Santa clara ( LOST at Great Mall )

Sunday I was working....... and Monday we had a presentation. It went very well, and I wanted to leave early. My manager offered me a trip to my town house....

I had the maps with me........ so even though its only a day since i reached here I thought i can find the house easily....... and in the car i realized i did not have the map with me... but still i felt confident as on sunday i had a walk around the locality and i know i could manage...

I asked my manager to drop me very near to the Century theatres near the great mall... and when he turned near that.. i senses the locality of my apartment, and i asked him to drop me near that.. And after saying thanks to him... i walked to the house..... reaching near to that i was confused... there was no way to get inside... the gate was locked... and i was confused whether it was the complex containing our house...... Then i started looking for a road to the house ( because the driver on saturday dropped me very near to the house ..)

I walked and i was totally confused......... There is no road nearby to the house.........

Then i started looking for one thing - when i walked on saturday i could see "Century Theatres" name on display....... My manager dropped me at 5:30pm and it was almost 6:00pm. So i thought i would take advantage of the situation... I would take this as a chance to walk around Great Mall.... and can see the places and can also make sure whether there are any other house complexes... so by doing this early I will reduce the risks ( of not finding the apartment..). So i decided to do the Hard Part First ...... Anoop is very intelligent!

And Anoop started walking around the Great Mall... The first round was very fine... I was even thinking of getting into a film - but none of the films interested me - spider man 3, pirates of the caribeen, shrek etc etc.. So i decided against that........

After one round, I was confused, i could not figure out which direction is my apartment. There was "century theatre" display atleast in three directions.. But still apartments and houses were only in two directions... so i could narrow down it to some extent.. But still no idea to reach it......

I thought of calling any of my friends near by -------- anil or vinod etc. And i checked my bag for their numbers. But along with the googlemaps they were also misplaced... I could only find one number....... our CFO's number... along with the invitation papers... I was slightly disappointed for some minutes... But then i was cool... when some situations like this occurs, i come into a freezing mode - where i dont have any sort of pressure or feelings. Then i thought of my next escape - i know my house phone number - 2637761 (encrypted!), so if i call there after 9pm my friend will be there, and he can pick me up. So since a last resort is there i can still investigate other silly options.....

I wanted a friend at that time..... So i went to a shop..... thought of speaking to the shop keeper... but then thought i should buy something first so that he will be more friendly with me... So i looked for options to buy - and finally bought a 'RED BULL'. This is the one drink that i look forward to.. when odds are down.... Bought a RED BULL and while paying the cash... i asked him does he know where the Imagination Place is...... He had no idea where that is.. He also replied negatively to my question whether there is a internet cafe nearby......

So i thought of my options
- ask people
- walk around
- phone CFO
- get a cab and go to Nortel

If i have found a cab i would have gone to Nortel....... but no cab was seen there.......

So i looked for a phone,, and it needed coins.., and i did not have enough coins.. so i did not phone...

Again i decided to go to the place where i could see more apartments... When i walked around a Desi person was coming opposite to me.. I smiled at him, and he smiled.... Suddenly i saw a friend in him,, and i walked to him and asked him i need a help. He was ready to help. I asked him the address and he had no idea. But he was ready to help me.

I asked whether i can get his mobile, and as a courtesy i said i can pay. He said no need, i can use his phone.

I said thanks, and i called my CFO.

CFO: hello
Me: This is anoop, i work for XXX, i came here on satirday, and i am staying in Milpitas apartment, and today my Boss dropped me near Great mall, and i am not able to find the apartment. I thiought i had maps with me , but unfortunately its misisng.. Can you tell me the directions ?
CFO: who are you
Me: iTs anoop, i came... .. here... on saturday
CFO: i dont know who you are. nobody told me
Me; i am working for XXX ODC, and i am here etc etce tec etc
CFO: you dont know the direction.. and ...
Me: sir, i thouht i had the direction..
CFO: are u first time here ?
Me: sir, i am in this location for the first time
CFO: let me find outr.., is it the XXXapartment
Me: No sir, its the Milpitas apartment.. 320 Imagination place
CFO: i am checking
Me: yes sit, you can check google maps also..
CFO: no need, let m,e check
Me: sir , i will call after 5 minutes

and the CFO started checking, and i talked with guy. He is a srilankan Tamil - Prasanna.. We started talking about kerala, tamil, malayalam, srilankan tamil etc etc. He said srilankan tamil is talked like malayalam etc etc

He was supposed to go in the light rail.., but he waited for me..

Then after 10 minutes i called the CFO........

The also he was speaking nonsense..

CFO: what made you to come like this. Do you think Great mall is like food court in india ?

At this moment, I want the directions only. No need to argue. I said sorry.

Then he started telling I should take a taxi.... I said no taxi is near.. i would walk and he can say the directions.. And he started telling directions.. I was not able to follow properly.. i asked him to spell the roads .., but he was not doing that properly. If i asked to spell, he would say to take Taxi.

Finally Prsanna came to help. He took the phone... He asked me to get a pen also... I ran towards another Desi and got a pen... Prasanna took the directions..

Take south main street ( 0.5 miles).., q(C)urtis aveneue, Town drive,sillebtration(celebration ) avenue etc etc.... I thanked Prasanna and took his number..... returned the pen to the other guy and started walking....

I found Main street and started asking people which is south direction... many were confused..... and seeing a Police Car, i went and asked him for directions. I said the address. I was surprised he was not even dropping his window glasses of the car.. Bad Milpitas police. I asked him for the doors and he had no idea.... I was surprised.. Then i asked him what is south main street.. To my surprise he gave a reply to that... Thanks God

I walked along South Min street.. and after some time i saw CURTIS avenue... ( in mine it was written Qurtis avene )....... Then i knew the path is correct... Finally i reached apartment at 9pm.. after 3.5 hours....... And within few minutes my friend also reached there.....

It was very tough .., walking 3.5 hours with a laptop bag in my shoulders.. My shoulder pain has restarted.. and today pathru bought me some "heat shoulder bag" for my relief.

The only regret is - i lost Prasanna's number.. I hope to find him by googling... I have to say thanks to him.

I may be intelligent............ BUT I DONT HAVE ANY COMMON SENSE or PRESENCE OF MIND.

Man..., i have lots of miles to go before I sleep............!