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Marie Barone: One day you'll turn around, and I'll be gone!
Ray Barone:[Spins completely around] Not today!
................... "Everybody Loves Raymond",a comedy TV Series.
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Yesterday , I was playing with my Vodka when Tobby asked me this question. "Don't you miss Shiv ?". I was really surprised by the question because , the whole evening I was smiling at the old photos of the crazy Shiv . Boy ... don't I miss him.
The first time I saw him , he was wearing a white ribbon on his forehead and was holding ( infact he was holding on to ) a guitar . It was one of the Jam sessions in Poornam where the regulars were singing their heart out and there he was, slightly weary of himself, standing behind. Someone told me that he was the new kid to join Poornam . And what a way for a fresher to start .
Amar ( our director ) keeps telling everyone of how he interviewed Shiv . He came for interview in formals ( which was the only day Amar ever saw him in one ). I guess, it was the interviewer who felt really comfortable and at ease , after seeing the smile on Shiv's face . Such was the warmth that he carried with himself , that the only question Boss asked was , "Do you play drums ? " . Hearing Shiv's reply, he was asked to join Poornam the same evening .
Yusuff was all praise for this new kid . " You know, he loves Metallica and he is an ardent desciple of Amma."
"Amma and Metallica !!!! The guy must be crazy ... ", was all I had in mind .
Within few days, I had a chance encounter with this new kid . He was laughing at the world , " Sojish , I hate following the prefixed notions of this life. Why should I do what others expect out of me ? Cant I be myself and do what I really like to ?"
"Thats COOOOL........or he is really a fool ", I thought.
He went on to prove that he is really cool . The casual attire and carelessly grown hair . The slapstick jokes and the way he mimics others ( in an exaggerated manner) ... was all cool . Soon , everyone was fond of this new kid. But Shiv was still confused .. "Why does this world laugh at my craziness ? ".
Shiv became a Team leader and also my room mate. Our evenings were all on the roof of a 10 storied apartments. Mixed with curious doubts of his. The meaning of life and the altitude difference of brain and heart. Most of his doubts were beyond me . While he was still confused , I would be gulping beer wondering why this kid is wondering.
The same "what's-the-meaning-of-life" guy , would be doing craziest of stuffs like acting like SWAT team member, and thereby almost killing Govindan uncle . Once in the office , I found him running to the glass door . Rather than opening it , he hit the glass door face on .!!! Thaaaaaaad !!! If that's not crazy enough , he slowly falls to the ground along with the background score of Tom and Jerry . Curiously everyone , including me , were laughing our heart out. Shiv was back on his legs and ready for a second take . This time , he wants the whole thing to be taken on the camera.
Shiv can sing anything and everything anytime . He finds music in every word one says . How else can he sing his master piece , "aaa bulbey , eee bulbey" ... "akkara chakka maaanga thenga ". If Jayaraj had heard them , Shiv would have replaced Jassy gift in all his forthcoming movies . Atleast Shiv has better male voice . Imagine shiv singing , "lajjaavatiye ninte kalla kada kannil".
Then , we went on a trip . Shiv is a biker at heart and he wanted to do it and feel it . One evening we both left to Tvm and from there to Tenmalai and Kodai . Since one of our bikes were limping , we fixed the max speed of trip to 50 kmph . After few hours of riding , I saw our beloved friend sitting with his legs on the crash guard and his hand supporting his cheek and waving at the M80s that a local guy was driving. Shiv was making the best of anything and everything that he was in to.
His amazing skills in finding right words to convey idea was amazing . Once , all of us in the office were teasing one of our friends who buys Samosas for girls. Shiv was the last to enter the scene and he just said a single line, " Samosa koduthal manassu ilakilla , vayare ilakooo " . ( A Samosa cant stir up the heart , it can only stir up the stomach).
Once after reading his post in the office forum , boss was literally ROFL ( Rolling on the floor laughing ) .
Coming back to his team leadership , he was the most loved leader. Once his kid ( Poornam's way of referring to a junior team mate ) , complained to him . "The net connection is slow ". Shiv asked him to ping the server , and kid responded that "there is packet loss" . Shiv asked him to check few places to solve the issue . Next thing everyone in the tech room see , is the kid looking under the computer tables and near the UPS for the "LOST PACKETS" . And Shiv was looking as serious as possible.
Then she came into our lives . A puppy . Shiv named her "Vodka Martini" and fondly called her "Vodka" . Her name remains the same . When I see Shiv and Vodka playing together , I used to wonder whether it was Shiv or Vodka who was having a better time. Once on the terrace , while he was playing with her , he accidentally threw vodka on to the wall ( Shiv didn't know that Vodka was hanging on to his jeans , when he made a kackajoojoo kick ) . Though nothing bad happened , Vodka stopped playing with Shiv after that . ( or is it the vice versa ... God Knows ) .
Off we went for another trip , and this time to Vayanad . Just the two of us . On our bikes , a fiero and "thanku"... We stayed in Wayanad for 2 days and 2 nights . He gave me the honour of filming his NatGeo misdemeanors . On top of Edakkal Cave , he chased a Lion to death. What caught me totally off gaurd was his ending line ... "Beware of the fart of a biker " . Please contact him for more scientific explanation on that.
When we returned , Shiv was promoted to the post of HOD Research and Analysis , ( Atleast that's how he called it ) . He was put into solitary confinement inorder to prevent any further outbreak of craziness inside office ( again, that's from his point of view ) . But little did anyone know that the damage was already done . All of us were really happy just to know of Shiv.
His first accident was when trying to save a dog , which was crossing the road . After that , his "Thanku" had a dimple on her gas tank. But the accident , everyone would still remember was when he crashed on a scooter . Suresh, his pillion rider went flying over him . Though there was a cut on his forehead , suresh was in his sense . Shiv hit the road head first .
I was near the office , when Saritha called me . I sensed from her voice that she was shivering . "Sojish , I think it was Shiv who met with an accident near Palarivattom . People have crowded the place , and I saw someone taking him in a auto . There is blood everywhere . Can you please confirm that it is not Shiv ? " .
I ran back to office , and Sujith learning the news was ready near the bike . We went straight to Ernakulam Medical Center , only to realise that we were the first to reach the hospital . On enquiring at the Reception , it was confirmed that Shiv and Suresh are in the Casuality . Doctors are looking into them . Nothing more nothing less.
"Anyone who knows Shiv here ? " , asked a nurse who evolved out of Casuality .
"Yes" , My heart sunk a bit .
"Come with me " , and she went inside .
I didn't know what to do . I didn't know what is expected out of me . I wasn't sure of what I'm gonna see and God , I don't want to see anything .
From far distance , I could see a vague picture of Shiv on bed with a lot of tubes attached to him . I looked around and saw Suresh and he was all up and waving his hand . He seemed okay . Suresh said , "Da .. he hit the road harder , but I guess he is okay ". Boy was I not relieved . I panned my eye to Shiv's bed . His face doesn't look the same and he is wailing.
"Shiv , are you okay ? " , I asked .
"Where am I ? How did I come here ? What happened ? " , Shiv asked .
I answered atleast 3 times for all those questions and stopped after realising that my efforts are futile. He is in a trauma shock , doctor explained. His facial bones are fractured and would require a plastic surgery to restore it.
But who cares , he is alive . And that's all that matters .
Two days later , Shiv called me from his hospital bed.
"Sojish , can you get a picture of a male model ?"
"Why da?"
"Plastic surgeon said , he can set my face the way I want it to be. Buddy , this is my only chance . So please get a picture fast ."
Well , that is Shiv . Coolest guy around .
And one fine day , he said . "Sojish , I'm leaving tomorrow for higher studies" . WHAT THE HECK?? .
He left Poornam just like that . A short notice , a fairwell party and a good bye ... and the most hilarious member everybody loved flew off.
One day you'll turn around, and I'll be gone!
& it was that day.
There are no functions , no gettogethers , no parties without his name being mentioned . We all miss him . His songs and crazy swat exercises .
Shiv ..... we miss you a lott.
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