So what if you are in America!

I wanted to share this with you. Quite a few of you would have read the "The world is flat". And you know how Friedman goes on about India. Here is my story of trying to impress my friend who landed in the US recently during his visit to our place a
couple of weekends back.

I recently had my friend Bijesh who was our junior at school visit us in Lansing. He had been working in Bangalore for Oracle and now he works for a firm in Cleveland. He visted me say within 15days of arriving in US.

Remember, this guy calls me "Annah" and has a lot of reverence for me. So, to show the big brother(not the reality TV) attitude and to show off the comforts of "The USA", I went to pick him in a sparkle washed car, with some super thumping music with some trendy clothes. I met Bijesh at the station, hugged and all but he never cared much to my so-called expensive attire. Ok...He wasn't impressed. Then, I took him to my car in which I had perfectly timed the stereo to play a super thumping number from "Enigma"(set beforehand). Reminded him of the Seat-belt, which he already had on. I zipped to show off my 265 horses. He did not batter his eyelid one bit. He said, "I make it to Cochin from Bangalore in 8.5 hours in my car". Hmmmm......He wasn't impressed.

Then, I took him to my house which is my pride and my splendour (Yeah...in my mind). All I could get was a measly, "Nice house". Then, I said to my self, probably he will be impressed with my Liquor collection. I had bought some expensive Single Malt, some of all kinds of liquor and my favourite Bells Oberon beer. Being afternoon, he tried the beer, and said, "Nothing can match our Kalyani(Indian Beer) right!". Hmmm..He wasn't impressed. I asked him to open my cherished bottle of Scotch in frustration and he coolly replied, "we pretty much have this stuff in Bangalore". Then, just to pacify myself, I had to explain the rarity of single malts which he didnt care much.

I talked about my pool league and how cool it is to hang out in bars and how we sometime sneak out during lunch hours to shoot pool. And he politely said, "Oh Annah! in Bangalore, we play snooker all the time. My office has two full size tables, and of course TT tables, showers etc". Now, instead of me impressing him, he has started to impress me. Still the fighter in me wanted to impress him some way or other.

So, in the evening, I took him to a Thai Restaurant to surprise him with a frog legs entree. (Note: He is a carnivore and it was not my intention to suprise him by ordering anything repulsive). I ordered in Thai asking for "Gob(frog legs)" and stuff. The waitress bought a full plate of spicy gob. Bijesh asked what it was and I said what it was. Without a major comment he went on to enjoy the food but only to add a last minute remark that frog meat is very tasty in one of the toddy shops in his home town. So, no surprise for him there and I was the one to be abashed.

Anyway, I took him to the bowling alley and I did not impress him much either. He just made a couple of turkeys and I blamed my loss on the beer. So no question of him getting impressed there.

Finally, I wanted to play my trump card. Golf! I was very sure that Golf was not an easily accessible game in 'his' Bangalore. And since I have an heads up on the game, he will sure be surprised. I wore my golfing outfit, woke him up early and drove to the driving range. I had to teach him. Yes...I enjoyed every second of those10minutes teaching him. I asked him to line the ball along the centre line between the stance. Asked him to maintain an isoceles triangle between the toes and the ball and swing this way and that way. I could hit 75% of the balls to 150+ yards straight out. Then he started. He could not meet the ball in the first few swings. Glad was I to teach him again! And he started hitting 50yards etc. Suddenly, he walked up to me and said, "Annah! I figured out." . He went on show his shot. He just stood at the Leg wicket for an outswinger in Cricket. Put his left foot forward like playing "Front foot" in cricket and smacked the Golf ball as if hitting "a Six" and managed to hit 200yards every time. Rest of the bucket of balls were zooming towards the 200-yard mark. I gave up. For the rest of his visit, I was listening about our India from him and continued to get amazed.

I am sure India is the most happening place. Ain't that cool. I still miss the crisply ironed shirts by our "Iron-men". I still miss the Dhabas and Road side shops. I still miss the variety of Bananas. I still miss Jasmine(not the girl...the flower). I still miss tons of great things our country has.

I know it is very competitive in India these days and we always have the thought in the back of our mind that the guy next to you could be lot smarter than you. What say ye all.