A tribute to Brown and Blue

In one month, they both will be celebrating their 21^st birthday. At  7 feet Brown is  6inch longer than Blue and few weeks younger. Over the years they have quietly listened to adventurous  of young men, hosted victory parties, provide comfort to players after tough defeat and above all ensured peaceful sleep to numerous sportsmen, entrepreneur, directors, policeman, teachers , army  officers ,doctors, engineers, bankers , artist, students, infants, help, drivers.......the list is endless.  

Brown was the cotton Mattress of Y Subba Rao, the best  volleyball player of Asia and Blue is of his friend Abhijit. Their journey started from quarter number A-10/8  of ONGC colony, Dehradun in the approaching winter of 1998. With no beds, they were initially laid on the floor for more than a year. The basic salary of Rs 2380/- could not afford a mattress, pillows, bed and breakfast all at the same time. So, everything was prioritised. After ensuring enough crockery, gas cylinder and  monthly  ration the next utility which came to this household was this twin Brown and Blue Mattress followed by a  bed, TV and telephone. Subba Rao and Abhijit joined ONGC in 1998 and separated after 9 years when Subba Rao finally discovered Jyothi in 2007.

Telephone connection was a rare  luxury in the nineties for new recruits. It came at a premium security deposit of Rs 3000/-.  Prize money from couple of tournaments finally helped them to get the famous telephone nos. 2758870. This happened after Subba and Abhijit shifted to their new quarter nos. A-24/6 on insistent of Nishant Kumar, the dynamic and handsome international basketball player, who was for them the confident Amir Khan of  Dil Chahata Hai .

The landline number spread like wildfire. As communication improved the lifestyle at A- 24/6 changed overnight. Booking started coming from across the country. Long before  Airbnb Start-up, this piece of property with 24 hours drinking water, master chef named ‘’Mobile”, MP3 player, TV, telephone and 7x 6 feet iconic twin mattress  was opened to  bachelors  from across the country and for few newly wed couple. These facilities were exclusively reserved for good friends of Abhijit and Subba and good friends of their good friends only in return of good humour and conversation. There was no mobile app to help navigate visitors towards the house keys. It was placed permanently below the red brick in front of the flat. If the keys were not found, the rule of the house was to break the lock with the red brick and replaced it with a new lock and the keys were to be placed below the red brick again. Today, even after 21years , when good friends met again they express their gratitude for Brown and Blue. 

In the absence of any sofa and dining table, Brown and Blue  served multiple purpose. During victory parties Brown and Blow were used to be placed on the dance floor to act as shock absorber  so that family residing below don’t get disturb. For dinner they were used for dining purpose. The bed cover was removed and replaced with any old “The Times of India”. Once when one of their party lover friend noticed Y Subba Rao pic in one of those newspaper lifting a trophy, the TOI was placed in its rightful place. National and international medals used to be spotted hanging around in corners. There was no glass box to showcase those priced possession, many of which  made entry to the house after national anthem was sung.

The stories which these Brown and Blue Mattress witnessed over the last twenty one years are endless. After Subba separated, the mattresses stayed along with Abhijit. Once, Abhijit got married and shifted to Delhi, they knew they had to follow orders as per their new owner i.e  Abhijit’s wife Priyanka.

Before, the new lady owner could complain of their worn-out look, and waning comfort, Brown and Blue fearing their retirement rolled out their best service and  gave two  back to back daughters to the family. This ensured their services for couple of more years. As their daughter grew up and diapers were bide good bye, Brown and Blue had to sometimes absorbed those midnight wetness even during severe winters.

     

    One of those smile Brown and Blue are capable of creating 

As market started booming with offers of many new super comfort and Ortho recommended mattress, Abhijit’s wife would get tempted ordering them online reading those 5 star reviews. Few of them even made entry to their household but Abhijit’s love for his oldest companion kept postponing their retirement  every year. His wife has been regularly envying this relationship.

Recently, when there were guest in the house, Blue was pulled down to the floor and the host had a super awesome sleep. Waking up late on that particular Sunday morning,  Priyanka in her half sleep confessed “Iss mattress may jitni acchi nind aati hai, no mattress in the world can match  it” .  That was one of the most satisfying confession, Abhijit’s  got to hear from his wife in recent time.

Now, Abhijit is hopeful this straight from heart confess from his wife will ensure his Tendulkar and Dravid to continue for few more years despite presence of Virat and Rohit in the market.