Of a Library and a New Friend

by Tito

They say a good thing is always followed up with something equally bad. And sometimes...though not quite that often, mind you...it gets followed up with something good again. Take this for instance. I met Shreya, a classmate of mine, online. Met her, in the sense, that I got to know her really well. I had met her before...but its only now that I realised just how great a friend she actually is. And we got to talking on a plethora of things...we tended to drift away from one topic to another quite often. And on one of these 'drifting offs,' I suddenly got reminded of Mustard Seeds, and she being a book lover, how much she'd actually like becoming a member.

So, on one fine Sunday, she came over and we made our way to Maura's place (I missed out on the 'Aunty' intentionally. I call her that, but it sounds better to call her just Maura in print). She'd get back a few minutes later. Gautam Kaku was there, and so was the same library I had grown up loving so badly. Shreya summed it up best: she told me she could spend an eternity sitting amidst and surrounded by all these books. We book lovers, all of us, are sort of like that! It's like...we get lost in this mystic land in our minds, and frankly, I can't think of a better place than Mustard Seeds to do that. The homeliness and this cosy feeling you get really fills you up in a strangely simple way.

And then Maura came over and I introduced Shreya to her, and we got to talking again. It was evident from the look on Shreya's face how much she really liked the place and Maura already. And me, well, I got reminded of how I'd felt almost the same way around 6 years ago! Some things never change.

After a few rounds of 'Parcheesi' with Boy Basu, who, by the way, had also already ridden on me, and made me carry him around for a while (I was only too happy to oblige), Girl & Boy Basu, Shreya, Maura and yours truly then sat down to watch a DVD I'd given Maura earlier: The 'Concert for George'. We warmed up to the songs pretty quickly. Maura and I are HUGE fans of George Harrison, and amidst sing-a-longs of 'My Sweet Lord' with Gautam Kaku playing the 'khol' alongside (the fusion sounded uncannily beautiful) and 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' with Clapton's wailing guitar solo in the background, we had loads of much needed fun. 'Much needed' as I had a test the next day, and this happy moment surrounded by goodness was all that stood between a happy Arnab, and a dismal grouch.

As the saying goes, All things MUST passs, and it was time to go home. Shreya had made a new friend, and I had introduced a new friend to an old one, and Mustard Seeds had a brand new member to boot! Oh, and might I mention that the test went great too, after all!

So, I miscalculated: ONE good thing got followed by TWO good things this time!)

PLEASE DONATE to people in Nandigram

nandi-donate
Originally uploaded by dalbhat

Mustard Seeds Library is now collecting specific items for the people in Nandigram to take to a relief center that Mahasweti Devi has set up.

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An email from a very reliable source writes the following:

I managed to speak directly to Mahasweta di this morning and here is what she has asked me to circulate:

1. Her address IS being used as a collection and despatch centre for relief materials for Nandigram victims. For those who do not have it, it is:
W 2C, 12/3 Phase 2, Golf Green, Kolkata 700095.

Children's warm clothes, new (not secondhand) lungis and dhotis for men. sturdy saris in wearable condition, rice and dal are welcome.

2. If money is being donated, it should be sent to Account no. 24941, Canara Bank, Sealdah branch.

3. Mahasweta di has been focusing on working with a doctors' group at Nandigram. The contact person if anyone wishes to help with the health centre there in any way is Dr Devapriya Mallick, 9830510911.

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I encourage everyone to bring their donations to the library, and we will take the load to the drop-off point on Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Although we mustard seeds are small, we can make big efforts together!

-Mauraunty