Conversations: The lavender story

F and I visited a friend A's place (in a different city) recently. They were there for about 3-4 days and had a great time. Due to some work, F planned to leave early while I stayed on for a couple of days more.

One of the evenings (after F left) A and I were having a great one on one conversation. While they chatted along about different things, the lavender comb on the dressing table caught their attention and was blissfully included in the talk. This is how the conversation went.

A: This is such a nice comb, na?
I: Yeah, and the color is really beautiful. Lavender in fact is my favorite color.
A: Hmm.. and it's especially a good idea to carry a small comb like this. More so when you are traveling.
I: Yes. You know although I always use a hair brush for combing my hair, it generally takes a lot of space. And..
A: And you can easily carry this along anywhere you go..

They both nodded, happily agreeing to each other while they admired the comb. And then the topic of conversation gradually shifted to something else and time moved on.
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A couple of days after I was back home, A called. After a quick exchange of greetings A mentioned something that triggered a whole new conversation. This is how it went.

A: By the way, you forgot your comb.
I: What comb?
A: The purple comb?
I: Oh no. I just got a hair brush with me.
A: No but remember we talked about it that evening? You were saying how it is easy to carry the comb etc?
I: Exactly because I thought it was your comb and it was a good idea to use for next time!
A: And I thought it was yours!
I: He he ... Then it must belong to F.

And they both had a good laugh.
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Recently at home after a few days I and F had the third and final conversation.

I: Hey F, did you forget something at A's place?
F: No I don't think so.
I: Come on try to remember. Din't you forget your comb?
F: Comb? Which comb?
I: A lavender colored comb. (With details)
F: No, I did not. I've never had a lavender colored comb in the first place!
I: @#$%%^$^&*&^**(!!!!!!!!!!

(ps: This article is two quarts truth and one quart imagination)

Eiffel Tower

We recently saw the Eiffel Tower at NYC. It was a wonderful sight. We even went to the observatory on the 86th floor. The elevator was super-fast. The view from the top was really amazing. Actually this was not my first time at the Eiffel Tower. I have been there once before a couple of years back. That was in fact in the winters, at night, close to Christmas. The wind was really hard and chilly and we had a tough time keeping our camera stable. But the view was just breathtaking. Have you seen the Eiffel tower?

OK. I can understand the torment you guys must be going through. You think it has a different name isn't it? Empire State building? Damn right you are! Rested and in peace. I am sorry but I have some thing with this name. I get stuck with using "Eiffel Tower" instead of "Empire State Building" often in conversations. Thankfully my audience has never been American or French. I also do this with Julia Roberts. I never remember her name.

If that was not enough, there is this new habit I have been picking up lately- of forgetting names immediately after getting introduced. I'm definitely trying to get a hold of this syndrome because it does not make me look good. Today, I went to a birthday party and met someone whom I had met once before, in some kind of a get-together. Obviously I did not remember her name :). To my beautiful surprise she did not as well. I can't tell you how much this added to my comfort when she started with, "Sorry I don't remember your name, can you say it once again please?". It gave me the wonderful opportunity to ask her name again. Only that it was an opportunity lost "immediately". During the whole party after that, she was referring to me with my name (she had done her homework) and trying so hard to pronounce it correctly while my mind was wreaking havoc on the possibility of having to address her by any chance.

(ps: Things went well and I dint have to do that. I still don't recollect her name and thankfully it doesn't matter much. But the story goes on.)