Journey in a time machine.

Okay, I know this comes too soon after that very sentimental birthday post but I just could not resist doing this. I stumbled upon something interesting on another blog that I was surfing through  "Wandering thoughts" by a person named Rinaya. She had this quiz about going back in time to meet oneself . This reminds me of how  when at sixteen I wrote a letter to myself. After  sealing  it in a cover   I had written my name and after that in bold  " not to be opened until you are 25". Well that letter got lost somewhere in my "treasure island" and during one of our various moves across India I stumbled upon it again. I was not 25 yet but I read that letter and laughed my head off before I tore it.  But going back into the past is more serious.

So I decided to give it a try.  Problem  is that I have a much longer journey than Rinaya and her young friends...

Well here it is...

Depending on your age, go back 10, 15, 20, or even more years.
. Tell us how many years back you have travelled and why.
I am going back 30 years to the time when I  was  13.. (Gosh,, I am really tiered after this long journey)

. Pretend you have met yourself during that era, and tell us where you are.
I find myself  in  Kolkata. Class 8 at St. Teresa's secondary school

. You only have one "date" with this former self. . Answer these questions.

 Okay, as we start, what year is it and how old are you? 1981, Kolkata, Jan 23rd, School has reopened and I am in 8B giggling and whispering with my good friends.


1. .Would your younger self (YYS, from here) recognize you when you first meet?

 "Hey who are you " is  her response. Only she does not say it. She looks at me inquisitively.  I take off my specs to make myself look less intimidating . " Are you a relation? You look like my grand mother. But she is fairer  and only  wears nine yard sarees" she giggles ( Disappointing! Ok you fat kid I will  forgive you )

 2.  Would YYS be surprised to discover what you are doing job wise? 

Ofcourse. " You mean there is a career in social work and development? I thought that was only the government's job..." I explain about the non profit sector. " Okay but do you earn enough? Can you buy enough clothes and books with the money you earn?" I assure her that I certainly have surplus for savings after buying books, clothes and other luxuries.

 " Do you get to travel a lot?" she asks? " Yes.." I assure her. "What is the name of the organization that you work for?" I tell her. "

Will it be there when I grow up"? "Sure" I tell her. "I will reserve a job for  you there. You have a lot of promise".

 3. What piece of fashion advice would you give YYS?
None... I love her innocence. Anyway, she spends most of her time in her white school uniform varying it on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a yellow PT uniform. On weekends she wears her old faded clothes and when it is a real occasion she wears midis- stitched by tailors who are not allowed to take her measurements any longer as she is "growing up". Her mother takes her measurements. Her mother's measurements are not too accurate and her mom also wants to make sure that these clothes last for at least 3-4 years. So finally she ends up looking like she is wearing clothes that belong to someone else. But I do tell her that her white midi with the green stripes with its long frilly sleeved jacket  is  "out of this world" She is ecstatic coz that is the closest she has come to fashion- her first "ready made" dress from New Market. (She looks at my clothes from "Fab India" and wants to know how much they cost. I tell her and she thinks I am joking)

4. What do you think YYS is most going to want to know

"Have you kissed anyone .. you know on the lips"? What...???  A real nut ..why does she want to know such things?

" I mean me and my friends read it in the Mills and Boons novels. But I have never seen anyone in India - even heros and heroines in films kiss like that. I have come to the conclusion that maybe only foreigners kiss"

 5.How would you answer YYS's question?

I explain to YYS that the Kamasutra is an Indian piece of work and that kissing has been mentioned in that ( I am a little shaky now. I hope this kid does not ask me where she can get this book/ what language it is written in etc etc. I am just taking a chance here coz  I have never really read this book)." It is a natural thing. Everyone does this".  Thankfully she does not want any full blown explnations about the how of the act..!

She asks me instead" So did you get pregnant when you kissed a man?" !!!

My god, what is this??  What do they teach them in the biology class? " Yes, Mrs Nair explained the reproductive system. But that is science. What I am asking you about is romance".

I cant deal with this folks . I am getting back into that machine and returning to 2011 where thirteen year olds know as much as 43 yr olds (if not more.).

 6.What would probably be the best thing to tell YYS?

That real love exists but not the way it is written about in those books she reads.

 7. What is something that you probably wouldn't tell YYS

That friends can betray and when they do it hurts so much...!

  8.What do you think will most surprise YYS about you?

That I do things that I beleive in and not what the world expects me to do.

  9.What do you think will least surprise YYS?

That I continue to dream.

10.At this point in your life, would YYS like to run into "you" from the future

Well... this kid sure seems to be liking me. She thinks I am smart, open and speak with conviction. She is excited about the work I do the places I have travelled to and the people I have challenged  ( Including her parents !)

She wants to meet  my daughter who is afterall another future me...! " I would like to be friends with your daughter" she says.

Sure, my dear travel back with me... You will be surprised to see how thirteen year olds are in my time zone... Bye...

Comments

  1. Interesting post, a nice way to show the change of guard and also the change that has overcome us as a society.

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  2. Aw, I love this! I wrote a post awhile back about a letter I would write to my old self if I could. Number 8 is so true. It's wonderful that you continue to dream the way you used to :) That is a very special gift!

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  3. That was brilliant Meera! I could almost see Shristhi peering between the lines.

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  4. Loved this post. Very interesting and creative way to re-look at what we aspired for, if we are still holding on to them.....

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  5. Thanks folks. But Ani and others come on.. get into your time machines and let us see who you meet:-)

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  6. Hey! First time commenting here, though visited many times. I really liked to read your posts. There's a mystic flow of words that takes the reader into it! :)

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  7. wowow now this is interesting .. that many years back i would be completely different person ...

    beautiful :) good to know you better

    Bikram's

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  8. its really adventurous to look at yourself as it was 10 to 20 years back.sometimes its sweet sometimes it pinches.

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  9. its really adventurous to look at yourself as it was 10 to 20 years back.sometimes its sweet sometimes it pinches.

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  10. Thanks everyone for your kind words... makes me very happy!

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