Lost.. In Translation

Caution:  This particular post has two parts - not necessarily one related to the other; in fact don't blame me if you can't make heads or tails out of it, but then feel free to make any connections that may seem fit.
         Past one month has been kind of crazy. First of all after a long time, I had a big vacation. Which was spent almost fully in laziness. That naturally led me back to watching random movies every now and then. Guess what Lost in Translation, Little Manhattan and Up in the Air have in common? Well, granted, I did end up watching them all in the new found movie-watching-spree, but apart from that? My feeling was that they were all trying to say something similar. In fact, out of these three, I must admit I didn't even like Lost in translation that much. (But, you know, the tagline was kind of cool and the poster with Scarlett Johansson looked cute and hence the reason for the title and the picture). More than the movie itself,  it was the reviews that captivated me more. I have the habit of reading IMDB reviews randomly for movies and this one and this one were in particular intriguing and played a major role in getting me to watch the movie. Up in the Air, I barely need to say - probably most of you have already seen the movie and have your conclusions. As for Little Manhattan, I must say it was pure magic. The boy who played Gabe was amazing, together with some wonderful lines - in particular the ending was so cool. 


       ".. and leave you bleeding on the floor. And what does it really get you in the end? Nothing but a few incredible memories that you can't ever shake." 


         Now for the common part - as some of you might have guessed - all those movies  were about chance meetings (yeah, as they say in middle earth). In case of Lost in Translation, the reviews said it clearly. I loved reading the movie's reviews than I liked the film itself, which, let's face it, was boring ultimately. One of the reviews was speaking about the life-changing connections one might have missed in the past by just being passive and solitary. I don't know about the 'passive and solitary' part, but otherwise, yeah, the life changing connections called friends that you might have missed in the past.  I don't know, but sometimes you just think of stuff.. like, what if you had not been interested in quizzing? what if you had not been allotted to that particular room in your hostel? what if that guy hadn't come in late and sat along with you in the last bench? what if you hadn't been interested in lan gaming at wee hours? Again, I don't have the answers, but it sure sounds scary. Which brings me to my question. Are acquaintances and friendships based on such chance meetings? Would you have found the same relationship had things gone differently that particular moment on that particular day? After all, one would think that there can only be so many people alike - and that ultimately you do end up getting along together as you are supposed to and that it's just a matter of time. But you never know and sometimes it's just too late.
           And here begins the second part. After a long stint away from the place, it was Chennai again. Four years of my life I've spent here in this place - more than anywhere else except my hometown. But still, I keep getting surprised every now and then. Turns out, my knowledge of the city was limited to weekend trips in and around when the whole city lies dormant. It takes a typical weekday peak hour to realize it's full capacity. I never saw too many office goers before. Well, partly because you don't register them in your mind when you're travelling half asleep or chatting away with a friend or engrossed in texting someone. On the other hand, you do get to notice all these and much more when you start entering the first steps of your career and have to be on your lookout for the missed bus stop or for the potential pick pocketer - you just never know. 
           Working in a city, away from your family or friends is kind of very different from all the experiences you've had previously. Admittedly, it did seem dull in the beginning but then now I kind of realize (well 4 days of experience isn't anything, even then, please hear me out) there are hidden potentials - after all, even college seemed dull initially. Agreed, there is still the challenge of having to come home from a tiring day only to be alone and on the search for the next new restaurant (or face indulging in the tiresome activity of cooking), but I  have the feeling it will pass. There was a speech given by people today when one among them was leaving the job to pursue activities abroad and I could see respect. Genuine admiration and respect. And then I realized - You might have people moving in and out, but it won't be long before you find something or the other to hold your attention. Between those phases, you might feel lost, but then you do turn up okay in the end. Whatever happens, you'll have a special set of people, very different from the countless that you pass daily, ensuring that you do. And the rest? Well, the rest is just stuff lost in translation.