All Things Considered

At any point in time in life, one needs to be able to pack all that one owns in a tiny backpack and continue on the journey. Such has been my view on personal possessions. Stay light.  It is also one of those views that I’ve always held onto but have never complied to entirely.

Even when I had accumulated some 200-odd books, plethora of movie cds, photography paraphernalia, (and some non-photography paraphernalia),a bicycle and had taken on a bean bag-fabindia life, the strong resistance to household stuff, consumer goods and all EMI-based acquisitions remained. These - I equated with constraint, constancy and monotony. Somehow it seemed as if merely acquiring these would tie me down to a place or to a life longer that I’d want. It took a super lousy maid, some self-realization on my part as to how lazy I’ll always be, a dusty house and severe dust allergy to finally convince myself to get myself a COT.  So, after 8 years of living in Bangalore  - and in the same rented house (constancy talk, huh :) )- finally a cot happens in life. Queen size.

Week One: Apartheid gets practiced at home. Soon, Envy takes over. This new thingy that has invaded territory and has occupied most of my room! Second week, I begin to use it.  Discomfort. Night feels like Indian Railways Sleeper class - middle berth. But, like how one gets used to most things in life, this one slowly creeps up on me and takes over. Today on my ‘empty’ bed, there is hardly any room. The camera, the books that I currently read, recent movies I’ve borrowed or bought, pens that don’t write, a mobile phone, last month’s airtel bill, the citibank envelopes I never open, laptop bag, eye-glasses, half-used clothes (The ones you’ve worn just for a movie or a short visit to a bookstore. So you neither want to put it back in the wardrobe, nor into the laundry bag that has assumed the proportions of the drawing room. But most of all, you don’t have anything else washed for the Monday).

And now, I realize a COT IS A SHELF TOO - a double rack at that ! It creates so much space storage space over and UNDER it. I stoved my old mattress, backpack, old tech books under and there is still room.

Today I tell myself, if I can let go of the comfort of the lucrative job and take off, can a cot hold me behind ? :) 8 years for this sagacity to come :D