And We Meet Again

1. The Many Choices

CHAPTER - 1

THE MANY CHOICES

"A man is too apt to forget that in this world, he cannot have everything. A choice is all that is left him." - Harry Mathews

The Summer of Eight Years Ago

At each stage, phase and day, we are offered choices and whatever we choose becomes our destiny.

Almost nineteen years back, Mom and Dad decided to do the nasty, better not go there, and the Y-chromosome attached with X-chromosome resulting in formation of XY genes instead of XX. Nine months later, they were blessed with the devilishly charming, sexy, cute little boy - me. Out of the pink and blue, two choices, blue was chosen.

A year later, I had to make a life changing decision of choosing either the Robots or the Barbie dolls. Much to my parents' pleasure, I chose robots even though the Barbie doll of my neighbor's one year old girl was damn sexy.

At a Thanksgiving Dinner at my Aunt's home, I, the poor six year old was asked whom I loved more- my Grandpa or my Granny. All eyes in that room were on me, as if I was about to announce the next American Idol. I chose Grandpa as he really was cool, not that I didn't love my Granny, but she could not bear my rejection and two days later, she passed away due to a heart attack. Poor me; I had so much load on my tiny shoulders. Huh!

When I entered High School, I had to choose between being a Nobody, whom nobody knows with the exception of his own friends or the Popular Boy, who does not know anybody with the exception of his own friends. Damn two choices! With my dark brown hair and eyes as blue as the ocean which were teamed with my perfect model-like physique, I knew that I could not hide from the popular group for so long and eventually they would find me and beg me to be one of them. So, I decided not to give them the pain of chasing me.

For maintaining the reputation of the popular boy, I had to choose between being the sweet, kind boy or the player. It was obvious that the sweet, kind guy gets everybody's respect, love and adoration, while the player gets nothing pointed earlier and only sex. It's not hard to guess what I chose. Soon, I was the star quarterback 'player' of my school. Every girl wanted me and every boy wanted to be me.

In senior year, I had to decide on the course I wanted to pursue in my future. After thinking hard about my life ten years down the line, I realized what I wanted. I wanted to play the field, football field and the other one too. I got a scholarship and was selected for Vanderbilt University.

At the end of my senior year, during the summer, my mom gave me the option to visit my Uncle in Houston or my Grandpa in Miami. The choice was not tough as any day I would choose my Grandpa over my nine months pregnant looking uncle whose snore keeps his entire neighborhood awake.

One hour back, my grandpa asked me to go grocery shopping alone or with him. I decided alone as I wanted him to rest. Hey, no jokes on my Grandpa!

Fruit loops or honey loops?

Looking between these two boxes in my either hands, I realized that this was the toughest decision I had to make in my life, ever. I wouldn't have regretted if I had chosen Barbie over robots, but what if I chose fruit loops and the next morning I wanted to have honey loops or vice versa?

'I would so regret this decision. And Keith Warren never regrets anything,' I told myself.

Mom had always told me that whenever I am confused, all I need to do is close my eyes and whatever pops up in my head the instant I face darkness is what I really want and what I should choose.