Arrival !!

It wasn’t a day like any other, well; to start of: it was; just another day when I woke up late and checked my wallet; the notes hadn’t multiplied and I, for the umpteenth time realized: it sucked to be jobless. I had been jobless for 10 months then; financial resources had started drying up; although I had just enough savings to buy me three drinks a day for the next couple of months, I couldn’t afford any other luxury. And, that is what being jobless does to you, over a period of time you start focusing on your priorities. A good night’s sleep was all that mattered then, and Rum was my anti-depressant after everything else had failed. I had to be at the pub, down the three drinks I could afford and leave; it had become a routine of sorts. I looked forward to nothing else, the days were spent scribbling and making notes or hanging out with a friend who like me was jobless too except for the fact that he could afford to buy fuel for his motorbike.

Not wandering anywhere, I would gain nothing out it. But, the days were scary, the taunts of my parents to the visions of my ex; my stand up gigs getting bombed and my dream to land on the Australian shores fading away. Not so good times!!

And as the cocktail of all such thoughts started showing it’s effect, my cellphone beeped: “It’s my birthday, party at 7pm. Be there”. Hell!! I had to be there, drinks for free; something that would save me some cash, also I would get to see new faces, something I hadn’t seen for a while. Who knew, I would get to see someone who would go onto realign my planets for good.

All set for the evening I was, the wallet though felt light, it had been such for months now but who cared? I didn’t have to buy him a gift, my good wishes meant more; shamelessness coupled with penury can work wonders. To cut it short, I made my way into the party, carrying nothing but for my dented self-esteem and a packet of cigarettes, lest I had to offer someone; smoking together could be a great icebreaker. And, it was in the midst of one such smoke filled conversation with a friend: I chanced upon what I was perhaps destined to see, a sight that left me wonderstruck: She was right there!!

I didn’t know who She was, I hadn’t seen her before, all that I knew for now was that it was after long that I felt good, my hormones weren’t kicking my butt; my mind was, no piano played in the background but her aura seemed to have worked, I did feel numb; as if nothing else existed. The crowd had drowned out, I could sense nothing but the radiance that she emitted. All that I could do as I mustered my guts, looked up and blurted; “I am sorry, it was just a joke. I didn’t mean you.”

What more could a jobless, loveless, penniless and humorless comic do?? My joke killed it, well literally, it did. A bad joke, bad timing and maybe bad luck too. There was a damsel and there was me in distress.

Holy Moly !!