Where do u live?

I was recollecting some of the memories of the past year when this one flashed.

This happened when I and one of my very close friends were doing a project for an MNC bank.

To collect information, we once met a lady (in late twenties) from a competitor bank, who was introduced to us by one of her colleagues. During our introductions, we came across the question on where we live and we very innocently told that we are coming from Powai.

The reaction this sentence evoked was..

"Oh. you are from the suburbs..!!"

and then the conversation took its normal track.

At least it seemed so.

Though that reaction was not at all out of place and was very spontaneous and innocent, but inside me, that kick started a chain of thoughts.


Well, I know your office is in Fort area, which is fairly up market... but then is powai such a bad place??

We don't live in encroached huts there.. and the place boasts of IIT and the Hiranandani complex and a few big corporates also... isn't it good enough??

Also, I personally never decided to stay there... in fact that was never a choice... but what can I do if the govt. decided some 45-50 years back to set up an institute there?

And that institute had just won the 'Best B-School of Mumbai' award, a few days back.. doesn't that help?

...and anyhow there is a fair probability that I will be working out from the same office in case I land up with a job from that bank..so will things change drastically then (in just a few days)?

The feeling of that something going inside grew stronger...I wanted to explain it all... right there.. but the look that we had got was hinting more like "Oh.. you poor people!!".. and that somewhere stopped me... made us feel small

The question I raise is that - Is your address such an important thing???

I personally never thought so..

But somehow the answer in this case was a yes..

.. a big Yes!!!

After all she never cared to confirm if we are the Kings and own a few palaces in powai.

In the mean time we were done with the meeting and I came out of that room with all my feelings still inside me and with some desired inputs on our topic of research and some un sought for but important inputs on the ways of life...