The Mug List

If a Bucket List is stuff you want to do before you die, then I guess you could call what you want to do before you hit middle age, a Mug List. And, despite the shy protestations of my lady friends, I am old enough to make mine.

I have no real logic as to how I arrived at the list, except that it might be imbecelic to attempt any of these endeavors a few years from now.

1. I want to have that step-cut I was prohibited from having as a teen.
2. I want to, just one last time, ride a bicycle without a headlight, after sunset.
3. I want to get into my size 30 Levi’s 501s and sing a karaoke without my voice going up an octave.
4. I want to see 3 continuous shows of A Few Good Men at Rex on a Sunday. And NOT complain of migraine.
5. I want to call up Venky who was my mate at IIM, Bangalore and return the 250 bucks I owe him.
6. Ok, add Eswar, Ashok, and T.P. George to that list.
7. I want to apologize to Sonia for not turning up for dinner at her home 12 years ago. I never called to explain my whimsical absence.
8. I want read the entire collection of Hardy Boys again.
9. I want to understand Salman Rushdie’s fiction.
10. Finally, I want to go back to all the parties where I stood tongue tied, with the repartees I have thought of since.

There I’ve done it. I already feel younger. I am going to start on this list now.

But not before I send this note to the folks upstairs: “Dear Mrs. Kumar, in the days to come if you hear a poor rendition of Song Sung Blue do not shtock my ceiling with a mop handle. It’s just a man trying to age gracefully.”

Posted by Thomas