This is in some way a celebration, a celebration of having done 50 blogs, of having found more than 50 friends, opened out my inner self, done that on a consistent basis and what not.

It is not easy to compose ones thoughts when James Bond is racing away on the mini screen and Halle Berry looking enchantingly beautiful. I am not exactly a James Bond fan, but I haven't seen most of them, though I have read with eager anticipation each and every one of the original Ian Fleming novels.I grew up with the Sean Connery starrers.I was fan of the macho. I learnt that wines needed tasting and cigars flavours and a true gentleman also needed love fast red cars. Famous heroines, more famous villains. What a way to grow!

But why am I writing about James Bond? This was meant to be a celebration!

When we were truly young, no celebration was complete without Subbu. I do not know why I liked Subbu , picked up friendship with him, shared his way of instant geniality, loved his inane rhyming. There is something remarkable about him, a magnetic pull which attracts some and repels some. He was a joke a moment type, I was the serious kind, reading 'Seminar' (now defunct magazine which was banned during the Emergency) with breakfast, read Pable Neruda to sleep. I was the arts graduate, he the engineer. I was the gangling youngster with no style, he was the young man with style. I liked to act that art movies with unknown faces attracted me more and secretly slunk away to watch Amitabh Bachhan cavorting with his lady in 'Amar Akbar, Anthony' and Subbu was more at home with slapstick comedy but ever ready to bear three hours of pure slow drama.

So what is the connection with my celebration?

Quite simple, This is my fiftieth Blog and I need to dedicate it to someone and who will be better than Subbu, my friend, who I am certain will read it and enjoy it and add his comment. 
   
Thanks everyone, tyhanks Rediff for giving me a voice.