So what are you into these days?
All out to be 'into something'
Nina Rawal
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HAVE YOU noticed how everyone these days is 'into something'? It's the sign of the times and it struck me the other day, when I was invited to a typical Saturday afternoon lunch at a close friend's home.
''There's no special occasion my husband's out of town, the kids are at my mother's, and I thought a few of us women could get together and let down our hair maybe,'' Anita rattled off in one long sentence, with no punctuation marks. She could have made an excellent 'stream of consciousness' novelist, but had chosen instead to work with the numbers and logic of computer programming.
She also loved parties - especially hosting them. Her lunches and dinners always turned out to be a pot pourri of people, almost as if she had thrown random names into a bag and picked out what she thought would be a manageable number, not really caring if they knew each other. ''You know with these small Bombay flats you just can't invite everyone I've been after Subhash to buy a larger place but you know how he is and then it is such fun to have a really mixed group.''
I was there, bright and early, carrying the customary flowers, and looking forward to an afternoon of some excellent food, and even spicier conversation. Anita, looking svelte and chic, handed me a glass of wine.
''This is Mun Mun she's into bonsai big time look at this adorable orange tree in a little pot that she brought me oh I love your earnings Nina.'' I stopped her at this point to compliment her on her new slim self. ''Oh that's thanks to Rohini here she's into this terrific naturopathy programme that she runs in Alibag I was there for 10 days oh I have to go check on the mushrooms.'' and she swept into the kitchen.
I had just begun pondering on what I could be ''into''. Surely being into the laundry and dusting just wouldn't cut ice, but that was what I had been doing all morning. Just then the doorbell rang, and another of Anita's friends arrived.
''Thankfully, she looks pretty normal,'' I thought. One more round of introductions - I was informed that the new arrival was ''majorly into'' computers, and single-handedly ran a franchised training institute. ''And what are you into?'' she asked Mun Mun as she sat down on the sofa. I decided to help myself to the mushrooms, and check what else was on the menu. ''Did you cook all this yourself?'' I marvelled, looking at the multitude of dishes on Anita's kitchen counter.
One more was humming away in the microwave, and a couple more were bubbling on the stove. ''Are you nuts this is all thanks to Sanjukta she's into home catering now she was always such a great cook remember now she caters for all these big shot corporate types she'll be here in a minute she went home to change,'' informed Anita breathlessly (and as usual sans punctuations).
I was beginning to feel this uncontrollable urge to turn myself into one of the houseplants on the windowsill. A few more of Anita's guests had arrived. Happily for me, there were Ruby and Sangeeta. ''Now here are some people I know; we can talk about old times,'' I thought, as they picked up a plate of Sanjukta's excellent vol au vents and headed in my direction.
By the time we finished exclaiming over each other's shoes, jewellery and clothes, I discovered that Ruby was now 'into' making terracotta accessories. That accounted for the exotic necklace she was wearing. Sangeeta, always a perfectly colour-coordinated dresser, was now into designing clothes for two swanky boutiques.
I also made the acquaintance of women who were into reiki, vaastu shashtra and a few more activities with names that were harder to pronounce.
''Isn't this the greatest time we're having I love this group of friends let's do this again soon,'' Anita was hugging and kissing a few women, one of whom had to rush back to her students of pottery, another to her holistic healing session, or was it eggless dessert making?
Animated discussions buzzed in the background, while I revelled in the pleasant state of mind that the combination of wine and Sanjukta's culinary marvels had induced in me. ''And what are you into?'' someone next to me was asking. I had an answer ready: ''Home management, television programming appreciation, and an occasional survey of the city's shopping bargains,'' I informed her. She looked very impressed.
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