Column

The Spectator

There are five reasons why I wait for the New Year to come around: a fresh Oscar ceremony to look forward to, my birthday, the mango season, the monsoons — and the Indigo anniversary Brunch.

Of these, I have to admit sadly, three are already over: like all the previous years, this year too I woke early to catch the Oscar ceremony live.

When I switched on my TV, the red carpet entries were rolling. I felt very pleased with myself that I had set the alarm, woken up at the crack of dawn and was one of the few people in Mumbai to catch the glamour. But soon, after a spate of hearing Oscars announced for cinematography, and animation and background score, I found my attention wandering my eyes closing, and my head nodding. And when I next woke up — horrors — I realised that I had unwittingly gone to sleep through the best and most important part of the Oscars — when the Best Actor, Actress and Film are announced!

I then tried to catch the replay along with every one else in the evening — this time determined to make sure that I caught the last few minutes. But guess what? Because I had woken at the crack of dawn, I started nodding off in front of the set again as the Oscars for cinematography, background score and animation were being announced-and so by the time the big ones began rolling I went to sleep again! I missed the last few minutes twice! So much for the Oscars!

No sweat, I told myself — there’s still mangoes, my birthday the monsoons and the Indigo anniversary Brunch to come.

But this year because my birthday fell on a Sunday, I felt a bit cheated that I didn’t get the official office cake or the happy birthday song and the greetings from strangers —which I guess was a good thing when you think about it.

Not to worry — there’s still mangoes, the monsoons and the Indigo anniversary Brunch I consoled myself.

But what can I tell you about the mangoes? I had my first serving this morning, and I have to say that either I’ve forgotten what they were like — and have been fantasising about them — or the quality of mangoes this year is very substandard. Small, barely sweet and unlike the big juicy mangoes of my youth, I was — to put it mildly — disappointed.

This is not the big deal I waited all year for I said to myself. But never mind — there’s still the monsoons and the Indigo anniversary brunch to look forward to.

But now I find that after waiting the whole year for the party I am going to be out of town when it takes place this Sunday.No Caprioashkas and people singing out of tune and men in Bermudas and women in Capris for me.

That’s four out of five. Now I only have the monsoons left to look forward to this year.

Oh well, there’s always next year around the corner.

s_malavika@dnaindia.net