KRITIKA P-WORLD'S BEST SIS

I remember when i visited Hyderabad, the first person i would look forward to meeting was sis. Our summers would be filled with chasing dragonflies and stringing them with a long thread (It was years before i realised this was animal..or insect cruelty). Sis would always play the cruical role of peace maker in the family, making sure that video games, legos and WWF cards were promptly returned in one piece at the end of the day. She was the appointed guardian of my BDay cake, to ensure the neighborhood gang didn't get the best pieces. Because she was the only girl in family, and was pretty, (the other cousins were dark, fat and just plain ugly), she was pampered and she still is.
None of us three brothers and sis are blood related per-se, but that hasn't stopped us from having our sibling fun and quarrels. Sis still sends rakhis to us by post, though i would love the chance to have it personally tied by her. And there is always a letter accompanying it, a welcome change from the emotionless e-mails i start at.
She puts family and others before her, and believes in charity. This attribute of her, i believe, cost her the best years of  life, teenage. Granny gave sis the ponytails, the nerd glasses, the braces and the dull gowns. By my standards, it was a "dark age in fashion" for her. Thankfully, that phase is long gone, including the fat, and she is at her presentable best.
The distance between us is what makes every family reuinion special. Had we been together, we would not have valued the bro-sis relationship. Her suggestions always get me out of tricky situations.
I feel stupid that i fought with her once and made her cry. People, never make a girl cry. It fills you with a guilt that you carry for life. Me and sis are on good terms now. But i wish i had the wisdom and forgiveness she has.
Sis complains that being born a Scorpion is a curse, 'cause nobody listens to you. But you don't need to speak to communicate. Just a nod and you know we have your back.

Here's a HiFi! to the greatest and the best sis of all, Kritika P.

YASH, A BRUSH OF KINDNESS

I saw Yash for the first time in my Bachelors at St.Philomenas. That was the time when i did not interact with anyone, boys or girls. Especially girls. I was labelled odd and arrogant. I do not remember when i started to  opened with the others in a friendly manner. It must have been the beginning of the second semester. Yash on the other hand seemed to get along with others from the beginning. 

One day in the lab, she posed a question as to whether i was a Tamilian. I never knew my origins would come to be a conversation starter. I replied i am a Hybrid, a mix of Andhra (dad), Tamil (mum) and Karnataka (grew up). That was how our friendship began.

I find her forgiving nature absolutely fascinating. I could never have that attribute, being an Arian. To her, relationships matter a lot. For me, doing the right thing matters a lot, people be dammed. At first glance, her sense of fashion, if she had one, did not impress me. Those were the days when looks mattered to me. I did not think very much of her.

But, time teaches you a lot of things. One important lesson is never to judge people by their looks. It took me some time to see Yash for the wonderful human being that she is, and i wish i had some of her qualities.   She still keeps in touch with me, even though i deleted the numbers of almost all my classmates after college. Yes, some do pop up on Facebook now and then. But in terms of personal interaction, i learnt that it is important to actually see peoples' faces, than poking them online. 

I feel privileged to have a friend like her, who messages unfailingly every morning. At a time when 'I' matters more than 'US', its always good to have a person like Yash as your friend. Cheers to her and her wonderful family, dog included.