Oh We Pampered Playthings…
Buddy Dave from Toronto/Bangalore came to Mumbai en route to Canada – we met for drinks at the swish Taj Lands End in Bandra. Frightmare getting up there – Bandra is a posh ‘hood (for Mumbai), but it’s very far from the city and not free of torture. Dave and I had a couple overpriced beers at the Taj, then took an auto-rickshaw to a mediocre nightspot called Temptations. The beers were cold and not expensive, but the music was blaring and it was hard to hear each other. We did the usual foreigner commiseration about India – how hard it is to get anything done, the grime, the cheesy bars, etc. Catharsis, sirrah…Dave and I parted around midnight, he was soon to fly to Canada and I had to go to work in the morning…
My USA trip was looming…needed to get my India work visa, and also attend my 20th university reunion. Guess which looked to be more enjoyable? I’d already spent hours preparing all the paperwork for the visa, and duking it out with our imperious executive assistant/company officer about precisely what would and would not be required. I do have a lot of experience in this domain so I was generally able to prevail on the key points. My dossier finally came together and I had a few photos made to round out the package. Fun fun fun.
Road crews started work on Pedder Road, a major artery nearish my apartment. Pure torture…the traffic backs up for 2-3 kilometers. Once I got out and just walked home – not a pretty sight, in the evening heat. Got home, got ready to go for a run – hadn’t had enough punishment just yet. Opened my apartment door and a pigeon was perched out in the hallway; when I walked out, the damn thing got spooked and nearly divebombed me. I ducked back inside the flat and counted to 20…then I went back out and it was gone. If this were China, that pigeon would have long ago gone down someone’s gullet, smothered in duck sauce…
Had a good run, sweated out the various poisons of my existence. Showered and walked over to China Room, one of my go-to places. Sat at a small table and ordered. At the next table was a large Indian family engaged in serious consumption. Not 3 minutes after I sat, a woman at that table welcomed me by belching loudly. Peasant. They were all obese and kept badgering the waiters for more roti (bread). This was China Room, yet they still have a full Indian menu and judging from what I’ve seen on my various visits, some people just stick to the tried and true Indian fare. Somewhat depressing – widen your horizons, people…
I expanded my own horizons the following day, when I managed to engineer the delivery of some very decent Thai food for lunch at the office. Was getting a bit sick of the usual Moishe’s flatbread chicken steak sandwich (but not that sick of it). Wasn’t that busy – made a few personal calls, including to friend Ken in London. We chatted about work, holidays, and various nonsensical matters. Need to keep these friendships and lifelines going.
Went back to my desk and plowed through a few unread work and personal emails. Realized after a few minutes that I’d managed to clear all my emails – an event that probably only happens a couple times per year, I always seem to have a few personal emails that I’ve read, but kept in the inbox without a reply. Felt good to be clear of emails…then another one popped up and the process began anew.
Went home and got in another run, in Amarson’s Park, which has been a real lifesaver. Showered and went for a beer at The Ghetto, the one proper pub near my flat. Dave Matthews was playing…both pool tables were in action…I ordered some greasy snacks. Felt a bit like being back in Charlottesville, Virginia – my b-school home, where I used to go see Dave Matthews play for free at Trax and other music spots.
Went home and packed for my USA trip. Got in a decent night’s sleep, enhanced of course by the glycerine-spiked Kingfishers. Yum.
Got up and left the flat…when I got to the street, I headed for the main drag and was surprised to see a cabbie backing up at full speed towards me. It was one of the cabbies I’ve taken to work a few times, he obviously wanted to “claim” me before I reached the main road. Whatever. I got in, we got going. At one point he asked me what time I was heading back that night – a bid to become my regular driver. I had to tell the poor fellow that I was going to the airport that night, at 11:30 p.m. Didn’t bother mentioning that I would be in the States for 10 days, then in Delhi for a few more. If it’s not meant to be, don’t push it.
Read in the newspaper that Dom Deluise died. I still remember his excellent turn in “Blazing Saddles.” He also was a fellow Tufts alum. Hopefully the physical resemblance won’t grow any closer…
Had a busy last day in the Mumbai office. Finished off a few things in the morning…ducked out at lunchtime to stock up on some pharmaceuticals at Wordell Chemists…came back and cranked some more…then had a late-night call for our upcoming conference in Delhi, which takes place right when I return to India.
Around 11 p.m. I found myself the last consultant in the office; the only other person still around was Manoj, who pretty much lives at the office. Felt like old times…late night, waiting to head to the airport for an overnight flight, left to my own devices and thoughts. At times like these I think back to my very first unaccompanied flight, when I flew to Florida to see my grandmother. In many ways I’m still that little brat – just the exterior appearance has deteriorated.
Spent my last few minutes lining up work meetings and social events via email. Can’t have a dull moment now, can we? Then said goodbye to Manoj and headed downstairs to (hopefully) find my reserved aircon Meru cab…which was actually waiting there for me. Incredible. I was half-ready to just jump in a regular dumpy black-and-yellow number, but didn’t have to. Good omen.
The ride to the airport was smooth enough (it was nearly midnight, after all). But the airport was a disaster – like an Indian Woodstock. Every line was long – good thing I got there nearly 2.5 hours before the flight, because I needed almost all of that. At one point, while waiting to clear security, a gringo on his mobilephone told his caller that he was in Mumbai, “the armpit of the world.” Clearly he’s never been to Mombasa. But given the ridiculous lines and procedures, I was annoyed. You shouldn’t have to deal with this nonsense well after midnight. At least in the first line, to get my boarding pass, there was a cute Indian dentist who was heading to New Jersey – we complained about the lines and traded smalltalk for 45 minutes or so.
India can really make you old, at times like these…
Finally got on the flight. There was a fat guy sitting next to me, in the middle seat. Who are these rubes, who are 1) oversized and 2) unaware of the drawbacks of sitting in the middle? The world would be a far better place if everyone had a clue, really. As it was, I popped a generic Ambien and slept pretty well.
Landed in Brussels in the morning. Last time I was there, I was flying en route from Joburg to NYC, via Lagos and Brussels. In Lagos I nearly got robbed…in Brussels I had a nice long layover, went into town, met a cute middle-aged woman in a bar near the Grand Place, went back to her flat, and had a memorable session before racing back to the airport to fly to NYC. Not sure I’ll ever be able to top that multi-leg voyage for sheer drama.
Didn’t have a long layover this time round, and didn’t have the Belgian’s phone number, so stayed put and got a coffee. Got on my flight to NYC, it was half-empty and I was thrilled. Watched a few episodes on “24” on my laptop and did some reading. “24” is one of the few shows I bother to watch – it’s still entertaining, but I have to say they’re running out of plausibly terrorist plots and perhaps they’ll need to scapegoat AARP or something like that next season…
My carrier, Jet Airways, had a superb Aussie shiraz on this flight. I think it was from Berri Estates. I had four large glasses and eventually passed out. Highly recommended stuff.
JFK was empty – cleared Immigration in a flash. Hadn’t checked a bag, so got out of there quickly. Got some US$ and then hopped into a cab. Was staying at old friend Todd’s near Columbus Circle…went there first and dropped my stuff off. It was overcast and a bit rainy – not as nice as I’d expected.
Got to Todd’s, dropped my stuff, then headed out with my visa paperwork over to the Indian Consulate on the East Side. Got outside, into a cab, then remembered I’d left my passport in the apartment. Went back and got it, came back outside and it was absolutely pouring. Thankfully I’d brought my little umbrella, and my documents were in a plastic sheath, so I was able to protect them. Got another cab, miraculously, and headed east.
I always seem to be incredibly busy when I get off these flights. I suppose I configure things that way, but just for once I’d love to get off a flight, have a few hours to relax, then go out to dinner with a beautiful woman. Instead of getting off a flight and racing to apply for an Indian work visa…
Dropped off my stuff, that seemed to go fairly well. Noticed a Philly cheesesteak place nearby, called “99 Miles to Philly.” Couldn’t pass that up – went in and had a ‘whiz with.’ Devoured that and could hardly stand afterward. Got a haircut at a barbershop across the way, to repair the Goa cheapie haircut I’d had a couple weeks before. The Goa haircut was less than $1, this was $16. That’s about the cost of living ratio between Goa and NYC – really.
Did some emails at Starbucks – not too gruesome. Then went back to Todd’s and waited for him to come home. Wanted to take a snooze, but my mobile rang and it was a senior colleague from Asia, he wanted to chat about a few things. By the time we were through, Todd was home and we had lots to discuss. We headed out after a bit to East, a conveyor belt sushi place on 3rd Ave, where we ate and drank deep. Then we walked over to one of my favorite places, Molly’s Tavern, where we met fellow b-school alum Ed, he and Todd had been on the same Charlottesville-NYC flight the day before, and Todd had told Ed that I was coming to town. Everything came together nicely – we sat at the bar and drank for a few hours. No end of old stories to dredge up.
Went out for some New York pizza after that…then Ed peeled off, sensibly. Todd and I moved on to DJ Reynolds, a dive bar near his place, where we spent a few more hours. Finally got back to his flat around 5:30 a.m., in time to 1) see the sun come up (I got some very nice photos of that), and 2) hear his alarm come on. Todd was planning to take Friday off, so we could both at least sleep as long as we wanted. Hadn’t done an all-nighter in some time, but Todd’s known for ‘em and I had figured something like this might happen. Forewarned is forearmed…
Woke around noon. We went over to the Lincoln Park Bar, where they have excellent buffalo chicken sandwiches (and beer). Had a few more beers, and shot the breeze with a very cute young bartender who was herself fighting off a bad hangover. Now this was my kind of place. The weather was clearing up, and all over the city people were coming out of their apartments, putting on spring clothing, and just hanging out – in bars, in cafes, on the street. Springtime in Manhattan is hard to beat.
We took a cab down to J&R Music World, where I bought an Indian plug adapter, and looked for an iPod docking station from Klipsch. That was out of stock. Got a call from a senior colleague in India, who wanted to talk shop. Took care of that and then Todd and I went over to the nearby Blarney Rock on Maiden Lane for another beer. Perhaps the perfect Friday afternoon…the only issue was that I had to go back to the Indian Consulate to get my passport/visa…they had texted me and said it was ready. Amazing…I was almost happy to go back there and get the document.
Picked up the visa and went back to Todd’s. He was listening to Springsteen and downing a few more beers. Bravissimo. We returned to Lincoln Park Bar, where we were met by friends Bryan, Dave, and Ray. Had a fine time catching up with the guys – never hard getting a minyan in NYC. After a while Bryan and Ray took off, and Dave, Todd and I went to The Palm for a large steak. Todd was pretty far gone, but we managed to make it through dinner. Another lengthy night ensued – not quite as crazy, we made it back to Todd’s around 2 a.m. this time. A relatively calm night, I suppose. NYC really is a Disneyland for adults…
Headed to Boston the next day on Amtrak. Train was a bit late, but no big deal. Watched a few more episodes of “24” on the ride, read the Financial Times and New York Times (no better way to spend a train ride), and ate. Got to Back Bay Station, walked over to Avis, got my rental car, and drove to Newton. The usual process for me.
Had dinner with Dad, Ellen, and Ellen’s mother Doris that night, at MetBar. I was fairly exhausted but the dinner and company were good.
Next morning I drove out to Hopkinton to see my sister and her family. My little niece Natalie turned 1 a couple weeks ago, she’s growing up fast and is incredibly cute. Good to get home again after only 10 weeks or so.
We all drove out to Springfield to have a big Mother’s Day brunch with Dave’s mother and his brother’s family. Went to Max’s Tavern, which is part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Complex. I ate everything in sight and felt like a basketball afterward. Wasn’t much good the rest of the day…played with the kids, then went for a very slow run around the ‘hood.
We ordered Chinese food and then we all kicked back. I had a late night call with my Indian colleagues, wasn’t sure how much energy I’d have at 10:30 p.m. Dave and I watched the Celtics-Magic hoops game, which was a tight contest all the way through. Dave headed upstairs after halftime, I increasingly got into the game, and wound up pushing back my call by a half-hour to watch the end of the game. Didn’t look that good for us, but our 330-pound backup center hit a 20-foot jumpshot to win the game with no time remaining on the game clock. Huge win. I ran around the room for a few minutes, then got on my India call and cranked through that, full of energy. I really need to watch more playoff games…
Got up at 6 a.m. on Monday and immediately got to work…Dave was already out the door and Bonnie and the kids were still (wisely) sleeping. I reviewed a couple documents sent from India, gave the team there my feedback, and felt I’d done my bit. Then got an email from a colleague in San Francisco wanting me to join a global call at 9 a.m. Hmmm – that was alright, but it required a fair amount of juggling – I’d now be pinned down till 11 a.m. or so, whereas I’d planned to head to Newton/Boston around 9. Oh well – it’s not all about me anymore, flexibility is a prized asset. So I did the call, then hit the road. Dropped off the rental car in Boston, then made my way back to Dad and Ellen’s.
Went to the office on Tuesday – haven’t worked there in 3+ years, so it felt novel. Had a very busy day so got an early start; I’ve developed a very good sense regarding how much time things take, I’m rarely off in these matters. A rule of thumb – do a quick estimate (a la “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell – haven’t read that book, but I have a sense for much of what’s in there), then add 30-40%. Works pretty well for me.
The usual slew of random bit of work – call with India, reviewed a contract, had lunch with a senior colleague, sent some market researchy questions to a colleague who happens to be in Panama on a project right now.
Had a date with the Korean lass that night, we met in Jerusalem on New Year’s Day. Friend Charles recommended “Hungry Mother” in Kendall Square, made a booking there for 8 p.m. Got out of work a bit early, walked around Kendall Square and wound up at Flat Top Johnny’s for a couple pre-date beers. At one point “The Spirit of Radio” by Rush came on – I had to grin broadly. Haven’t spent time in this area in years – it’s full of decent bars and restos, good after-work places. Most were surprisingly crowded for a Tuesday night in these recessionary times…was glad to see people are still reveling and trying to enjoy themselves. These hard times, too, shall pass…
Walked over to Hungry Mother’s, was still a bit early, so ordered “House Drink #2,” which comprised Maker’s Mark bourbon and a few other ingredients. Very nice. Waited for my date. She showed up and we sat down and tried a bunch of menu items – the resto has southern-style food and we both got some fish. Chatted for a while about our travels, and our jobs – she’s a designer for a big firm that sometimes competes with us in India. Decided not to talk about work anymore. Drank some wine. We were there for quite a while, then we took off and had another drink around the corner. Talked to some people sporting Celtics jerseys, turns out the Celts won another thriller; saw some Bruins-clad fans, the Bruins won their big game too. And the Red Sox triumphed…huge night for Boston sports. We just need to press on and win some trophies now. All in all, a fun date and a good night.
Next day at work, things were reasonably calm. Managed to locate an old floppy disc drive that runs on USB power, and plowed through some old floppy disks, liberating a few files of interest. Have been meaning to do this for a couple years now, but it’s nearly impossible to find the floppy disc drives. The firm had one and I was happy to take care of this nagging matter. Did a few things during the day, then met an old friend/colleague after work for a few beers. Was very glad that he’s still around – walking around the firm’s HQ these days, I don’t see many familiar faces. Consulting’s a high-turnover business to start with…then, with business conditions being what they are, the cycle’s exacerbated. But a few old friends are still around and I’ve been lucky to see or speak with most of them lately.
The week’s almost over, on Friday I check into Hotel Marlowe, in Cambridge, which will serve as my homebase during my university reunion activities. Old buddy Jim will probably crash in my room – good to keep revelers off the roads, methinks. Looks like a pretty solid showing for the reunion – some people aren’t stepping up, but I’m not surprised, and am not taking it personally (despite me coming in from India largely for the reunion). Most people are apathetic by nature, and when you hit 40 or so, you’re not going to change them. Maybe I’ve become too resigned as well, and buy too much into my own theory, and don’t try hard enough – but hey, here I am.
Am trying to get some Bruins tickets for Game 7 vs. Carolina – Dad wants to go, neither of us have been to a Bruins game in decades, and it should be huge fun. Am talking with a ticket broker, looks like $200 per ticket – will probably go for it. A good, violent game of ice hockey might be just what I need. Check back in a week or so and by that point I’ll be back in India, but more importantly, lots more sports will have been played and outcomes will be coming into focus. Over and out.
Tags: Travel
mbsloney
Leave a Reply