10 years later... Part 1

A little background here. Five years from now, we all got bugged of our corporate jobs and decided to quit the industry and start afresh. We all actually put down our papers on the same day. We went our ways pursuing different careers and interests. Though few of us kept meeting up regularly, the entire group meet-up only happened five years after that,10 years from now. Here are some excerpts from the conversation as I could recollect :
(Kids,spouses not mentioned here intentionally :))

It started with everyone congratulating John. Finally he had decided to tie the knot! Also the publishing date for his long delayed book - 1001 Excuses to fool ANYONE has been finalized. On being asked how he was inspired to write the book, he said "No da, no inspiration nothing. I had fever for two weeks and I could not go outside the house. So only I decided to write this book". For those who didn't know, John has been taking courses on giving excuses for last 3 years now. The advanced course comes with a free 3 hour lecture on "How to pataofy girls and not lose money". We all got a free copy of the yet-to-be published book,signed by John. Here is the front cover :

Next everyone's attention turned to Ashwini - "Ashu,  last episode of Chindi Chitranna was amazing. We thought you are out of the show only!!! As always, you seem to be the audience favourite this time also. (Ashwini is a HUGE reality show star now in kannada television. Apparently a big Kannada TV producer saw her 27- minute marathon fight with an autowallah and called her for the audition of a soon-to-be-launched reality show, Chindi Chitranna. Ashwini has been the winner last 3 seasons and this is her 4th season on the popular show. The audience can't get enough of her "hilarious" one-liners and histronics, not to mention the large male fan following she has garnered) Ashu "Gottilla kane, I am just being myself .The audiences are being nice to me asthe. Adre last episode, a one-movie wonder koti naa nodidiya, heng adta idlu. Nanne tamashe madtala avlu.......................................................................................................(blah blah)"

Meanwhile, Divya "Rash, howz business at your grocery store?" (Rash started her gorcery store  years back. Well, as promised before, she offered me the job of managing the grocery store. But  she would give pay me only once in 3-4 months,so one fine day I didn't turn up) "Ayyoooo, en business-o eno. Last week I was sitting at the grocery store. Suddenly I realized the weighing machine in front of me is missing. I was wondering what happened. Then it struck me. I had dozed off for two hours while someone stole it and ran. Asthe alla, last week,yaaro 10 kg onion tagond bittu, 5 kg ne tagondidini anda nambsi asthe duddu kot hodru. I realized it only that night" Divya, as a habit, turns to Surya and translates the Kannada sentence to her "It seems someone took 10 kgs of onion from the store and paid for 5 kgs " "Aisa kya!?"

"What about you Divya? How is the teaching job going on in Mangalore?" (Divya has taken up a teaching job at an international school at Mangalore. Her subject is Moral Science. She has taken on the school authorities that they have one hour of moral science lessons everyday of the week she told them she'll continue only if they comply. They had no choice).
"Hey its going on well yaaa. All the kids are really cute. And they are awesome too".
"And do the kids like you,Div?"
"What nonsense! Of course,they love me. Infact they all have all affectionately kept a nickname for me too"
"What?"
"GODMOTHER" (with a hint of pride in her voice)

Vidhya was trying to say something from a long time now. She would start a sentence "Heyyyy yyyyooouuu knnnoowww..." and then suddenly someone would start their own story and then she would trail off. Now she took advantage of the silence that followed the GODMOTHER reply and started off. (Vids is a mini-celebrity in the local circles now. She has done several singing stage shows in and around Bangalore ) "Hey you know what, yesterday I had an audition for a  song for this recently launched Kannada movie Kunidu Kunidu Baare. It went welllll only, but dunno yaar.That producer was talking some bakwaas. I should sing faaaast it seems. Improve pace of the singing. I have no idea what he means by that. One idiot only".


(I realise the post has become a little lengthy. Lets have a Part 2 - Vim, Ankur, Surya, me, Krish , very soon :D)