doctor, doctor, help us!’, ‘Lock and key’
15) You have played ‘Uma Joshi’ more times than you can remember.
16) Dog ‘in’ the bone was your favorite co-ed game.
17) Much of your free time in school was spent playing UNO.
18) You collected trump cards of wrestlers, cricketers, and airplanes, and did not quite understand why your younger siblings were obsessed with Pokemon and the other Japanese trends that followed.
19) Your summer vacations were often synonymous with visiting your grandparents
20) Your parents, at some point, told you ‘Dark Room’ was a bad game to play. But you still loved playing it.
21) Bole mere lips, I love uncle Chips!
22) You know the song ‘Made in India’ by Alisha Chinoi
23) You have seen many many many episodes of ‘Antakshri’ on Zee TV and know the only thing constant in the show is Anu Kapoor.
24) Amy evenings have been spent watching little kids gyrate vulgarly on Boogie Woogie on Sony.
25) You were the coolest thing in class if you had a computer in your house while it was still the 90s.
26) You learnt LOGO in school!
27) You couldn’t wait to start 4th/6th standard so you could start writing with PENS instead of with pencils!
28) You often you terms and phrases like ‘kutti’, ‘abba’, ‘same to you, back to you, with no returns’, and ‘shame shame, puppy shame, all the donkeys know your name.’
29) You most probably saw Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge at the cinema at least once. You also fantasized singing songs in mustard fields like in the movie.
30) You have seen David Dhawan and Govinda movies and laughed at them.
31) You have said ‘haw’ or ‘haw ji ki pwji’ when you saw people kissing in English movies
31) You have seen Titanic at least 12 times.
32) You thought seeing English movies and speaking English made you the coolest thing ever.
33) You remember the Orissa cyclone, even though you didn’t know what a cyclone was.
34) You remember the Gujarat earthquake very clearly and could possibly tell everyone EXACTLY what you were ding when the earthquake occurred.
35) Barbies for girls, and GI Joes for boys were the ultimate status symbols. You just wanted more more more and more. And how can I forget Hot Wheels, for both boys and girls? I personally have a collection of over 200 little Hot Wheels cars.
36) You have worn Osh-Kosh B’gosh and United Colours of Benetton clothes while growing up. And you thought ‘imported’ clothes were definitely way better than ‘made in India’ clothes (never mind that a lot of clothes brought from overseas by NRI relatives were actually made in India, before ‘Made in China’ started appearing on EVERY existing thing)
37) You know the words to ‘Posham Paa’, and like it better than ‘Oranges and Lemons’ even though you’d sing the latter to sound cool (see 32 above).
38) At some point or other, cool was your favourite, and therefore, most overused word.
39) Captain Planet was your first introduction to environmental consciousness.
40) You have tried to convince people around you to not burst crackers on Diwali, and then gone straight back home and burst them yourself.
41) You have had endless packets of Parle Gluco G biscuits, and of Brittania Little Hearts biscuits.
42) You loved licking off the cream from the centre of Bourbon biscuits.
43) There were no Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Puma- Bata and Liberty was the way to go for your sports shoes.
44) You have probably consumed more Frooti in your lifetime than there is oil in Iraq.
45) You watched Baywatch on Star World even though (or because) your parents said you shouldn’t watch it.
46) You bought packets of potato chips for the specific purpose of collecting Tazoa. And you had Tazos depicting everyone from Confucius to Daffy Duck to Daffy Duck dressed as Confucius.
47) For the longest time, the Maruti 800, the Premier Padmini, THE Fiat, and THE Ambassador were the only cars you saw on the road, and the Contessa was cool because it was bigger.
48) You would literally jump up in excitement if you ever chanced upon an imported car (Oh my gosh, is that really a MERCEDES?)!
49) You spent a good part of 1998 drooling over the Hyundai Santro and the Daewoo Matiz , debating which one was better.
50) You used to Fuzen gum. You also chewed Big (big) Babool and/or Boom Boom Boomer chewing gum. They were bright pink and disgusting tasting, but you loved them for the temporary tattoos.
51) Talking of temporary tattoos, you sometimes had contests with your classmates about who had more tattoos on their arm, leg, knee, hand, forehead, wherever.
52) You thought Mario and Tetris were the coolest things ever invented, especially if you were a boy.
53) You knew that having the latest Hero or Atlas bicycle would make you the coolest kid on the block.
54) You can imitate Sushmita Sen’s winning gasp to perfection.
55) You have, at some point of time, worn GAP clothes (real or fake) like SRK in KKHH.
56) Seemingly senseless acronyms like SRK, DDLJ, KKHH actually make sense to you.
57) You have at some point debated who was more beautiful- Aishwarya or Sushmita.
58) If you lived in Delhi, you went bowling at Essex Farms, or Go-Karting at 32nd Milestone and couldn't think how you could get any cooler than that.
59) Baskin Robbins ice-cream was THE thing to have!
60) You know what Campa Cola is. And you also knew that Coca Cola was THE drink.
61) When you would watch WWF keenly every evening/afternoon and really think that Undertaker had 7 lives and he made an "actual" appearance in the Akshay Kumar- starrer Khiladiyon ka Khiladi.
62) When all backpacks (or 'schoolbags') and water bottles and tiffin boxes had strange cartoon characters that were hybrid versions of seven or eight different characters, and you still bought them, because a green man wih a water pistol, boots, a jet-pack, Johnny bravo hair, a rajasthani mustache, gloves, and underwear (long johns) over his pants, called 'Mr. X' was OBVIOUSLY a status symbol.
63) You remember the Nirma tikia jingle.
64) You remember the Nirma girl.
65) You remember the 'doodh doodh' ad and also the 'roz khao andey' ads.
66) You grew up reading, if you read at all, some or all of Nancy Drews, Enid Blyton books, Hardy Boys, Babysitters Club, Animorphs, Goosebumps, Sweet Valley series, Judy Blumes, and Tintin, or Archie comics. Because naturally, reading foreign authors made you much coller than reading Tinkle.
67) Towards the late 90s (1998-99) at least some of us started our Harry Potter obsessions!
68) You absolutely HAD to go to Essel World if you wnet to Mumbai! "Essel World mein rahoonga main, ghar nahin nahin jaaonga main!"
69) You watched the Bournvita Quiz contest on TV pretty religiously. The smarter ones amongst you actually took part in it and had your entire school and your entire extended families watch you on it!
70) "Jungle jungle baat chali hai, pata chala hai. Chaddi pehen ke phool khila hai, phool khila!"
71) Maggi 2 Minute Noodles = ultimate snack (and tiffin, lunch, dinner)!
72) If you grew up in the early 90s, you recall the nation's obsession with Mahabharata on TV
73) In the later 90s, you religiously followed Hip Hip Hooray on Zee. Maybe Just Mohabbat on Sony too.
74) You eagerly awaited Friendship Day, so you could give friendship bands to all your friends, and get bands from them in return. Then, of course, those with the most bands loved to show them off (and on Rakhi, boys with the most Rakhis loved showing those off too!)

75) This list made you smile.

fiNalLy

My feet were trembling , my forehead was perspiring even in the air conditioned metro station as I was walking towards the exit where I was to meet Ankita. Yes, finally I had a girl, to say the least, and instead of being excited or rejuvenated on meeting her after a long time I was feeling the heat . I felt the same way I felt when I was at my board viva exam facing the teacher . I tried to walk slowly to gain some time (was I trying to avoid her???!!!!! no ..no). Something in me had surely crossed its melting point (could be my brain or even my heart..)and I felt some more heat and more sweat ......Unable to find her made my heart relax a bit ...I could have called her to ask where to meet but I preferred otherwise .

This was our first meeting after a long time . We had talked for long hours on cell(wondered sometimes was I helping myself or the Ambani's ?!!!!!!!) and I knew as much about her now as she knew about me .....So much so I could call us to be officially couples(at least i thought so .....God knows about her...................... or may be not(You know how girls can be ) ....!!) .

Finally after a long futile search I decided to call(Thank god I had some balance in my cell )..
Pressed 1 and call(She reached the top of my speed dial library only after a few talks!!!)....
"hullo!!"

I was kind of amazed hearing the same sound from both my ears even though cell only covered one of them .....(Am i still on Newton's Earth????!!!!)....no I wasn't wrong .She was standing just a few meters from me and I murmured "Ankita!!!!???"
Damn she could not hear and I had to try again ... I shouted again this time a little louder than normal ""
"Ankita !!"

and she looked back ..
There she was ...finally .... ohhh she looked awesome (I again thought to myself "Is it really her ??!!") . She was looking more or less like a girl most of the boys would fantasise ........Wearing Salwaar Kameez with her locks all over her face ......ohhh my God se was looking gorgeous even in her dark complexion (unlike I could image of her ). The whole dressing sense did not go with her Miranda House image but oh my she was looking so damn beautiful.....


"Hi"
"Hi"
I even didn't shake hands which I'd generally do otherwise with every girl I meet .....
Over and above that ...........the most stupid one can be --didn't give her the flowers I bought for her after an advice from the senior and they kept waiting there for her in my bag ....(Why the hell did I place them in my carry bag ????!!!!)

"So, hows u????..A bit late haan"
"Em fine "(Even forgot to inquire back !!!!!!!)
"You not speaking today .Is everything fine ???"
"Yup" (Again a single word reply ... )
"So where would you like to go ?"
"Movie maybe "(Aha .........two words this time ..........)
"Ok ... as You say . "(I could guess she wanted a more romantic place....)"There' s a PVR just nearby . lets go there "
"Ok"
Sitting in the cab with me barely talking, an idea struck(which would involve me doing something instead of sitting ideal and may be make me look less morone !..........) ..a golden one ----took out the flowers and handed to her ............
A cool reaction from her ..May be the flowers turn the girls on or what but she came close and gave me a little peck on my cheeks ...........


So there were we ...Siting side by side but not saying a single word ..A perfect place and hideout from all the talks ....which I could barely stand at that time ("Man what is happening to my confidence ????")......
And suddenly she moved a shoulder toward me .(Was this true .?? Was she sending me signals ???What does she want ????)
It freaked me out and I moved away from her .......
Then she kept her hand on the common hand rest ......(Again a wave from her ????)
My speculations grew more and more as I saw a couple making out sitting just adjacent to me .....
May be they also thought us to be lovers and hence would not mind this .........But man making out in public ......ewwwwwww.........
Couldn't wait to see the end of the movie ......
and my favourite part was the Hero rushing out of the theatre with her female lead "........





















Day 2
Moving in the mall with Ankita I could see some very cool girls roaming around in here((Now that's the rare positive of both the hot girls and Delhi ...the interest in malls and the malls themselves )
But somehow I wasn't interested in those girls ...!!!!I just wanted to stay watch Ankita and Ankita till the end of eternity (Sounds like Hindi movie but that was true .....) .
Suddenly she held my arm and WE started walking through Ansal Plaza just like couples ...... walking in Plaza just like couples infused some confidence in me .What I always imagined for has finally come true .
Don't know what was that on her part - just the Delhi culture or what but certainly helped me ........

Suddenly I started to talk a bit and the conversations though still mainly one sided ,had some contribution from me as well ......
Climbing up the streets I suddenly blurted something out which came to my ears like "Hey a danger place for you .... A deserted place ...can do anything ......"(Was I sane ?????"Come again "---wanted to hear myself again .....)...
"You can't do anything , you loser ", she laughed , "I will fulfil my promise much sooner than you"and went away .....
and I was standing there dumbstruck and reminded of the night she promised me "I will kiss you first in public place ...."


ohhhhhhooooo..........
seemed a whole lot of waves were radiating from her or rather a tsunami..........but man why did I feel so shy.



after wandering around in the plaza and some shopping (window shopping mainly ...)when we were just sitting idle she came toward me (I guess she wanted to kiss me ..............no no wait she really wanted .). She came nearer and nearer and whoosh ................
I pushed my face in other direction and again I guess she understood how worthless I was .....
I was feeling sorry for her and pity for myself ?????Turning down the opportunity what every guy aspires for ........
Cursing myself and reminded of the old proverb again and again "Opportunity knocks only once "....finally I decided to be a man ......got up went close to her and there it was ..............


My first kiss and that too in public ...........She was like perfect at that ....virtually eating away my lips and .................








no mention thereafter ...........