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Hi Noor,
Important things for you to remember.

Lesson 1

“When the most beautiful girl in your class gives you her number: don’t lose the paper”

Bhola classes at Vile Parle is where you will go for your 10th std classes. There you will see Prerna. Studious always sitting on the 2nd bench. Her soft long hair kissing her cheeks, her serene brown eyes trying to tell you something.

After seven months of staring at her beautiful face, you will be sitting next to her on a bus. The smoke spitting private bus has a capacity of fifty. Flaunting all safety norms, seventy students will travel on the bus that day. Going from Vile Parle to Charni Road for science practicals.

You have the opportunity of conducting your experiments right next to Prerna. In her soft husky voice, she asks you “what is your reading of the acidic level in the titration experiment”. You will not realize at that time that she already knew the answer but was trying to talk.

The drive back from Charni Road to Vile Parle will be one of the moments you will cherish till years. Prerna will sit next to you and start talking. Gone were the thoughts that you will tell the driver to halt at Bandra. Gushing you will reach Vile Parle, to take the slow local train back home to Bandra later.

This was the last class before the 10th prelim started. The bus reaches Vile Parle, she sees from the tiny window grills that her father had come to pick her up. She scribbled her phone number on a small piece of paper and passed it to you.

When she gives you her number, memorize it. Keep the paper in your other pocket and not in your wallet. A pick-pocketer will steal your wallet that day, on the train and it will be the last you ever see or hear of her.

Lesson 2

“Buy Amazon Stock– when you are 27”

In your first year of employment in New York, you will have 2000 dollars to invest in a Retirement Plan. Don’t tell the company financial advisor Jacob, to be conservative.

Listen to him, buy Amazon, Apple, and Facebook stocks with your retirement contribution. Don’t use your brains and put money in Bonds.

Lesson 3

“Take French and not Marathi in Eighth Standard”

“If you want to live in Bombay, you need to speak, read and write Marathi,” Papa said. This is one subject in which you will struggle for three years and never master it. It will affect your 10th std Grades. Go for French and make your life simpler.

Lesson 4

“Don’t Touch Prof. Wadekar’s Scooter”

The economic professor, Dr. Wadekar loves his Bajaj Super Scooter. Once in a hurry to get to class, he forgets his keys in the scooter. Your friends will dare you and you will take the scooter for a joy ride. You will be back in 30 minutes and will see Professor Wadekar’s red fuming face.

This will put you in a lot of trouble and summon Papa to college. After a lot of pleading, they will finally let you off with a warning. A 30-minute joy ride is not worth that much aggravation.

Lesson 5

“Most important – Give the tightest Hug to your Maa (Grandmother) before you go to the USA”

Maa will be 80 years old when you leave for the US. She will look fine and healthy when you leave. After two years, her health will start deteriorating and she will not make it to her 83rd Birthday.

You will not be able to come back to India to be with her because of your H-1 and Green Card issues. The slimy lawyer boasts “In two years you will get your Green Card”. You will finally get it after 11 years of application. You will regret not being with her for the rest of your life.

I cannot end the letter, with Yours Truly, As I am you. Confused? Don’t be, concentrate on the above lessons and I promise, everything will be great.

Photo Credit: Scott Van Hoy