I have noticed that my previous compositions have all been history lessons… I’m sorry! As faithful readers of mine, and being so less in number, I mustn’t keep you so tied up in my nostalgia. So this is what I propose; I will try and make this the last one …
Toshi… that’s what I call him, this name has been a part and parcel of my life since my PGDM days and it still continues to be so. Not everyone would want to discuss these things on a web page, considering the personal nature of it. But I have kind of decided to ignore the frowns and scowls that could be invited on this. I guess you might have by now pictured a tall, handsome, athletic and fair looking guy with glossy skin, sparkling eyes, lazy hair and stubbles, kind of Mike St. John make!! Well I wouldn’t mind discussing that as well, just that my guts are not yet geared up to be that juicy! To further disappoint you, it’s my laptop I was mentioning…Toshi, that’s what I call him.
When I joined for my PGDM, it was a requirement that we all owned a laptop. During those days your laptop is the most serious relation you have. All those who have had experienced laptop- less days, owing to casualties like viral attacks, breakages and leakages might understand what sort of an inseparable, illicit relation we have towards them. Yea, that’s right, illicit! You should see those nutcases who wipes and cleans and cover up their lapz just like how a first- time- mom dresses up her baby!
When I bought Toshi two years back, I had practically no idea of laptops or their configurations or the kind of hair spiking expenses they could incur. Even then, the first time I laid my eyes on him, I felt the pride welling up inside… I was the proud owner of a Toshiba L310, silver complexioned! The color distinguished him from the mass of other black lapz. I too was not less than a first time mom to my Toshi then.
Well, gradually in the course of time, as the schedules of academics tightened its grip on our throats and the pathogen enriched hostel cuisine grazed on our alimentary canal, the novelty started wearing off, like all my other electronic gadgets Toshi too fall prey to disabilities. His OS crashed twice. Inspite of having an up to date antivirus he once had a fatal viral attack. Well, no matter how strong or protective your antivirus is, your pen-drives, (I call mine Flash), travel through hands and lapz and finally show up like those kids in Surf excel ads- mucked up with viruses. Being a movie freak, I didn’t mind Flash much at first, and Toshi silently stomached all the sufferings! It took me a year to actually heed to the misery of Toshi (the warranty expired in 1 year). To be exact, it was on the day I accidently closed the lap with the handset on the key board. Since I was a regular and loyal customer and brought them a few other customers, the workshop boy, Arun negotiated my expenses on replacing the screen to 9500/-. Still, I could literally feel my nerve impulses mutating into electric impulses, my hair spiking up and my body petrifying. Arun promised to repair and deliver within a week. Those were the emptiest days of my life.
Flash and I started showing Toshi some respect thereafter. I formatted flash straight away every time he returned after loitering. I resolved to keep away from other perverted laptops and pen drives those were breeding Trojans and worms. To the benevolence of my systems- and -operation friends, Toshi had a few free of expense formatting. Things were going on well until one fine day the charger stopped working. I forgot to mention, it was already replaced once, but that was before the warranty expired. The second time, that too without warranty, blacked me out. I couldn’t even think of asking my mom money for another repair because she had literally begged me to stop torturing the laptop with these repairs, and her with the bills. (As if I was doing it on purpose). This time I decided to any way consult Arun. I had by then became one of their elite customers and contributed a lump sum amount to their business. He was very happy to see me, again! I placed the handicapped charger on the counter and told him, it’s not working, probably needs to be replaced and how much is it gonna cost? We both looked at each other for a sec; he then took away the charger and went inside. Five minutes later he returned and told me, it might not need a replacement if I could just fix the edge that connects to the laptop. I lightened up and gave him one of my 220 V smiles of gratitude! After all I was their most loyal customer. I winded up the business for just 100/- which could have otherwise cost me a few thousands.
I graduated and left college a few months later, Toshi never had a repair ever since. His gorgeous silver color has turned shabby and blackened at places out of over use. Inspite of his physical challenges he still performs exceptionally well. Toshi and Flash are currently enjoying a post retirement life in the capital city; just like the War heroes left with scars, blotches and awe- inspiring memories, settling down quietly and peacefully in the later years of their life having fought and won many a war. As for me I am still the proud owner of a Toshiba L310.
