My White Whale- Part 1

Call me Soda. There is something in me that inexplicably draws me to the Sea. It has always been this way. I decided to (Actually its I was ALLOWED to) travel to a quaint little town that is within the borders of our (maybe not so) dear neighbor (and definitely not my home state) of Tamil Nadu.

I was supposed to travel to this town of Puducherry (means New Cherry). In case you are still wondering, THAT is its name ever since Apple filed a couple of naming rights suits, thus forcing the local people to drop its old name of Pond-i-cherry. Apple felt that this name insulted the nomenclature it followed for naming its products as well as associating such a nomenclature with a rival fructal entity. It was a double whammy they simply could not take. Also an Apple representative who wished to remain unnamed claimed that “ Pond-i-cherry” maybe mispronounced “pawned-i-cherry” or “paan d’ i-cherry”, both forms of pronunciation may indicate thoughts that any apple(y) products will be sold off cheaply or thupped out rather unceremoniously. The latter form of pronunciation is also a dedic to the rich French influence over the place.

I was supposed to meet my cousins there rather early in the morning. But Lady Luck decided to show me her pearly whites and deemed it fine that they stay put in good old Chennai (for a good portion of the morning atleast) while I walked the streets of Pondy alone. (I could say Walk the streets of Pudu alone, but it wouldn’t be the same would it ?)

I got off the bus, camera dangling with the hope that I would see the Sun rise from the horizon for the first time in 2 years, and probably for the only time in the next 2 years. Sadly the clouds invited me to a little game of hide and seek. I dutifully counted to a 100, the clouds were spotted with ease. I accepted defeat after a while and so the Sun decided to show itself from behind the clouds. Losing was never this sweet. The Sun then struck some magnificent poses with the waves playing a beautiful score in the background. I felt it best to keep mum, and let my shutter give muted responses to the sights and sounds offered.

This was but one perk that I had with the time I had on hand. Time that I found exclusively for myself was a rare luxury that I didn’t want to waste. It was my white whale. And finally after what seemed to be an eternity, I finally got to examine time.