My Father

This is an apology post. In my post, "Standing Up", I was angry and said many things about my dad that really didn't do him justice. My old man is amazing and I'm like him in so many ways(more than I'd care to admit under normal circumstances) . Not that I'm saying I'm amazing but feel free to use your imagination.


Born into a well to do family of 6, he was the youngest child. India had recently gained it's independence and my grandfather was the assistant to the food minister of India at the time. All seemed to be going well until...

My grandfather passed away of a heart attack when my father was just 10 years old. For reasons unknown to me, the insurance never came through. The family had to move out of their beautiful government given house and was instantly plunged into poverty. My grandmother, who wasn't very well educated did her best to do what she could for her family. My eldest uncle was offered several jobs but was no where to be found when my family needed him the most and my aunts were still relatively young. From going to the school where the elite of the new India sent their offspring to a government school where the kids made fun of my father for being fluent in English. My dad somehow pulled through those years, excelling in all subjects except Geography I think it was which he failed ONCE and never forgot about(he's still sore about it to this day). He loved to play cricket like most Indian kids and when it was his turn to buy the cricket ball he would fold 100 pieces of paper into envelopes to make enough money to buy the ball. My aunts became typists at an early stage of their lives and gave their further education in the hopes of getting my father through his.

With their continuous efforts and some help from a close family friend, my father got into one of the best universities in India. The Birla Institute of Technology and Science at the age of 16 (the creator of hotmail was his senior). A time he tells me when he had the time of his life. During my time in Perth, I had the privilege of having one of his best friends and university mates as a local guardian. He'd tell me heavily censored stories of the mischief they'd get up to but also of how hard working and focused my father was. The boys would get ready to go out partying and would come banging on his door calling him to come out with them and they'd find him, face buried in some book. He rarely joined them. When the final exams came along, he did not sleep for the last 3 days of the exams and worked himself to exhaustion. It all payed off when he graduated as the 2nd rank holder in the entire university.

Immediately after graduation, there were not many jobs going, so he applied for a job as a salesrep for a pharmaceutical company, which he got. Every day, he'd cycle 10 km on a rented bicycle to visit his clients. While working full time, he did a post graduate course in marketing and accounting. Fast forward a few years and he's happily married to my mother and working as a factory manager in Bangkok. He now had a company car but could be called on any day 24/7 to fix a crisis at the factory. While holding that job, he began to do another business course through correspondence. Even though he scored higher than any full-timer doing the same course, he had to give it up as he simply didn't have the time.

My old man is brilliant. He never EVER gives up and doesn't believe in no win situations. No man is self made but he's as close the term as one can get. He is the most well read and traveled person I know and seems to have the answers to all my questions. There's nothing in the world the man doesn't know about and he keeps learning and expanding his knowledge through the educational channels on Astro, more books and magazines. Admittedly, I'm not as close to him as I would like to be which is because of how much he had to travel and work, all to protect us from ever having to face even an ounce the hardship he did. Everything I am and everything I have today, I have because of my parents.

If my dad and I are anything like each other there's one thing I know about us. We never stop thinking. Constantly I am plagued with thoughts that my overactive mind seems to have an endless supply of. The resonating effect that all these thoughts have on me causes me to worry and quite a lot of the time, you'll find me staring into space, lost in thought. I suspect this, amplified by his intelligence must cause him great distress which is why he resorts to drinking to numb his senses. I do it by tiring myself out through sport but each to their own I guess. Also I think it would be honorable to mention that he has recently stopped drinking though I can see that he's clearly troubled about it. The pros, of course, outweigh the cons in this case.

In my previous post I mentioned that my father didn't do my mother right. I was over exaggerating. They had an argument and, fueled by anger I clearly blew it out of proportion on my post. He takes her on holidays to England, France, Switzerland and soon Hong Kong for the Andrea Bocelli (his favourite singer after "Celine Dion the Soprano!!" as he keeps reminding me) concert where they have front row seats. He has also never been physically violent with my mother. Hardly the traits of an abusive husband.

I love and respect my father. If anyone out there, I don't care who you are,passes judgement on him, I will defend him with the same ferocity and enthusiasm that got him through life to where he is today and that defines us both. We are not and will never be spoilt trust fund brats. We are the underdogs. We are the epitome of perseverance.

Ahhh life

Misery is my inspiration today. Why am I miserable? Because I still can't decide what I want to do.
I'm rarely like this but when I am, oh my god... I mean I'm listening to snow patrol. I mean what next? Evanescense, red wine and guy-liner? Err, no thanks.

Every man must choose the path he wishes to take for the better years of his life. It's important to make sure you're making the right decision because if you want to get somewhere you're going to have to pay toll. Sacrifices have to be made if you want to succeed. For you dyslexic people who're only good with numbers, this is what I'm talking about.

Wake up- 8am
Office- 9am-6pm
Free time- 6pm-8pm
Dinner- 8pm-9pm
and between 9 to 11 assuming you don't have work to catch up on, you might be free.

When family comes into the equation you have even less time for yourself. Hence the new generation of over worked, under payed and unfit middle age men with beer bellies living depressing lives increasingly spending their meager pay on therapy. Asian men don't see any benefits in spending so much money on therapy when they can relieve stress by beating their kids while certain western people who may not be able to afford therapy or are plain stingy choose to put their frustrations into being perverts. But I digress. Life is stressful. And being as Indian as I am, I don't want to pay toll with the intentions to go to Bombay and ending up in Lahore.

Other than the above, the fact that I'm 21 and that I've lived outside home so much and suddenly have to abide with the " be home in time for dinner" and " don't come home after 11.30pm" rules has come as a rude shock to say the least. I'm talking finding Gandhi in your curry rude... Sure I'm living in my parents' house so I'm going to have to follow their rules but I'M 21!!!! No matter though, I have plans to escape.

If you're observant, you've probably noticed that the article is getting kind of weak. I think it's because I've come to my senses and just realised that bitching about things achieves nothing... except making you realise that you're being a bitch and bitching achieves nothing. Which kind of makes it beneficial.

I'm off to make my decision and follow the yellow brick government taxed road to Bombay. Wish me luck