Triggering a thought...

It’s funny how small things can trigger a thought process. There may not have been much of a link between the event and the thought. A thought that was triggered by something seemingly trivial. Something which would probably hitherto have gone unnoticed and would have caused a nothing more than a mere flutter. But the same ‘something’ rekindled the thoughts in my mind. It was reminiscent of all the things that I had managed to accomplish and that brought a sense of achievement and gratification.

A dull Sunday après noon and I was busy doing nothing in particular. I just lay back lazing around in the middle of a not so quintessential day. Doing what I do best (???)… thinking. I thought that I might as well do something more meaningful. And so I sat down…to watch a movie. That with my latest muse…the laptop!

I rummaged through till I found the pack of movie DVDs. There were quite a few…and I looked through them….dwelling on what would interest me at that juncture. Then I saw this movie that I ended up watching. There was no particular reason. Nothing that was flashy. Nothing that was eye-catching. It was nothing more than the Random Theory is my guess. Although I still have my doubts.

The movie was ‘How to lose a guy in 10 days’. The plot was interesting and it seemed like a good watch. Which I assure it definitely was. But that is not what this is all about. It is not a movie review. It is about this scene that appeared at the start of the movie.
The scene was set on a crowded road with a total traffic mess. You may wonder that how that could possibly trigger anything reminiscent other than the utter chaos that prevails on the roads of Mumbai. The stretches of Andheri and Bandra that I frequent are always choc-a-bloc with more people than the population of Luxembourg! But it was not about that. It did not remind me of those places. It reminded of something that happened in the near past that was a totally exhilarating experience.

The scene was set on the corner of Madison and 28th! Does any of that make any sense to you? If it does, you would thoroughly appreciate what I have to say. Just in case it did not, I am talking about the corner of Madison Avenue and 28th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The corner(???) you may wish to ask. The answer would be an emphatic NO! It’s not about that particular corner. It’s not about Madison Avenue and its definitely not about 28th street. It’s about New York City!
Yeah! It’s about New York City! The city of dreams and opportunity! The city that has something on offer to people from all walks of life. The avenues and streets full of the American free spirit.

The movie was set in New York and Manhattan was thrown in good measure. The Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Madison Park Garden, Staten Island (and the trans-island ferry) and of course the most imposing of them all…the Manhattan skyline! Places in the City that would stir up a strong and pleasant sense of nostalgia. Memories those are strong and fresh in the mind. Memories those are close to the heart for reasons more than one.

For the benefit of les ignorants, the reason (among other reasons) that I was incommunicado and not on this blog off late was because I was away at work (???) out there. And while I was out there for work, it did not stop me from exploring, enjoying, appreciating the City and its vibrant spirit. A spirit that I found missing as I explored other parts of the country. But, then I guess that is what New York is all about.

The movie inspired me to do something that I have been thinking of doing for a while now, but could not end up achieving…pen my experiences while I was out there. Funny are the ways of life. The way a small unrelated event can trigger a thought process in ones mind. That one ends up embarking on a journey that he intended to from the start, but could never get himself to implement the plans. Plans to write his very own memoirs.

Memoirs of a boy Downtown!