My Guardian Angel!!!

I know him since the time I remember, the Bluff Master...few months younger to me. Parveen Babi we used to tease him because of his name and he would pretend to be upset.

A major movie buff, he used to visit our next door neighbours (in Bandra) every summer holidays. On lazy sleepy afternoons, on the staircase of our apartment building he would start his story sessions. His stories would be nowhere close to the original but he had the talent to hold audience nevertheless. He was the one who had introduced us to Rambo and Commando. He would recount the actions of Bulging muscles Sylvestor Stallone and we would be so impressed that we would make our own walkie talkies with discarded cigarette packs and crawl on the balcony floor calling each other “Alpha, Charlie, Over and Out”...

One summer afternoon we were on stealing spree...stealing flowers from any garden we would come across...our quest took us to the sprawling complex of MHADA which had beautiful garden with variety of flowers. The compound wall was pretty high for we were just kids. Anyway, 3 of us managed to scale the wall :-), me, the bluff master and my bro...others were waiting outside, keeping an eye for the watchman. We could manage to pluck only a few flowers when we heard the whistle and there was this watchman, huge and bulky, pointing his danda, charging towards us. Our Khabris outside were already biting the dust. Flowers forgotten, we tried to scale the compound wall as fast as we could and just about managed before the watchman could grab us. Phew!!! The way we ran from there, I am sure we could have won the 100 metres relay hands down. Once we were at a safe distance from the charging watchman, the bluff master started his solo act. Oh, I cant see...God, I have gone blind...ah, my eyes hurt. Did we panic? You bet, all of us could virtually experience the spanking awaiting us at our respecting homes. When we tried to check his eyes, the bluff master was giggling...he was GIGGLING!!! GRRRRRR...he got maximum kicks on his butt that day.

There were many more summers after that with many more adventures...but among all the friends, he would always be there for me. Supporting, cheering, teasing...If mom asked me to pick up some groceries, he would go with me. If I felt like visiting a temple, he would go too. Even for my first interview (a part time job), he just happened to visit my home and insisted on accompanying me. I was glad he did since though I was very confident when I left home, once I reached there I was a bundle of nerves. I was about to leave without giving any interview when my friend insisted that I go through it. Yes, yes I did get that job.

He grew up to be a tall and strong youth. I didn’t call him handsome because I still have to figure out how he actually looks. I mean I will definitely know once he stops changing his hairstyles and his designer moustache and beard. In case you guys want to know, his latest style is Mangal Pandey moustache...he he

Do you believe in Guardian Angels? I do, how can I not after knowing the Bluff Master!!!