SWEET SIXTEEN

My sweet sixteenth year was the year of bloodshed. In 1970 when I turned sixteen in the month of October, I was filled with all kinds of romantic thoughts.

I thought, that year  (between October of 1970 October to 1971),I would meet prince charming and it would be an experience sweeter than honey. Some of the best romances have happened in times of war, but sadly my sweet sixteenth year  was not showered with any such romances.

Those were the days when we used to sing along with the Beatles many of their songs and one of our favorites  was “When I am sixty four“. The song went thus
“When I grow Older losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still feed me,
Will you still need me when I am sixty four!!”

As it happens to people of sixteen, they can never imagine that they will be twenty five, leave alone sixty four.

This October on 21st  I turned sixty  and I am painfully  realizing  that I am only  four years away from sixty four. But then as the saying goes “that (I mean 60) is just a number”. What's in a number? Well there is something in “THE NUMBER”. 16 is sweet and 60 reminds you about some sour facts of life. Sad!!!
Going Back to “When I am sixty four”.
In the song Beatles  imagine at that age of 64 the beloved will be doing the following:
1. “Knitting sweater”(a handiwork  that I had learnt and have managed to forget)
2. “Skimp and save” (OMG, skimp!!!)Economize?  What’s the point of reaching the ripe age, if I cant be foot loose and fancy free with money.3. “Send me a postcard “ The age of snail mail is over. I won't have the time or energy to go out and buy post cards. I would much rather sit in my couch and send you links on  facebook. A better way to communicate (even when you are sitting right next to me and  facebooking  as well). Talking to you might mean an unwanted entry into your personal space.

Yes this is how the world has changed for me and many like me in the last forty three years.
Hey Beatles, you are old fashioned . You are dated. Even to a third world woman like me.
But you know what, here is a secret. I still love your songs. The two songs that were sung for me on my birthday this year was “Michelle, my Belle” and “Hey Jude”.

Yes the young lot still love your songs. And your song, dear Beatles, bridges the generation gap for me. And though your “guitar gently weeps”, I look forward to imagining “All the people, living life in peace, you may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one there”!!!
Cheers!!

The writer is Managing Director,
Asiatic 3 Sixty