Weekend Classroom...

Weekends are normally boring for me.  He he he…now that’s me. 

Watching DVD’s, visiting PVR Metropolitan, purchasing books & magazines from Landmark and then reading them, cooking, surfing internet (almost the entire night) and sometimes professional networking.  One can literally predict my weekend as it has been the same since past six years.  He he he…no change at all.  And you should not be amazed to learn that I do everything alone, except for networking meets.  He he he…

To make my weekend interesting, today I thought to accept Ravi’s invitation of visiting his place.  Being a very close childhood friend of mine, we met only twice since he joined Indian Navy immediately after his junior college.  I don’t know why, but he never bothered to contact me in these many years.  I will not blame him, as my college friends do complaint about me just exactly the way I am doing for Ravi.  He he he…And suddenly, when he called and invited after so many years, even I got eager to meet him. 

After some initial dhishoom dhaashoom, which we had with each other, for not contacting since ages, finally we got nostalgic about our school & college days.  Bavelli, his Malli Christian wife, got some pakoda’s and chai for us.  And then he started narrating his heroic stories which he created while working with Indian Navy.  It reminded me of our college days; when we both had equally big mouth for being highly eloquent about our immature chivalry in following girls and fighting for them with anyone and everyone.  He he he…

Suddenly, he asked me, “Saale teri ghadi to sahi chamak rahi hai.  Kaonsi hai?”

I replied, “chhod naa yaar…waise bhi samay kharaab chal rahaa hai”

And then we continued boasting about our life in past ten years.  When he learnt that I am working as an Assistant Manager with a multinational, he was first shocked and then surprised.  May be like my other friends, he also never expected that.  While we continued interacting with each other, I somehow felt as if he was getting distracted.  I asked him the reason as to what was wrong?  To which he counter-asked me, “Are you really working on some good post?”

Rishi: Why are you asking so?  I mean, the post is not so good, but then it’s not bad either.  Jaise taise gaadi chal rahi hai…

Ravi: Kya haal banaa diyaa hai tune sale apnaa?  Ek to motaa ho gayaa hai, uper se baal bhi kam ho gaye…kum se kum kapde to dhang ke pehnaa kar saale. 

Rishi: Kyu be?  Kyaa hua mere kapdo ko? 

Ravi: Chhod…jaane de…ye bataa ki Raghu milaa kyaa kabhi?

And we gradually changed the topic.  However, I was a bit astonished as to why this guy did not like my clothes.  After all I was dressed soberly, even though I was in my casuals. 

Anyways, when Bavelli announced lunch time, I went to wash my hands.  When I returned from the bathroom, I saw Ravi scanning my shoes which I removed while entering his drawing room, as a part of Indian tradition. 

Rishi:  What happened? 

Ravi:  Nahi, kuch nahi.  Chal bahut bhook lagi hai.  Khanaa khaate hai…

And then over lunch, he mentioned that his brother in law is coming from Madras the next day.  So the couple wanted to gift him something.  As such, a discussion started on the gift items.  Finally, the couple decided to visit Vishal Mega Mart as Bavelli was informed by her colleague that the store is giving good discounts these days.  When I asked him where is this Vishal Mega Mart, he pointed me over my ignorance. 

Ravi:  Saale, itne saal se dilli me hai, aur Vishal Mega Mart nahi maloom tereko?

Rishi:  I have just heard about it.  Never visited. 

Ravi;  To kyaa kapde abhi bhi Nagpur ke New Vijaya Stores se leke aataa hai?  Teri wo T-shirt mujhe ab bhi yaad hai, jispe likhaa tha – JOLA.  He he he

Rishi:  Maine aisi koi T-shirt nahi pehni, jispe JOLA likhaa ho. 

Ravi:  Abe, wo tere gale pe peeche ander side me likhaa thaa…jahaa generally brand ka tag hotaa hai…jab mai tere ghar night studies ke liye aata thaa tab dekhaa thaa maine wo T-shirt. 

I still don’t remember whether I wore such a T-shirt those days.  Although, I used to purchase clothes from New Vijaya Stores.  It was a small store full of unbranded casual clothes.  Those days, we used to get limited money from our parents, so had to manage in a tight budget.  He he he…

Ravi: Teri jeans dekh…sale…ab bhi aisa hi kuch ultaa seedhaa likhaa hai ispe…he he he…aur joote bhi dekh liye maine tere…he he he

Rishi:  Abe oye, bahut materialistic ho gayaa hai kyaa tu?

Ravi:  Abe thodaa hona bhi padtaa hai.  Lagnaa to chaahiye ki kamaa rahaa hai saale.  Kyaa karegaa itnaa bachaake.  Waise salary kyaa hai teri?

Now this is the question, which irritates me specially when old friends meet and ask instead of asking other things about me.  I know I am not earning a fat pay-packet, however, old friends tend to measure your success based on your salary.  And that’s what bothers me a lot.  I curse myself for being such an underpaid guy.  I somehow did not answer to his questions and tried my best to divert the topic.  However, Ravi was adamant as he used to be ten years ago.  He kept on and on and on…thereby asking me to check what is written on the inner neck of my shirt. 

Rishi:  Ye to mujhe maaloom hai…isme JOLA nahi likhaa hai…balke Springfield likhaa hai. 

Ravi:  Dekha…Springfield matlab Spring ka khet.  He he he…Teri ghadi dikhaa…bas ek teri ghadi chamak rahi hai…nayi liyaa hoga…

Rishi:  Haa ab to do mahine puraani ho gayi hai. 

He looked at my watch grabbing my hand and again started laughing…

Ravi:  Abe Kutte Kameene, Assistant Manager saale…mai to soch rahaa thaa ke ghadi kam se kam Titan yaa fir HMT hogi, but isme bhi tu kanchi maar gayaa…sarojini nagar se liyaa thaa kyaa?…isme likhaa hai…Tissot.  He he he

Oh my god…I was so irritated…if Bavelli would not have been around, I would have yelled at him.  He moved towards my shoe and giggled…

Ravi:  Florsheim likhaa hai ispe…ye bhi tere us JOLA ki tarah hai…jiskaa tujhe matlab bhi nahi maaloom hogaa…he he he

Bavelli:  Kyu mazaak udaa rahe ho Rishi ka?  Itne saalo baad mile ho…kam se kam dhang se to baat karo…

Ravi:  Are tum chintaa mat karo…hum log aise hi hai…bas gaaliyaa nahi de rahe kyuki tum ho…warnaa ek se ek gaaliyaa invent ki thi hum logo ne college me…

Rishi:  Bhai mere, tu khaamosh hone kaa kyaa legaa?

Ravi:  Bus ek baar tu palat…mujhe teri jeans pe kyaa likhaa hai dekhnaa hai?

Now I was really irritated by him.  When I refused to turn, he himself went towards my back and shouted…”Von Dutch” ”Von Dutch”…he he he…and laughed like hell…I immediately pulled my belt and moved towards him…

Rishi:  Yaad hai school me ek baar maine tujhe apni NCC Airwing wali belt se peetaa thaa…agar ab tu nahi rukaa to beta pandhra saal ke baad fir tujhe belt se padegi…

Ravi:  Ek minute ek minute, teri belt pe bhi kuch likhaa hua hai…dikhaa zaraa…

Rishi:  Oh my god…yaar Bavelli, tujhe kyaa shaadi karne ke liye ye kutta kameenaa hi milaa thaa…?

Ravi:  (grabbing the belt from my hand) Duchini…haa haa haa…saale kaonsi chudaail yaa  daayan ka belt leke aayaa hai…Duchini naam kaa…ha ha ha…

Rishi:  Ok…I give up my dear.  Has le tere ko jitnaa hasnaa hai…saale…bol to pant utaarke tujhe underwear pe kya likhaa hai wo bhi dikhaa du…?

Bavelli:  ek minute, ek minute, ye Duchini maine kahi dekhaa hai…shayad kisi magazine me…ye koi fashion brand hai kya?

Rishi:  Thank God!  Atleast she understands something about brands. 

Ravi:  Achchha, ye aise chudail, daayan type ke bhi brands hote hai kyaa?

After that, next half an hour was spent in just convincing him that Duchini & Florsheim are leading international leather apparel brands, whereas Springfield & Von Dutch are European casuals & denim brands.  And the watch in my hand is nothing but a Swiss Watch with a brand name called Tissot. 

Bavilli liked my Tissot very much and whispered, “Ravi, instead of going to the Vishal Mega Mart, can we go and get a Tissot for my brother? I am sure, he would like it too”

Ravi:  Why not?  If your brother will like it, let’s get it for him.  Where will I get it and for how much?

Rishi:  Go to an Exclusive Tissot Showroom and ask for the Tissot TXL Chorono T60.1.587.52 model. 

Ravi:  Abe to keemat bhi bataa de naa yaar. 

Rishi:  Well in India, you would get it for Rs.32,000/- where as if you import it, you would get it for $500.00 including shipping charges.  Electronics are costlier in India compared to US and other places. 

Seeing Ravi’s face, now it was my turn to laugh around…but then there is something called as Humility which if practiced at right place at right point of time can save you from getting overburdened materialistically.  And that’s what counts in the end. 

The entire incident gave me another outlook.  It forced me to understand that even if brands are BRANDS, they can not be recognized by everyone. 

Even branding of Brands need something called as Brand Management. 

Prior to writing this blog, I just visualized as an entrepreneur, launching my own brand…guess what will it be known to people like Ravi… JOLA …he he he

What better brand management insight can I get on a weekend which surprisingly turned out to be “Interesting”…isn’t it?