The Rolling Stone

I am currently in my twelfth home and I am not in software or in the "services". And no, I do not feel a lack of roots.

Appa had a transferable job and we moved from Tanjore to Guntur to Vijayawada and then Bombay. In Mumbai, we moved houses depending on the lease arrangements. Twelve, not counting the stint in Ahmedabad for my PG and the new "own" home in Mumbai (which is a story in itself- like the movie "Veedu").

Amma- Appa never cribbed about shifting. I think they looked forward to it. Boredom would set in if we were in the same house for over 2 years. We never had professional packers. It was a family do, with me chipping in by being out of the way. Later I was given small tasks like labelling boxes, I would run around getting the tape/ scissors etc - being the errand girl. Then I was promoted to pack up the large glassware and curio collection into papers wraps. The organizing, the packing and the unpacking, the care, the timing- all taught me a lot.

I looked forward to new friends, new neighbors, new schools. Contrary to the opinion that I had a disruptive schooling, I developed a curiosity and affinty for more things new. The experience came in handy when post marriage we moved 3 times in Chennai ( based on proximity to my work place) and now reside in our own place.

Maybe the only set back is that I do not have any bum chums from school. And I never got to eat the Banganapalli mangos from the three seeds I sowed in Vijayawada. I do recall touching the big Nandi in the Tanjore kovil through the enclosure grill. I love the moon through the woods as we went to Prabodha library in Guntur. My introduction to aloo patties in Mulund, the naan kattai at the bakery in Dombivli, the valley view in Powai, the buzz and convenience of being near the station at Santa Cruz house, the video library near the Andheri house... but these are memories I treasure. If ever I revisit and relive them they may not be as sweet.

A less romatic, more purposeful vagabond than RL Stevenson's.